Active participation of women in the economy is crucial to reduce gender inequality. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu
A low female labor force participation rate (FLFPR) has been the focus of many discussions on women’s empowerment. According to the Economic Survey 2023-24, against the world average of 47.8% (2022), FLFPR in India is 37% (2022-23). Despite an increase from 23.3% in 2017-18, 37.5% of this segment includes “unpaid helpers in household enterprises”, that is, women who are not paid for the work they do, which is separate from domestic work.
Active participation of women in the economy is crucial to reduce gender inequality. The main reason for women’s low economic participation is the disproportionate burden of care they bear in the family. This ranges from child care to caring for other household members, including the elderly, sick, and disabled. Added to these caregiving responsibilities are other household chores. In India, women aged 15-64 spend about three times as much time per day as men on unpaid household work.
Respond to the child’s needs
To increase women’s participation in the workforce, attention is now being paid to childcare. Several State governments have focused on building support services through existing Anganwadi networks. In the 2024-25 Budget, there is a 3% increase in the budget of the Ministry of Women and Child Development for integrated child care and nutrition programs (Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 schemes). The Ministry has been working on a policy framework to address childcare needs. Various models of community-based creches for children are operated in several countries, in partnership between governmental and non-governmental bodies. It would be useful to check this model for replicability, financial sustainability, and scalability. A more widespread network of creches suited to the local context and population is needed in rural, tribal, and urban areas to facilitate women’s participation in the workforce.
However, simply recognizing childcare needs is a limiting perspective. Women are the primary caregivers throughout the lives of household members. Therefore, for women to participate in the economy, the responsibility of care must be shifted elsewhere. Demand for external support in the form of hired caregivers is increasing in urban and suburban areas. However, there is no standard process for employing such a workforce. Domestic workers are often caregivers without training or protection for themselves. There are no minimum wages, employment standards, safety and security measures, and quality standards for the treatment of hired workers.
Responsible download
To relieve women of caregiving responsibilities, it is essential to create an ecosystem that responds to the caregiving needs of households while protecting the rights of care workers. This ecosystem must provide safe, quality, and affordable care by care workers who are well trained, earn decent wages, and give their work dignity and respect.
From the demand side, developing a needs-based assessment of the mix of care services needed across age groups, socio-economic status, and geography would be a first step. Mapping supply-side actors and institutions should include the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
With the increasing demand for care throughout family life, due to the increasing number of illnesses and disabilities, the availability and quality of care workers has become a major policy issue. Care workers are hired directly by families or through placement agencies, nursing bureaus, hospitals, home health care companies, and non-profit organizations, among others. More organized workers are trained and have multidisciplinary teams to address a wide range of needs, including specialty care, palliative care, and end-of-life care at home. However, in the absence of standards and regulations, the availability, accessibility, affordability, and quality of these services vary from region to region.
Need for policy intervention
Gaps in the training, skills, and certification mix of care workers needed to meet growing needs must be addressed. The Domestic Workers Sector Skills Council (renamed as the Home Management and Care Sector Skills Council), the Health Sector Skills Council, and the National Skills Development Corporation are the apex bodies involved in the skills and certification of different cadres of care workers. It is unfortunate that the labor-intensive and emotionally intensive care sector does not offer the respect, remuneration and dignity it deserves. This is an important area for policy intervention.
The World Economic Forum’s report on the ‘Future of Care Economy’ highlights three perspectives. The first sees the care economy as an engine to increase economic productivity. Second from a business perspective: organizations can relate to the care economy as investors and employers. The third is from a human rights perspective that focuses on gender equality and disability inclusion.
We need a comprehensive policy that defines the ecosystem of care from a life perspective. A committee from the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare, Labor and Employment, Social Justice and Empowerment, and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship would be ideal to initiate the process.
Rama V. Baru is retired Professor of Social Medicine and Public Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Pallavi Gupta is Specialist, Health Systems Governance, Health Systems Transformation Platform, New Delhi
