India has the lowest rate of women labour participants in Asia: ILO

On this International Working Women’s Day, a report published by the International Labour Organisation regarding the women labour participants stating that India has the lowest rate of women labour participants in Asia is bringing serious concerns about the future of the women workforce in our country. Though India has no similarities with its angry neighbour, Pakistan, it seems that in this issue they share similar concepts because just like our country Pakistan is also not providing adequate opportunities for their women to participate in the economic activity. It is a fascinating fact that even some of the smallest economies of Asia such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Nepal have got into the list of countries in which the women are getting high opportunity to participate in the economic activity. Recently, the National Sample Survey indicated that in the latest survey there had been a sharp decrease of four per cent of the woman workers compared to the similar survey conducted a decade ago. It clearly shows that no proper improvement has been made in terms of the woman workers or no proper initiative has been taken to increase the percentage of women participating in the economic activity. In rural India, a considerable development has been made by the ‘MGNREGA’ in terms of women workers by bringing more women under the wage labour category. Anyway, a feasible national policy is needed to increase the participation of women in the economic activity. In order to increase the woman workforce, we have to address those constraints which are keeping women outside the wage labour category effectively through a national policy. Family support such as shared household activities, shared family responsibility like child care and elderly care is vital to active this goal. It is up to his generation to decide whether we want to see women as ‘homemakers’ or ‘responsible economic participants’.

Vignesh

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