Shazia Khanum, a 16-year-old bidi maker in Yarab Nagar, Karnataka, India, works in a cramped workshop without access to toilets or sanitary facilities. Rolling 300-500 bidis daily, she earns about £1 but faces significant challenges during her menstrual cycle, using makeshift solutions. This situation starkly contrasts with the recent Melbourne Declaration, launched in Australia, which aims to promote gender equality through policy reform and funding. Despite its ambitious goals, the declaration's promises seem distant for informal workers like Khanum, who represent 61% of female workers in India's non-agriculture sector. Many, including Khanum, are unrecognized by the state, lacking contracts or access to welfare schemes. Although India's government has initiated the e-Shram portal to register informal workers, outreach remains minimal, leaving many invisible to the system. Activists stress that true change will require direct access to resources and healthcare for these workers, emphasizing the need for actionable measures to bridge the gap between policy and reality.