Salaries elusive, women in Delhi Commission for Women left in the lurch

NEW DELHI: Rizwana, 40, a staff member at the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), is the sole breadwinner for her family. She lost her husband years ago. Rizwana cares for her cancer-stricken mother and her younger brother who has a limb impairment, while her salary from DCW has been delayed for seven months. "My mother is critical," Rizwana said, with anguish in her voice. "I can't even afford to give her the diet and medicines she needs."

Sweety, a 35-year-old single mother, has worked at DCW for nine years and faces a similar struggle. She, too, has not received her salary for seven months. For Sweety and many others, the delayed salaries have left them in financial turmoil. Shabnam, a 29-year-old acid attack survivor and a counsellor at DCW's mahila panchayat branch, is in a worse situation. For the last nine months, she has not been paid, leaving her unable to afford basics. Fighting back tears, Shabnam showed her broken slippers. She can't afford a rickshaw. "I've borrowed money from nearly everyone I know. No one is willing to lend me more," she said. Her voice broke.

Employees - including cancer survivors, single mothers and acid attack survivors - are protesting against govt's delay in releasing their dues. The situation is grim for acid attack survivors. Shaina, 34, a survivor, said: "I was fortunate to get the job. It gave me a sense of purpose, and I was surrounded by fellow survivors. But now, I'm in a limbo. I haven't been paid in nine months. I can't leave because finding another job is nearly impossible for an acid attack survivor, but I also can't keep working without pay."

Ashiya (36) is another survivor who has worked at DCW for several years, earning Rs 12,000 per month to cover her medical expenses and rent. "Without my salary, I can't pay my rent or afford the medical treatments I still need," Ashiya said.

Social activist Shaheen, an acid attack survivor and founder of Brave Souls Foundation, which advocates for the rights of acid attack survivors, said: "For many of these women, their job at DCW was their only means of survival. Now, with their salaries delayed for months, they are facing a financial crisis." She added that her organisation plans to file a PIL to demand the release of the overdue salaries for acid attack survivors at DCW. The delayed payments, staff members claim, are the result of a political tug-of-war between DCW and Delhi govt. "We are just staff," Sweety said. "For years, we've worked hard to support women in need, and now we are the ones in need." It can be remembered here that DCW does not have a chairperson for the last six months, after its former chairperson Swati Maliwal's tenure ended.

Delhi govt said in a statement on Sunday: "It's extremely insensitive that officials from the finance department have held up the salary of DCW staff including acid attack survivors. LG should immediately order an investigation to find out who is obstructing salaries."