Several recent reports have begun to show that women’s economic participation in India is declining over the past decade. World Bank analysis shows that women’s labour force participation has declined from 37% to 27% in the 2005-2012 period. While India’s economic development grows rapidly, women’s share as paid workers declines. This rate of female labour force participation is lowest among all G20 countries (except Saudi Arabia) and puts India in the bottom 10% of the 187 countries of the world. Faster rate of decline has occurred for rural women in the country.
This trend is even more surprising in the face of growing enrolment and completion rates in primary and secondary education for women. A new generation of ‘rurban’ girls are also successfully completing post-secondary education. Female enrolment in district level colleges at undergraduate level has increased enormously during the past decade. Parents are willing to invest in the higher education of their daughters nowadays, largely because these girls have been fighting within their families to study further.
But, why is this increase in education of girls not showing commensurate increase in their economic participation? Why is women’s economic participation declining in the country?
Two kinds of macro answers have been provided so far. First, higher caste and class status pushes educated women to stay at home; this is a reflection of patriarchal mind-sets of continued expectations that women will do unpaid care work at home. Second, that there are not enough paid employment opportunities for women near their homes. They find it difficult to commute long distances.
These explanations are not adequate if you ask this question from the eyes of a young girl who has finished high school or college education with flying results. She is restricted from taking up employment away from home for fear of violence, sexual harassment and bullying that she may face. Her family is ‘willing’ to let her work near their home only. Moving to another town is simply ruled out, especially if she is still unmarried. And, once she is married, why should she take up work away from her husband’s home at all?
The threat of violence, sexual harassment and intimidation is so widespread that girls begin to fear themselves. Their experiences of growing up, going to school and college have been full of daily instances of ‘eve-teasing’ (which happens 24/7), pinching and pushing in public transports and public events, and frequent stories of girls who have been sexually assaulted and raped by boys and men in their own neighbourhoods.
Lack of safety to and at workplaces has also been acknowledged by the above report of the World Bank as one of the main causes for this decline in female labour force participation in India. Girls are afraid to be mobile—for education and work. While opportunities for education have increased near their homes, work opportunities are created where macro economic development occurs.
Answers have to be sought from the eyes of these girls!
Prevention of harassment and violence against girls and women in public spaces is critical to increasing female labour force participation rates in India in the coming decade.
On 12 February, we worshipped Goddess Saraswati ( goddess of learning and knowledge). It may well be that Saraswati alone is not enough for Indian girls. We may have to invoke Goddess Kali (goddess that destroys evil) if Indian girls and women have to secure the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi (goddess of wealth).
