THE 11th Conference of the All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH) concluded echoing the slogan: "Institutionalise ICDS with proper infrastructure and adequate resources; regularise, provide minimum wages, social security, and pension to Anganwadi workers/helpers." This historic conference gave new direction and renewed energy to the struggle of anganwadi workers across the country.

577 delegates from 25 states participated in the conference. Two delegates each from the Asha Workers and Facilitators Federation and the Midday Meal Workers Federation, also participated as fraternal delegates. Around 26 per cent of the delegates were members of SC/ST communities. 36 delegates had been jailed for union activities.

The Conference was held in Pune, Maharashtra, from February 14 to 17, 2026. The venue was named Neelima Maitra Nagar after the founder general secretary of AIFAWH, while the stage was named Maharani Konar and Vallykkutti Manch after founding leaders. The AIFAWH flag was hoisted by President Usha Rani and the CITU flag was raised by K Hemalata, Vice President of CITU.

Comrade Nagesh Nalawade, Chairman of the Reception Committee welcomed the delegates. In the inaugural session, Anganwadi worker/helpers from Maharashtra, dressed in Marathi attire, presented a cultural program, and the conference began with the beats of drums and revolutionary songs. The conference was chaired by a nine-member presidium. Veena Gupta, Vice President, placed the condolence resolution. The conference was inaugurated by Dr. K. Hemlata. She described in great detail the political situation in the country and world over, focusing on the condition of workers under the corporate communal nexus. She emphasized the role of anganwadi workers as community workers in organising various sections of the people in the struggle against these policies.

The Report

General Secretary, A R Sindhu presented the report in three parts. Treasurer Anju Maini presented the accounts report.

The General Secretary’s report dealt with the government policies and political situation. It criticized the imposition of compulsory Face Recognition System (FRS) in the anganwadi centres from July 2025. The report underlined with grave concern that according to the Poshan Tracker data, nearly 50 lakh right holders have been excluded in the last six months. National Education Policy, NEP 2020, is an effort to transfer the ECCE of 3-6 year-old children to formal education system under the Ministry of Education with a clear aim of privatization. Though some states, due to intensive struggles, have succeeded in halting the implementation of NEP, the threat still exists. The government is yet to implement the 2022 Supreme Court order on gratuity to the anganwadi workers.

The report which listed out the militant struggles and achievements in various states and nationally, also critically reviewed the movement related and organisational activities. It noted that the lack of political consciousness and organisational weaknesses both are contributing to the situation of stagnation of organisational growth in spite of intensified long drawn struggles in most of the states. In spite of many initiatives and attempts from the All-India centre, we are unable to consolidate and advance in many states. The main challenge lies in developing class consciousness of the cadres in general and developing a collective understanding among the leadership on the importance of consolidation and streamlining of organisation, the report pointed out.

The report reiterated its commitment to build a strong organization with clear political perception and revolutionary zeal. Report on organization expressed its strong faith in the correct perspective and political direction and highest form of democratic functioning as the core of organisation. The organic link between the movement and organisation and the art of building the organisation has to be understood. The report noted the continuing weakness of low representation of helpers at different levels of organisation.

The report proposed a 23-point charter of demands and the movement related and organisational tasks. The slogans coined by the 5th Conference – 3S (Sangharsh, Siksha, Sangathan) and 4Cs (Committed, Conscious, Capable Cadres) were reiterated. Raising the consciousness of our cadres was taken as the priority task.

The conference reviewed the implementation of the task document adopted by AIFAWH in its 10th conference on organising other sectors and taking up cultural activities to counter communal challenges.

82 delegates participated in the discussion on the report. The report presented by the General Secretary with the future tasks and accounts were unanimously adopted by the conference.

Fraternal Solidarity

Kaninika Ghosh, General Secretary, AIDWA; P Krishnaprasad, Finance Secretary, All India Kisan Sabha; Vikram Singh, Joint Secretary, All India Agricultural Workers Union; Sanjeev Singh, Treasurer, DYFI; and Srijan Bhattacharya, General Secretary, SFI greeted the conference and extended solidarity. The session in presence of CITU leadership created much enthusiasm among the delegates. General Secretary of Asha Workers and Facilitator Federation of India Madhumita Bannerjee, President of Mid-Day Meal Workers’ Federation of India, Krishna Roy Chatterjee extended fraternal greetings to the conference.

The newly elected President of CITU, Comrade Sudip Dutta attended the conference and made the concluding remarks. He congratulated AIFAWH for being the most militant and socially responsible section of India’s working-class movement. He pointed out that this scheme was a significant attempt to socialise reproduction of labour power without commodifying it, conceived as the basic right. However, even in this scheme women’s labour remained unpaid and unrecognized. AIFAWH has given this workforce a workers’ identity. The struggles by AIFAWH for recognition of the underpaid work is also important and a step forward in the struggle against patriarchy and towards recognising unpaid household labour. These struggles are also crucial in developing the counter offensive against the onslaught by imperialism and Indian corporate class.  CITU hopes that the 11th Conference of AIFAWH will recognise the historic role of scheme workers in this global context, will intensify the struggles for protecting the schemes, for regularisation and against labour codes and will push the burden of the crisis back onto the ruling class.

Resolutions

The conference passed ten resolutions on national, international and issues related to ICDS and Anganwadi workers: Oppose NEP 2020 and legal right for ECCED; In support of IWD mobilization; Protest against attack on SC/ST and minorities; In Defense of LDF Government of Kerala; Against state oppression; Fight against communalism; For Gratuity, ESI, PF and Pension; Against Labour codes; Against imperialist offensive; and On Demands.

The conference pledged to reorient the work in the next two years and build an organization capable of meeting any challenge. It emphasized forming of sector level committees. It decided to organise a permanent school for cadres’ education with a proper syllabus with holistic approach.

The conference elected 87 member Working Committee including 29 office bearers with A R Sindhu as President, Usharani as General Secretary, and Indrani Mukherjee as Treasurer. The other office bearers are Veena Gupta, S Varalakshmi, G Babyrani, Shimjila, Sheela Mandal, Kishori Verma (Vice Presidents); Subbaravamma, Anju Maini, Indira Newar, Kailash Rohit, Prasanna Kumari, Nagasheshu, Veena Sharma, P Jayalakshmi, H S Sunanda, Urmila Rawat, S Devamani and Sangeeta Kamble.  27 per cent of WC members are helpers.

The conference felicitated the reception committee leaders and volunteers. On February 16, a seminar on ‘Anganwadi@50: Achievements, Challenges, and the Way Forward’ was organized as part of the conference. Ujjwal Uke, IAS, former Secretary, WCD, and Dr. Suchita Krishnaprasad were the keynote speakers.

A public meeting was held at the Bachat Bhawan on February 17, which was addressed by CITU President Sudip Dutta, CITU State President Dr. D.L. Karad, and CITU State General Secretary M.H. Sheikh and office bearers of AIFAWH.

The conference called for an all-India protest on March 31, across the country with massive mobilisations for immediate increase in wages, implementation of the Supreme Court's gratuity order. Massive campaign on the demands of working women will be held during March 1-7, 2026, culminating in massive mobilisation on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2026.