WOMEN HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT SEGMENT OF THE WORKFORCE

Abstract

The Indian labor market displays several striking features: very low rates of female labor force participation; considerable variance in rates of female labor force participation across Indian states; and a large share of both women and men working in the informal sector. Various types of people work at various types of jobs. A substantial portion of India's workforce historically has been made up of women. The work participation rate of women of India is showing a downward trend in the last few decades. It also signifies that women’s entry or exit of labour market is influenced by non-economic factors also. The study finds that there is neither quantitative nor qualitative improvement in women’s employment over time on account of structural changes in the economy. There is no major occupational diversification in women’s employment despite structural shift of the economy from primary to tertiary sector. Agriculture is still the leading sector in women’s employment. Overcrowding of workforce in agriculture largely as wage labourers, lower earnings, poor literacy levels, large-scale informal employment and most self-employment in the form of unpaid work are indications of women’s disadvantaged position in the labour market. Women are primarily seen as ‘caregivers’ for the family, even when they contribute to the family’s financial needs. This paper tries to find out that the position of women in workplace and in the family.