HIND
MAHILA
SABHA

Hind Mahila Sabha (HMS) was founded in 1987 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, as an organization of working women from both the formal and informal sectors. It emerged from the women’s wing of the electricity workers’ union in Uttar Pradesh — primarily composed of fourth-class workers and women from minority communities. The wing was originally created to train women on workers’ rights, healthcare, and decent work, while advocating for fair labor practices and social security.Since its inception, HMS has expanded steadily, drawing members from across the formal sector — including electricity, healthcare, and public services — as well as the informal sector, encompassing self-employed women and youth engaged in a variety of trades such as street vending, incense-stick rolling, waste picking, home-based work, municipal services, and ASHA work. Today, HMS proudly represents a membership of over 15,000 women and youth workers across Uttar Pradesh.With the changing dynamics of globalization and the transformation of the labor economy, the women of HMS realized the need to innovate and adapt. Guided by creativity, collaboration, and courage, HMS has evolved into a democratic, inclusive, and self-sustaining organization that actively engages with all genders and youth across both formal and informal sectors. It promotes equality, empowerment, and social justice through collective action and advocacy.HMS believes that when women lead, their approach is participatory, their strategies are inclusive, and their solutions are both practical and sustainable. The organization’s unique blend of trade unionism and association-based organizing represents a holistic approach to workers’ empowerment and social change. Since 2005, HMS has deepened its collaboration with informal sector workers. This engagement was strengthened by key policy milestones — including the ILO’s 1996 recognition of home-based workers as legitimate workers entitled to labor protections, and India’s 2014 Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, which secured the rights of urban vendors to earn their livelihoods in natural markets. These victories, achieved through persistent struggles by trade unions and workers’ collectives, inspired HMS to expand its advocacy for informal sector workers — bringing greater visibility, voice, and validity to their labor.Over the years, HMS has grown organically across Uttar Pradesh, uniting women and youth workers from diverse trades, castes, and religions. Their shared struggles encompass fair wages, labor rights, human rights, healthcare, insurance, banking, housing, skill upgradation, market access, and training. HMS recognizes that these challenges transcend national boundaries and form part of a global movement for justice and equality for all workers. To strengthen its global solidarity efforts, HMS is affiliated with Public Services International (PSI) — a global federation representing public service workers worldwide. Through this partnership, HMS amplifies its mission to create a more equitable and just society, where every woman and young person has the opportunity to thrive, their voices are heard, and their contributions are valued. Hind Mahila Sabha stands as a testament to the power of grassroots organizing and collective leadership. By linking struggles across formal and informal sectors, and building alliances locally and globally, HMS continues to uphold its belief that “an injury to one is an injury to all.” Together, its members are transforming workplaces, communities, and the future of work itself