‘No Toilets, No Rights’: Hema Committee Report On Denial Of Basic Needs Of Women (image/adventurecoastrentals.com)

Shocking revelations about the horrifying experiences faced by women in the Malayalam film industry have surfaced since the release of the much-anticipated Hema Committee Report on August 19. The report exposes the excruciating conditions faced by women on a regular basis, where they are denied even the most basic human rights and facilities, such as a toilet.

The report highlights that nearly all the women examined before the Committee confirmed that there are toilet facilities or changing rooms available on the set. The problem becomes even greater when shoots take place in outdoor locations and remote places.

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The women on the set—hairstylists, assistants, junior artists, dancers and more—recounted their usual practice of forcing themselves to drink water on location to prevent the urge to urinate. Naturally, many women contracted urinary infections and physical discomfort, among other problems. The report reveals that the women are aware of the grave health issues that they are risking themselves too. However, they reveal that they have no other option but to ignore their health

And when they could not resist relieving themselves, the women were forced to find a secluded place in a forest or behind bushes or a tree. Sometimes they would have to make do with a cloth being held by one or two people as a barrier to urinate or change their clothes, reveals the report. To make matters worse, water was never available in such places.

Things became worse when women were on their periods. The report records the horrible condition of women working on sets deprived of basic facilities such as water or a place to dispose of their sanitary napkins.

A junior artist claimed that she was not allowed by the production unit to go to the toilet simply because it took a ten-minute walk to reach a place good enough to be used as a toilet. Many of them have ended up in hospitals due to the severe lack of basic hygienic facilities and poor conditions for women in the film industry.

The several witnesses revealed that men do not understand or pretend not to understand the basic needs of a woman. While some men admitted that a situation does persist and needs to change, few others did not believe so.

In fact, the report states that a prominent actor believed that women have been working in the industry for several years and they have never complained and simply adjusted to the situation. Certain men from the Malayalam film industry claimed that the women could simply change clothes or relieve themselves by going to nearby houses or other places and that there was no need for the lack of toilet facility to be taken “seriously.”

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Although the report states that certain producers claimed that caravans, despite being quite expensive, are provided for women on set, several witnesses refuted the claims. Caravans – exclusive only for heroes and heroines – are out of reach for the vast majority of women on film sets, stated the report. Even if one caravan is available, it is not enough for all the women.

Despite bringing their plight to the attention of the AMMA, no action has been taken so far and the human rights violation continues, stated the report.