Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul of the Supreme Court on Tuesday said in virtual court that a woman who doesn’t work in a firm or in office shouldn’t be called unemployed as a counsel mistakenly called his client so. He said,
“A woman should be respected for her work and such women who take care of children and other house duties should be called homemakers and not unemployed.”
Chief Justice of India Justice N.V. Ramana’s bench in the case Kirti & Anr VS Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. gave a judgment dated January 5, 2021 that the courts in India have recognized that the contribution made by the wife to the house is invaluable and cannot be computed in terms of money. The gratuitous services rendered by the wife with true love and affection to the children and her husband and managing the household affairs cannot be equated with services rendered by others. “A wife/mother does not work by the clock.” The key findings of a survey suggest that women spend nearly 299 minutes a day on unpaid domestic services for household members on an average versus 97 minutes spent by men on similar duties on an average.
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One such remarkable case is of Bombay High Court in the case titled Rambhau s/o Awadut Gawai and others Vs. Shivlal s/o Shalikram Belsare(dead) through LRs Ratu Shivlal Belsare and others allowed the compensation of Rs 8.22 lakh with 6% p.a. interest after the court evaluated the deceased woman’s salary as a housewife and stated that the wife is pillar support for her husband, a guiding light for her child/children, and harbor for the family’s elderly. “She works round-the-clock without a single day off, no matter whether she is working or not.” And further stated how a housewife’s work is left unacknowledged and unappreciated.
The Supreme Court has always honoured women, mothers and their role at home. The important role and dignity of homemakers which is respected by the bench which is always appreciated and respected. The dignity of any work performed by any individual is the belief that all types of work are respected equally and no occupation is to be considered superior or inferior. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul’s remark shows the Bar and the Bench the hurdles and sacrifices which a woman makes without complaining.