‘They advised us to drink less water and use tubes to urinate’
VIJI MAKES BBC’S 100 INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN LIST FOR CAMPAIGNING FOR WOMEN’S TOILETS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have spearheaded the recent boom in the construction of toilets in far-flung villages of India, but Viji Pallithodi, has been at it for over a decade.
The 50-year-old activist, popularly known as Viji Penkoott, from Kozhikode in Kerala, was recently listed among three Indians in BBC’s 100 inspirational and influential women from across the world.
Viji is credited for her efforts to secure better working conditions for women workers in the unorganised sector.
The other two inclusions in the list are Rahibai Soma Popere, who works to conserve indigenous seed varieties, and Meena Gayen, who worked with women in the Sunderbans delta to build a road to their village.
Viji told Gulf News, “Ever since I started Penkoott, a women-led trade union, whose name actually means ‘women for each other’, it has been associated with my name. It is Kerala’s first women-oriented trade union under the Asanghaditha Meghala Thozhilali Union (AMTU).”
Recounting her journey towards social activism, Viji said, “In 1994, when I began working as a tailor on S.M. Street in Kozhikode, I discovered ■ there were no toilets for women in the entire area. This, despite the fact that S.M. Street (Sweetmeat Street) is the business hub of the city. It is famous for shops selling sweets, spices, electronics and textiles.”
Mocked
When she raised her voice against the lack of basic facilities, Viji was mocked.
“The problem got aggravated when a woman was blocked from entering a private toilet. We approached our employers and building owners apprising them of the inconvenience we faced due to lack of toilet facilities in the vicinity. Imagine, they advised us to drink less water and use she said.
“For decades, women had suffered and related their horrific experiences during our meetings. Since many of these workers did not urinate for long hours, the habit had caused uterine diseases. So, we decided to approach the established trade unions of the town. But, the decision makers were all men and they passed vulgar comments and laughed at us. They said if we were so keen on using toilets, we should stay at home. Sensing the futility of it all, we met political leaders, but none supported our cause.”
When the women’s collective made plans to go on strike, tubes to urinate!” the labour officers said had no such rights, as were not an organisation.
“Inspired by the works of human rights activist and social reformer K. Ajitha, who founded an organisation Anweshi (the Searcher), in 2009, we formed a collective named Penkoott,” Viji said.
Several strikes, protests and continuous struggles later, their demands were met and a series of e-toilets were set up in the city. they they
Saleswomen’s right to sit
A few years ago, Viji took up another prominent struggle for the right of saleswomen to sit while at work in shops.
“Women working at prominent jazzy retail showrooms were forced to stay on their feet throughout the day — even when there were no customers in the shop. Their salary was deducted if they leaned against a wall or spoke to one another. We led the battle to change such atrocious rules, she said.”
As a result, in 2011, AMTU was born. AMTU is now an organisation consisting of labourers of different sections, including: street sellers, sales people, launderers, tailors, nurses and sweepers. Even as membership is open to men, all major positions are reserved for women.