International Tea Day 2024: Promoting Women’s Empowerment

Tea, revered as one of the world’s most beloved beverages, graces billions of cups worldwide each day. International Tea Day emerges as a beacon, inviting us to honour its rich cultural heritage, acknowledge its myriad health benefits, and recognise its substantial economic impact. Yet, as we revel in its splendour, we are called to a greater task—ensuring the sustainability of its production and safeguarding its benefits for people, cultures, and the environment alike. This year, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations is celebrating International Tea Day under the poignant theme “Honouring women around the world, from crop to up.” Within the tea plantations of India, women stand as the unsung heroes, constituting an impressive 50% of the 1.2 million-strong workforce. The annals of tea production unveil their indispensable role—a narrative deeply woven with their unwavering dedication and unparalleled contributions. From the meticulous picking of tea leaves to the intricate processes of processing and packaging, women have been the heartbeat of the tea industry for centuries. The Indian Tea Association’s commitment to sustainability echoes the resonance of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. It endeavours to fortify stakeholder engagement in fostering ethical, environmental, and safety ompliance. In alliance with national and international NGOs, the ITA endeavours to champion the holistic well-being of the tea community. This journey encompasses a multifaceted approach, embracing initiatives ranging from maternal health and childcare to education, sanitation, and gender equality. Through grassroots interventions, the ITA upholds the sanctity of life, nurturing a harmonious tapestry of wellness, equality, and prosperity.

Some of the key initiatives and result areas under the Assam ITA-UNICEF project in 159 member estates are: 

(i) Strengthening of adolescent groups: More than 24,000 girls and 5,000 boys are registered as club members in 159 ITA estates in Assam.

(ii) 81.41% of pregnant women registered in the first trimester,

(iii) 89.44% of recently delivered women received four ANCs.

(iv) 98.18% of institutional deliveries recorded in hospitals. 

(v) 57.37% of adolescent girls received IFA tablets.

(vi) 64.53% of women under pregnancy consumed 180 IFA tablets.

(vii) School dropouts will be reduced to 10% in 2023 from 38% in 2011.

(viii) More than 58% of girls pass out of school, of which more than 70% enrol in higher studies. 

(ix) 67116 households connected with Functional Household Tap Connection under JJM. This primarily benefits women.

(x) 363 JJM schemes installed in tea estates. 

(xi) Use of sanitary napkins by more than 85% of young girls aged 13–20 years. This is a phenomenal rise from 20% a few years ago. Young and middle-aged women too have adopted modern menstrual hygiene methods in tea estates. 

(xii) Promotion of emergency preparedness and response, institutional delivery, and newborn care. 

(xiii) Increasing awareness among mothers about breast feeding and infant nutrition; optimal complementary feeding.

PREVENTION OF TRAFFICKING AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY-BASED CHILD PROTECTION MECHANISMS IN 30 TEA ESTATES IN WEST BENGAL: The ITA and UNICEF West Bengal partnership since 2021–22 is strengthening the institutional mechanism in 33 tea estates in West Bengal to prevent child marriage, child trafficking, and unsafe migration. More than 50,000 children are under the ambit of this programme, which covers a population of 2 lakhs in 33 tea estates in Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Darjeeling districts. The project also covers the parents of children, especially their mothers. The programme focuses on behavioural change amongst parents towards the prevention of early marriage and unsafe childhood. On the other hand, the programme encourages compulsory education, skill development, exposure to obtaining legal aid in times of distress, reporting of cases on Childline, as well as parental involvement in guiding their children through a safe childhood.

Tea Estate community mobilizers have counselled more than 4,000 families through home visits and guided children to enrol in schools to complete their studies. Amongst the notable events were the observance of Child Rights Week, performing street plays, and displaying key messages through posters in Tea Estates.

ITA and Responsible Business Practices: The ITA, through its programme partnership with UNICEF Delhi on responsible business practices evolving around children and parents, has undertaken a project in Assam and West Bengal on promoting family-friendly policies in tea estates. Estate Management has rendered full support to promote the Child Rights and Business Principles programme, a commitment to fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

ITA-GAIN Partnership: The symbiotic partnership between the Indian Tea Association and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) heralds a new era of transformation. The journey started in 2021 with the aim of improving the demand, access, and consumption of safe and nutritious food by tea worker households, with a specific focus on female members of households in 34 tea estates in Jorhat, Tezpur, and other adjoining districts in Assam. An innovative supply chain model has been launched in the tea estates, with retail shops providing healthy and nutritious food products through novel networks with local distributors to reduce the burden and cost of sourcing products from wholesalers in the nearby town. The project has evoked a great response, with a visible behavioural change towards adopting healthy food habits. 3 The array of initiatives bears witness to transformative change. Strengthening adolescent groups, fortifying maternal healthcare, and bolstering educational endeavours stand as pillars of progress. School dropout rates have decreased, and aspirations for higher education soar. The tapestry of change extends beyond education—provision of sanitary facilities, maternal and child healthcare, and financial empowerment weave a fabric of resilience, empowerment, and nutrition. The sustained efforts of ITA in collaboration with international NGOs like UNICEF, GAIN, ETP, etc. to address the social, economic, and welfare issues of plantation communities over the years echo far and wide, diminishing the shadows of inequality and heralding a new dawn of hope. As we reflect upon the endeavours of the ITA in nurturing social, economic, and welfare initiatives, we stand witness to the empowerment of women in tea estates. Their unwavering commitment to fostering a healthy, motivated, and productive workforce echoes far and wide, resonating with the applause of international NGOs. Today, as we raise our tea cups in celebration, let us not merely savour its essence but honour the untold stories of resilience and triumph that adorn its journey—from crop to cup.

(This write-up is issued by ITA. It can be reached at www.indiatea.org.)