For over two decades, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers have formed the backbone of India’s public health system. Tasked with providing essential healthcare services at the grassroots level, they serve as the vital link between the government and rural communities, ensuring that even the most marginalized populations have access to basic healthcare. Despite their indispensable role in strengthening public health, ASHA workers remain one of the most underpaid and overworked professionals in the country.

The ongoing protest by ASHA workers in Kerala is not just a call for higher wages—it is a battle for dignity, recognition, and fundamental labour rights. At its core, it is a feminist uprising against the systemic devaluation of care work, which remains overwhelmingly performed by women and persistently under-compensated. Their struggle exposes the state’s neglect of informal healthcare workers and the broader failure of governments to move beyond rhetoric and implement policies that provide fair compensation to those who sustain public health.

Kerala, long hailed for its progressive governance and robust healthcare system, now finds itself under scrutiny for its treatment of ASHA workers. Their demands are not only a test of the state’s commitment to labour rights but also a national imperative that requires urgent attention from the state government, central authorities, trade unions, and civil society at large.

ASHA workers are a cornerstone of India’s healthcare system, particularly in rural areas. Their responsibilities include maternal and child healthcare, immunisation programs, disease surveillance, and spreading awareness about hygiene, nutrition, and preventive care. They are instrumental in ensuring inclusive institutional deliveries, administering polio drops, monitoring tuberculosis patients, and facilitating access to government health schemes.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, ASHA workers proved their immense value, conducting door-to-door screenings, assisting in vaccination drives, tracking infections, and ensuring timely referrals to hospitals. Many risked their lives without adequate protective gear, medical insurance, or additional allowances. While the government and society at large hailed them as “corona warriors," their working conditions and remuneration did not reflect this appreciation. Their labour, though physically arduous and socially indispensable, remains politically marginalised, existing at the........

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