Invisible Hands, Unheard Voices - Sewa Bharat Case Study

Across India, millions of women earn their livelihoods from within the walls of their homes. These home-based workers (HBWs) sew garments, embroider sarees, make bangles, roll incense sticks, cut threads, paste stones, stitch bags, and produce countless other goods that quietly flow into local, national, and global markets.

In SEWA’s perspective, home-based workers (HBWs) are women who earn their livelihood by producing goods or providing services from within or around their homes. Their homes are not just places of residence but also their workplaces. Whether they are stitching garments, rolling incense sticks, making bandhani designs, assembling electronic parts, or producing food items, their economic contribution remains hidden behind the four walls of the household.