Anganwadi and ASHA Workers

How millions of women working as anganwadi and ASHA workers deliver childcare, nutrition and health services, why they're called "volunteers", and their demands for fair pay.

India’s public care system relies on millions of women frontline workers.

Anganwadi workers

Run anganwadi centres under ICDS (1975).
Provide nutrition, preschool education and health checks for young children and mothers.
Around 14 lakh anganwadi centres exist.

ASHA workers

Accredited Social Health Activists, created in 2005 under the National Rural Health Mission.
Around 10 lakh ASHAs link villages to health services: deliveries, immunisation and TB care.

“Volunteers” on honorariums

They are classified as volunteers or honorary workers, not government employees.
They receive honorariums and incentives rather than regular salaries.
Pay varies by state and is often low relative to workload.

Recognition

ASHAs received the WHO Global Health Leaders Award in 2022 for their role, including during COVID-19.
In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that anganwadi workers are entitled to gratuity.

Demands

Workers have protested for regular employee status, minimum wages and pensions.

The ASHA's day

An ASHA worker accompanies a pregnant woman to a health centre, reminds families about vaccinations and records data on her phone, earning incentives per task.

Thinking volunteers do light work

Anganwadi and ASHA workers carry heavy workloads for low pay.

Key takeaways

Anganwadi workers deliver nutrition and preschool care.
About 10 lakh ASHAs link villages to health services.
They are paid honorariums, not regular salaries.
They demand employee status and fair pay.