Bandhua village, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, has an infamous claim to fame. The village name, which literally means 'bonded' in Hindi, owes its origin to the fact that all its residents were bonded labourers about 20 years ago.
Despite being abolished in 1976, bonded labour still exists in India. It is a form of labour that initially involves bondage of an employee to an employer through some form of debt or through a power dynamic fuelled by poverty and caste and/or class vulnerabilities.
The BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) launched a radio programme in May 2010 to promote labour welfare and prevent bonded labour in Uttar Pradesh and another northern state, Bihar. These two states account for the highest incidence of unorganised and indebted labour in India.
The 30-minute radio programme, titled Majboor Kisko Bola! (“Who are you calling helpless!”) sought to achieve changes in the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the workforce in India. By informing vulnerable communities about labour rights, relevant government employment schemes and the risks of entering into bonded labour agreements, it was hoped that the programme would reduce bonded and exploitative labour.
“We’ve designed a show that promises to have great appeal among the Hindi-speaking mass audience. Community reporters from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have been trained to collect and record personal accounts from people from these states, as well as record locally relevant songs and sounds,” explained project manager Ashish Singh.
The programme featured a drama segment along with interviews with experts, government officials and people affected by labour exploitation.
The show, comprising of 36 weekly episodes, was broadcast on the public broadcaster All India Radio in the two states.
“Those vulnerable to labour exploitation often lack information to make informed decisions about employment. Our aim is to empower people with information and ultimately to reduce the incidence of bonded labour in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,” said Yvonne MacPherson, India country director at the BBC WST.
“Radio is an excellent means to provide essential information about potential risky situations to avoid, human rights and services available for avoidance and redress of exploitation.”
