Can India encourage its women to work?

Indian women have spread across the world in terms of working in different sectors contributing to the economy. The country also boasts of a huge female work force in political areas as well as compared to several others emerging economies. But as data suggests, A staggering number of around 25 million women have quit since the past ten years. Only 27% percent participates in the labour force. Currently, the numbers are further dwindling.

What restricts women?

• Many cultures restrict women from taking up decisions to work outside. Indian women are confined to their homes. Despite advances in public transport and road network over the years, nothing concrete has been achieved for women.
• Also, it is seen that the farther the workplace, the lesser the women involved.
• Social norms have been a pressing factor in terms of lack of development of skills that are viable at the work place. Although there exists a desire to get hold of high paid jobs, it is limited by lack of necessary marketable skills and issues of security.
• According to a survey, men control lives of women. So much so that women need to have permission to even visit hospitals or health centres. Around 79% have confirmed this. Men beat up their wives if they tread out without seeking approval of their husbands.

Has the Government been any helpful?

While urban areas have not been very welcoming, government schemes like MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) have been quite successful in attracting female participants. Around 51% being women.

What makes MNREGA different is the fact that work allocated is quite close to the communities in which rural women are based. So, the question of mobility to far off places doesn’t arise. Like MNREGA, the government has also come up with schemes like Stand Up India, Skill India which are working towards the upliftment.

What needs to be done?

• Education is the only way we can educate the masses as to why we need to work towards an inclusive work environment for women. Education only can ward of social evils.
• Also, men need to be aware of switching gender roles or having women work, to cope with rising prices of commodities.

Nonetheless, unless initiatives are taken at the personal level things will not change.

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