Thiruvananthapuram: The All-India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has issued an urgent appeal to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, urging immediate action on the long-pending demands of ASHA workers.
In their letter, ALIFA expressed solidarity with thousands of ASHAs who have been protesting outside the State Secretariat since February, demanding fair wages, security, and dignity in service.
The letter highlights that despite hunger strikes, marches, and over six months of agitation, the state has offered little beyond a five-member committee, which workers view as a delay tactic. ALIFA warned that Kerala’s public health model, globally celebrated, risks losing credibility if it continues to depend on underpaid women care workers. The appeal demanded ₹21,000 monthly wages, retirement benefits of ₹5 lakh, formal employee status with EPF and ESI, and a safe, enabling work environment.
Signatories included prominent advocates and activists from across India, who stressed that granting these demands is not charity but an investment in public health and gender justice.
