Understanding Female Labour Force Participation and Domestic Work in India: The Role of Co-residence and Household Composition

Abstract

Despite a remarkable increase in girls’ educational enrolment and a significant decline in fertility over the last few decades, India witnessed a substantial decline in women’s labour force participation. This article investigates the nexus between family composition and women’s participation in domestic work and the labour force in India overtime. Domestic work participation of women with secondary and middle level of education has increased; however, it has declined among women with graduate degrees. This study finds evidences that the presence of the elderly women, not the elderly men, encourages other adult women’s engagement in labour force participation as against their domestic participation. This analysis also observes that the gender composition of elderly members within the household influence women’s labour force participation. It is also observed that higher educational level among women counters the adverse effect of family care burden and creates a supportive environment for women’s participation in the labour force.