Keywords
Labour Market
Work Participation
Family Honour
How to Cite
Abstract
This study delves into the intricate relationship between employment and the enhanced societal and financial autonomy of women, with a particular focus on the Indian context. The investigation addresses the persistent gender discrimination in the labour market, where men predominantly occupy senior positions, and women's work is often undervalued and confined to domestic roles. This paper synthesises existing literature using a descriptive-analytical method to explore the evolving dynamics of women's participation in the labour market, identifying both the facilitating factors and ongoing constraints.
The analysis reveals a significant increase in female labour force participation in recent years, as indicated by the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), with a notable rise from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 37% in 2022-23. This increase is especially pronounced among women from the Dalit community and those with vocational training, highlighting the impact of socio-economic necessity and skill development on women's labour market engagement. However, the study underscores that the family, as a primary social institution, remains a critical barrier to women's mobility, particularly in patriarchal rural societies where traditional gender roles are deeply entrenched.
The findings suggest that while there have been notable improvements in women's labour market participation, achieving gender equality requires a multifaceted approach that addresses structural barriers and societal norms. Empowering women through education, economic opportunities, and supportive policies is essential for enhancing their societal and financial autonomy, ultimately contributing to broader development outcomes. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between gender, caste, and labour in Indian rural communities, providing valuable insights into the ongoing challenges and advancements in women's labour market participation.
References
Abraham, V. (2009). Employment growth in rural India: Distress driven?, Economic and Political Weekly, 44(16), pp.97–104.
Agarwal, B. (1994). A field of one's own: Gender and land rights in South Asia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Agarwal, B. (1997). Bargaining and gender relations: Within and beyond the household. Feminist Economics, 3(1), 1-51.
Attanasio, O., Low, H., & Sanchez-Marcos, V. (2005). Female labour supply as insurance against idiosyncratic risk, Journal of the European Economic Association, 3(2/3), pp.755–764.
Beneria, L. (1982). Accounting for women’s work”, in Lourdes Beneria (ed.): Women and development: The sexual division of labour in rural societies. New York, Praeger, pp.119–147.
Bhalotra, S. & Umana-Aponte, M. (2010). The Dynamics of women’s labour supply in developing countries, IZA Discussion Paper Series, Working Paper No. 4879 (Bonn, Institute for the Study of Labor).
Boserup, E. (1970). Women’s Role in Economic Development. New York, St Martin’s Press.Development Review, 25(3), pp.543–576.
Donahoe, D.A. (1999). Measuring women’s work in developing countries, Population and
Fletcher, E., Pande, R., & Moore, C. T. (2017). Women and work in India: Descriptive evidence and a review of potential policies. HKS Working Paper No. RWP18-004.
Government of India. (2023). Periodic Labour Force Survey: Annual Report July 2021-June 2022.
International Labour Organization (ILO), Asian Development Bank (ADB). (2011). Women and labour markets in Asia: Rebalancing for gender equality (Bangkok, ILO Regional office for Asia and the Pacific and ADB).
Kawata, R., Kondo, N., & Shimizutani, S. (2010). Labour force participation rate in Japan. Bank of Japan Review Series, 10-E-7.
Klasen, S., Pieters, J., & Santos Silva, M. (2015). What explains the stagnation of female labour force participation in urban India? Policy Research Working Paper, No. 7222. World Bank Group.
Moore, H. L. (1988). Feminism and anthropology. University of Minnesota Press.
Rustagi, P. (2010). Employment trends in India. ILO Asia Pacific Working Paper Series. International Labour Organization.
Salaff, J. W. (1976). Working daughters in the Hong Kong Chinese family: Female filial piety or a transformation in the family power structure. Journal of Social History, 9(4), pp.439-465.
Sanghi, S., & Srija, A. (2015). Decline in rural female labour force participation in India: A relook into the causes. Vikalpa: The Journal for Decision Makers, 40(3), pp.255-268.
Sinha, S., & Baliyan, K. (2014). Women in the labour market in India - Facing the inequalities. Socio-economic Voices.
Srivastava, N., & Srivastava, R. (2010). Women, work, and employment outcomes in rural India. Economic and Political Weekly, 45(28), pp.49-63.
Swaminathan, P. (2012). Women and work. Orient Blackswan.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2024 South India Journal of Social Sciences