Social Status of Women Working in Unorganised Sector and It Impact on Living Condition

Abstract

Unorganised sector has a significant place\' in the labour market of most developing economies. Pre dominance of poverty among women is associated with a concentration of women in the informal sectors like handlooms, handicrafts, weaving, fisheries, construction, agriculture and domestic help, putting them outside the traditional covers. Women in unorganised sector have to work up to their old age for their better survival. Women has to work to support their family in spite of the Marital status. Working and living condition are inseparable for the women working in the unorganised sector. Improvements in working condition are very much required for the women workers of the unorganized sector. The present study is broadly based on a primary survey of about 200 individuals/ women working in the unorganised sector, at Pollachi Taluk.

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

In India, majority of the approximately 260.3 million people living below the poverty line are women (Social Watch India Report 2005). Globalisation has further casualised women workers with lesser means, education and skills, and fewer productive assets as compared to the men-folk. Given their additional responsibilities within the household, their range of employment options are severely limited (Grown 2006; Chari 2006). Pre dominance of poverty among women is associated with a concentration of women in the informal sectors like handlooms, handicrafts, weaving, fisheries, construction, agriculture and domestic help, putting them outside the traditional covers. Women as workers, mostly unskilled, are concentrated in agriculture and, in particular, home-based work (over 50 % of non-agricultural workers). As agricultural workers, women have a strong connection with land and are heavily influenced by fluctuations in agricultural outputs. As informal/ home-based workers, women are often invisible, dependent on informal arrangements and contracts and, as some research suggests, most dependent on local and domestic markets. Their lower mobility into new areas is owing to several factors, including household care and responsibilities, traditional social norms, and lack of information and skills. Women thus find themselves vulnerable, caught between unorganised work and household responsibilities, and lacking access to support in the event of seasonal or life cycle contingencies. Though they contribute a lot to the income/saving of the family, their contribution is not recognized. Sometimes they are subjected to many social evils like; dowry death, domestic violence and sexual harassment at work place. Despite the existing laws like; Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 2005, Sexual Harassment Act of 2013, Anti Dowry Act etc., they are subjected to different kinds of exploitation. In India, 95 per cent or around 195 million women are employed in the unorganised sector or in unpaid labour, says a report released by consultancy firm Deloitte.

“The share of women in the workforce fell to 25 per cent and the female labour force participation rate (FLPR) stands at 26 per cent, with 195 million women work in the unorganised sector or do unpaid work,” says the report.

It adds that involving women in the workforce can help achieve future aspirations that can boost India’s GDP by 27 per cent. However, this will only be possible if participation of women increases in workplace to same number as men.

II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Unorganised sector has a significant place' in the labour market of most developing economies. Due to stagnant or shrinking employment opportunities in organised sector, a major portion of workforce is now absorbed in the unorganised sector. In case of India, almost 90 per cent of the labour force is engaged in the unorganised sector activities and near one - third of the country’s output is estimated to originate from this sector (Banaijee 1988). The unorganised sector in India comprises of 92 per cent of the overall workforce, comprising 95 per cent of women and 89 per cent men respectively. (Sakthivel and Joddar, 2006) The ILO has defined informal sector in its conceptual framework as: “firstly, all self-employed labourers engaged in proprietary and partnership concerns” (ibid), and “secondly, all casual workers employed in any economic unit”. (ibid) In spite of over half a century of policies aimed at development, this sector remains largely unregulated, with the workforce growing rampant.

The study conducted by Unni (1989) concluded that female workers had to bear most of the work burden and they still remained the most disadvantaged class of workers. They put in at least 12-14 hours of work every day but their economic activities were not fully recognized and included in the national product, though their work comprised of activities which lead to the economic gain of the household.

III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The present study is broadly based on a primary survey of about 200 individuals/ women working in the unorganised sector, at Pollachi Taluk comprising of North, South, East, West. In each region, Six to seven taluk were selected and covered. In each district, four blocks, in each block four villages and in each selected village 6 face-to-face interviews were conducted with the women working in the unorganised sector. The data collected from Primary sources through structured questionnaire by random sample method. Besides, information gathered through in depth interviews has also been incorporated.

IV. OBJECTIVE

1. To study the association between age and Daily wages earning capacity of women working in unorganised sector
2. To study influence of marital status towards the number of days of work

V. INFLUENCE OF AGE WITH THE DAILY WAGES EARNING APPROXIMATELY

H0 Age and daily wages earning of women working in unorganized sector is independent

The above table analyses the relationship between age and daily wages earned by the women in unorganized sector during the normal days. Since the P value is less than the chosen significance level (p= 0.05) null hypothesis is rejected and alternate hypothesis is accepted. Thus age of the women in unorganized sector influence the Daily wage earning capacity of the business.

Hence there is significant relationship between age and daily wages earning of women working in unorganized sector.

III. INFLUENCE OF MARITAL STATUS WITH THE NUMBER OF DAYS WORK IN A WEEK

H0 Marital status and Number of days work in a week by women in unorganized sector is independent

The above table shows the relationship between marital status and Number of days work in a week by the women in unorganized sector. Since the P value is less than the chosen significance level (p= 0.05) null hypothesis is rejected and alternate hypothesis is accepted. Thus marital status of women in unorganized sector influences the Daily number of days work in a week.

Hence there is significant relationship between marital status and number of days work in a week for the women working in unorganized sector.

Conclusion

Working and living Condition are inseparable for the women working in the unorganised sector. Though the Indian constitution guarantees equality of opportunity, pertaining to work, equal rights for livelihood, equal pay for equal work etc. The condition of women in the unorganized sector is deplorable. Women in unorganised sector have to work up to their old age for their better survival. Women has to work to support their family in spite of the Marital status. Working and living condition are inseparable for the women working in the unorganised sector. Improvements in working condition are very much required for the women workers of the unorganized sector. This can be achieved through better infrastructure and better basic services to all the unorganised workers, especially women. Legislations enacted during the last three decades are out of reach for most women workers because they are not beneficiaries of these legislations. Therefore, there is a need for an integrated approach of all the agencies, joint functionaries consisting of government, concerned departments, management, labour unions, local bodies, voluntary organisations and women\'s organisations for proper implementation of those policies for all round development of the women working in the unorganised sector.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2022 Dr. R. Gayathri. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.