Chairperson : Dr. Aleena Sebastian
Assistant Professor, Urban and Mobility Studies Programme
School of Social Sciences, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru
@ :aleena.sebastian@nias.res.in
Abstract: This study explores the lived experiences of Indian nurses in private hospitals in Kerala during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on the gendered and social dimensions of their professional and personal lives. Drawing on qualitative in-depth interviews with nurses, the paper examines how the pandemic disrupted conventional family structures, caregiving roles, and workplace dynamics. It highlights the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on female frontline healthcare workers, revealing how their dual roles as carers at home and professionals in high-risk environments intensified during the crisis. The study uncovers challenges such as labour exploitation, gender role conflicts, and societal stigma faced by nurses, as well as inadequate responses from institutional stakeholders regarding their working and social conditions. By situating these findings within broader discussions on women’s labour during health emergencies, the research emphasises the need for systemic reforms. It concludes with policy recommendations aimed at enhancing the dignity and labour rights of the nursing profession, ensuring equitable treatment, and improving working conditions for nurses in the private healthcare sector. This study contributes to a growing body of literature on gender, labour, and healthcare in pandemic contexts.
About the speaker: Chaithanya is a fourth-year Ph.D. scholar in Urban and Mobility Programme at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, under the guidance of Dr. Aleena Sebastian. Her research explores the transnational motherhood experiences of nurses from Kerala working in Gulf countries. She holds a Master's in Gender Studies from Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development and a Bachelor's in Economics from the University of Kerala. She received the Junior Research Fellowship in Women’s Studies from the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2020. She has attended and presented her research works in various national and international conferences. Her research interests include migration, gender, care work, and motherhood studies