In the human world there are certain hierarchies, whether constructed, inherited or enforced. Man believes that he has reason and progress, but has developed a fairly sophisticated idea of superiority and inferiority. These constructed ideas then manifest themselves through the “isms” that have entered our vocabulary; Casteism, classism, sexism, racism, etc. Some people are therefore simply treated as more human than others.
Not surprisingly, this unequal order has long been occupied by women. Even if women make up half of the world’s population, within their own marginalization lie deeper fissures shaped by class, caste, creed, race, geography and occupation. On January 10, 2026, news reached the Indian media that Jhansis 1st A driver was murdered and died from a gunshot wound. Far from the privilege of economic security, legal protection, social prestige and institutional visibility, informal workers People in India live in a space where their work is essential but their lives are expendable.
Women in the informal economy
An editorial contribution from UN Women reads; “From street vendors and domestic workers to subsistence farmers and seasonal agricultural workers, women make up a disproportionate percentage of workers in the informal sector.” In South Asia, over 80 percent of women are employed informally in non-agricultural occupations.” This reinforces the fact that informal work was never a transitional phase, but rather an essential feature of today’s economy, particularly in the Global South.
Source: FII
At this point it is also important to point out the lack of labor laws and benefits, as well as the risk of working in unsafe conditions and for exploitative wages.
In India, women in the informal workforce are involved in low-paid, precarious and unprotected forms of work. In an article entitled “Women in the Workplace: What We Know (and What We’re Missing)“The IDR states: “Women in India are predominantly employed in the informal sector, where protections such as minimum wage and workplace safety are often lacking. Women also face higher levels of job security, making them more vulnerable to changing labor market dynamics and global shocks. For example, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, about 70 percent of working women lost their jobs, compared to 35 percent of men.” This highlights how disproportionately women are concentrated and affected in such sectors.
Women in the informal sector therefore not only face and endure physical harm, but also social and political deprioritization and structural damage.
Women in the informal sector therefore not only face and endure physical harm, but also social and political deprioritization and structural damage.
Gender-specific risks and mobility
Domestic workers of India, who are predominantly women, commute between cities and within these cities. Street vendors occupy public spaces, construction worker migrate, and transport workers travel roads dominated by men. A report entitled Women’s mobility and security: relationships with labor force participation The For What Works To Advance Women And Girls In The Economy (IWWAGE) initiative of Krea University, Andhra Pradesh states: “One of the main factors limiting women’s participation in the labor market is concern for their safety (Chapman and Mishra, 2019). This includes fear of sexual violence on the streets, in and around public transport, schools, workplaces and other public and private spaces.”
Source: FII
Furthermore, they added. “It has been found that 80 percent of Indian women require permission from their husband or other family members to even visit a health center (Chapman and Mishra, 2019).” This also reflects that women are expected to change their behavior, limit their movements, or simply withdraw from the workforce entirely just to stay safe. Within this concept, security thus becomes an individual burden rather than a collective or institutional responsibility.
In the study by ActionAid Associations entitled Gender-based violence against informal workers in India: Identifying challenges and mitigation strategiesit says: “An Oxfam report on [Gender-Based Violence] In tea plantations in Assam, women workers were found to be facing various types of problems [Gender-Based Violence] This includes stalking, lewd comments, demands for sexual favors and physical harassment (Oxfam, 2021: 39). “Informal workplaces in the agricultural sector tend to have strict caste and gender hierarchies, with male supervisors and female workers.” The report highlights that through informal work, women lose their bargaining power not only in wages but also in security itself, as abuse often puts their livelihoods at risk.
The Jhansi murder
Against this backdrop, the murder of Jhansi’s first female autorickshaw driver takes on a significance that goes far beyond the individual tragedy. According to reports from The Times of India And The Indian Expressthe victim was shot after a conflict in a personal relationship. Police later stated that the accused was killed in an encounter, but the victim’s family continues to demand justice and accountability.
Against this backdrop, the murder of Jhansi’s first female autorickshaw driver takes on a significance that goes far beyond the individual tragedy.
Although this was a crime committed in the context of an individual relationship, the structural conditions cannot be ignored. As a woman working in a public, male-dominated, informal workplace and often celebrated locally for her courage, she was also exposed to the risks mentioned above.
Source: FII
Feminist science and studies repeatedly emphasize that “personal“Violence cannot be divorced from the social context of the individual. Its economic independence and its impact, as well as a fair challenge to gender norms, went hand in hand with the lack of institutional protection. The complete absence of formal workplace protections, job security and formal systemic protection made the matter all the more distressing. Justice thus becomes contingent rather than guaranteed. Power without protection is precarious indeed. Being ‘first’ does not mean being protected, since independence does not prevent violence.
As ActionAid India argues, tackling gender-based violence in informal work requires moving beyond criminal justice responses towards structural reforms; legal recognition of informal workers, inclusion in occupational health and safety, gender-sensitive urban planning and responsible policing. The IWWAGE report also emphasizes that women’s safety must be integrated into employment policy, transport planning and labor regulation and not treated as a side concern.
Privileges and misfortunes are distributed unequally depending on gender, class and formality. As several studies show, women working informally remain largely excluded from legal protections, social protection systems and institutional mechanisms that might otherwise mitigate violence or ensure accountability. This exclusion has consequences. When violence occurs, justice is often delayed, diluted or denied altogether. In a system that rarely recognizes informal workers as vulnerable workers, families continue to demand recognition.
As several studies show, informal women workers remain largely excluded from legal protections, social protection systems and institutional mechanisms that might otherwise mitigate violence or ensure accountability.
Reports from UN Women, ActionAid India and IWWAGE make it clear that women’s participation in the labor market cannot be equated with empowerment if it is not accompanied by security, dignity and institutional support. Giving credit to women who overcome professional hurdles without addressing the conditions under which they work runs the risk of turning empowerment into embarrassment.
Source: FII
If justice is to mean more than posthumous recognition, it must extend beyond individual cases to structural reforms.
Mema is currently a master’s student at South Asian University (SAU). Being from Manipur, her experiences there have shaped her deep commitment to the feminist cause. Women and their future are very important to her, which is what she tries to convey with her texts. She enjoys reading, writing and cooking.