India is a developing country progressing towards creating $5 trillion GDP by 2025 as per the current government expectations and therefore working extensively for the infrastructure Development, education, encouraging startups to name a few but it is still lacking in creating awareness about women employment especially in urban areas as it is witnessing the only fall in its rate since a while i.e. only 8.4% of urban women were working in 2018-19 which then fell to 7.3% in 2019-20; now the urban women employment rate in 6% in 2020-21 thus the numbers are decreasing year on year.
Women employment drastically affects the economy both at the micro and macro levels as it results in additional income in a household hence improving their financial status and it also improves GDP. Our neighboring countries are well versed in this opportunity as in Bhutan 60% of urban women are working, In Nepal, almost 80% of them are part of the labor force, even in Pakistan 25% of urban women are working which clearly makes us think that if they can then why can’t we reach these numbers.
The main reason for a decrease in the employment rate among urban women is gender disparity and cultural constraints which are being rooted in Indian society for ages despite continuous awareness initiatives by various scholars. Urban women seem to leave their jobs after getting married or post giving birth to their child and are expected to take care of their family thus supporting conservative norms.
These norms are not usually being forced by others on urban women as it is their own decision to not to join the labor force deriving from the cultural roles that are already being bifurcated since ages resulting in not allowing urban women to participate in the country’s GDP with full potential.
Educated women need to work according to their caliber and thus should avoid doing things which could be get done by others by paying them some amount for their services this will not only help in increasing professional labor force but also generates employment for the lesser privileged people therefore helping the economy as a whole.
India is a country with the highest number of youth in the world which could be our greatest opportunity in making our country grow at an enormous rate but what is the point when half of the millennial population is not even independent. This problem is huge but we can resolve it with creating awareness and making it normal or rather a responsibility of every educated woman to contribute to her family as well as to her country.
– Udita Tiwari
Jaipuria Talks Blog 