Abstract

India’s domestic work industry, especially the unorganized sector, is still disproportionately represented by women, poorly regulated, and generally unseen. The convergence of gender, labor, and legal invisibility in a state frequently praised for its social development metrics is examined in this study, which focuses on women domestic workers in Himachal Pradesh. The study examines these women’s lived circumstances via a socio-legal perspective, emphasizing their socioeconomic backgrounds, working conditions, and structural obstacles to legal and labor rights. Through stakeholder interviews, qualitative fieldwork, and an examination of current labor laws and policy frameworks, the study exposes the systemic injustices that deprive women domestic workers of official recognition and rights.The study urges immediate legislative changes, policy changes, and the establishment of inclusive systems that recognize and uphold the rights of unorganized domestic workers. This study adds to the expanding conversation on gender equity, labor justice, and the necessity of a rights-based approach in informal labor sectors by bringing their “invisible” labor to light.