The Potential Workforce
By Lakshya
Learn to cook. There is no need to study further. You will not work. Men are supposed to be bread-earners and you have to look after the home and family. Numerous times these statements have been told to women. They are demeaned and made to believe that they are incapable of competing in this supposed “Man’s World”. They are convinced of the opinion that they can’t replace men as the prime provider of the family.
Despite the staggering increase in the number of women being educated over the decade, the reports show a considerable decrease in the participation of women in the formal employment. Rather the women seem satisfied with the work from home activities or looking after the family. The point that I am trying to make is it has now become somewhat fashionable to not go to work. There is no sulking or inferiority complex, but a flaunting of adequacy of income, assets and wealth.
However, employment among rural women has dropped significantly from 48.5% in 2004-05 to 23.7% in 2017-18 due to unavailability of work in the labour sector. Rising inflation and cost of living, makes it necessary for the women in rural areas to contribute in the family income. To provide relief and empower women in rural areas, various private organizations are taking serious steps in improving their working conditions and making it easier for women to get employment.
One such organization is Adaaya Farm, it is the leading manufacturer and exporter of areca leaf tableware. The founders of the company are committed to provide safe and hygienic working conditions for women. This labour intensive industry has helped women to step out of their houses and from under the shadows of the patriarchy very much present in the rural districts of India. They have been provided the opportunity to be the equal contributor in the income of the family or in some cases become the sole bread earner. They are given proper training regarding the various steps in manufacturing of the products; handpicking the perfect areca sheath, washing them properly to avoid the germs, and finally drying it so that they are pressed in a hydraulic press machine to make varied sizes and shapes. Packaging the inventory, maintaining the inventory and exporting the orders are also the part of their job description.
As stated by International Labour Organization, increasing women’s labour force participation by 10 percentage points could add $770 billion to India’s GDP by 2025. Hence, it becomes imperative that the government and the private sector work together to substantially increase the participation of women in rural as well as urban sector.
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