Assignment Code: MWG 011/AST/TMA-2022-23

Course Code: MWG-011

Assignment Name: Women in the Economy

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Q1. Read the article “Returnship initiatives are having a remarkable impact on women” that appeared in Times of India.

(i) Why is women’s participation in paid work so low given the fact that they are getting educated better than 50 years ago? Justify your arguments by using theoretical assumptions, giving examples and using macro data sets.

Ans) From 1930 to 1970, there were also more opportunities for women with a lot of education. But at the start of that time, most women still thought their careers would be short, and their husbands' careers were still seen as more important.

As time went on, people's ideas about women working and their chances of getting jobs changed. As women got more work experience, they saw that they could take care of both work and family. A new type of two-income family came into being. Some women started going to college and graduate school with the goal of getting a job, whether they wanted to get married and have kids or not.

By the 1970s, women's work lives were going through a big change. After World War II, many women did not expect to spend as much of their adult lives working as they did. In the 1970s, on the other hand, young women were more likely to expect that they would spend a large part of their lives working. They prepared for this by getting more education and taking classes and majors that would help them get careers instead of just jobs.

Changes in other parts of society helped bring about these changes in thoughts and expectations. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which was passed in 1978, and the recognition of sexual harassment in the workplace made it safer for people to work. Access to birth control grew, which gave married couples more control over how big their families would be and gave young women the chance to put off getting married and plan their families around their education and career goals. And for the first time in 1974, women were able to apply for credit on their own without a man co-signing.

By the early 1990s, just over 74% of women between the ages of 25 and 54 were working, compared to about 93% of men in the same age group. By then, fewer women were going into traditional jobs like teaching, nursing, social work, and office work, and more were becoming doctors, lawyers, managers, and professors. As women got more education and started working in industries and jobs that were once dominated by men, the pay gap between men and women started to close a lot.

From 1930 to 1970, there were also more opportunities for women with a lot of education. But at the start of that time, most women still thought their careers would be short, and their husbands' careers were still seen as more important.

As time went on, people's ideas about women working and their chances of getting jobs changed. As women got more work experience, they saw that they could take care of both work and family. A new type of two-income family came into being. Some women started going to college and graduate school with the goal of getting a job, whether they wanted to get married and have kids or not.

By the 1970s, women's work lives were going through a big change. After World War II, many women did not expect to spend as much of their adult lives working as they did. In the 1970s, on the other hand, young women were more likely to expect that they would spend a large part of their lives working. They prepared for this by getting more education and taking classes and majors that would help them get careers instead of just jobs.

Changes in other parts of society helped bring about these changes in thoughts and expectations. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which was passed in 1978, and the recognition of sexual harassment in the workplace made it safer for people to work. Access to birth control grew, which gave married couples more control over how big their families would be and gave young women the chance to put off getting married and plan their families around their education and career goals. And for the first time in 1974, women were able to apply for credit on their own without a man co-signing.

By the early 1990s, just over 74% of women between the ages of 25 and 54 were working, compared to about 93% of men in the same age group. By then, fewer women were going into traditional jobs like teaching, nursing, social work, and office work, and more were becoming doctors, lawyers, managers, and professors. As women got more education and started working in industries and jobs that were once dominated by men, the pay gap between men and women started to close a lot.

(ii) Suggest measures that will help in retaining women workforce in labour market.

Ans) Measures to retaining women workforce in labour market:

To Get Past Patriarchal Attitude: As we've seen, the patriarchal view of women's roles as housewives, mothers, and workers is at the root of both the demand and supply sides of the segmented labour market. Extra work should be done to change this way of thinking. Women's groups should also make extra efforts to stop women from taking on a patriarchal mindset on their own.

Awareness of the Bad Effects of Labor Market Segmentation: Men should be made aware of the bad effects that labour market segmentation has on both women and employers. Women who accept that the way the job market is set up is their fate also need to know how bad it is.

Role of civil society: All organisations that deal with work should be made aware of this fact, and special steps should be taken to help both private and public sector employers encourage both men and women to work for pay.

Policies That Include Both Men and Women: Policies that take both men and women into account and work to make men and women equal should be pushed. Special rewards should be given to both men and women who do well in school and at work.

Advocacy by the Government: Both government and non-government organisations that work with women should keep working to dispel the idea that women only work at "home." Women's work shouldn't be blamed for imagined problems with their children or other family responsibilities. To get rid of these false ideas, more research should be done in this area.

Encouragement Formal Education: Efforts should be made to make sure that boys and girls have the same number of spots in primary school, and the number of kids who drop out should be reduced. They should be given special scholarships to encourage them to go to college. If women go into fields of study that women haven't gone into before, they should be given extra help.

Childcare Facilities: Women should be able to work in the organised sector of the labour market, so they need special facilities like maternity leave and crèches to care for their children. Since individual employers won't want to pay for it, the State should take on the cost. This will make employers less likely to be against hiring women.

Equal Pay: Women and men who do the same job should be paid the same amount. Even though India has signed the Equal Remuneration Convention, this has not been possible. So, the law needs to be changed and put into practise in a good way if women are to be included in the job market.

(iii) What will be the impact of increased female labour force participation and retaining female labour on Indian economy? Explain.

Ans) Female participation in the labour force and development are linked in many ways, such as through changes in economic growth, literacy rates, birth rates, and social norms. It is important to understand how women work. To improve the quality of jobs, policies should focus on both the demand for and supply of workers. It's important to get more people into secondary school, but it's also important to give women jobs. One of the most important things is that the women in India who talk about women's rights and protections do so in a positive way. From ancient times to the present, women have fought for social status and a respectable place in society. At the time, Indian women needed laws right away that would raise their social status and protect them from physical and mental abuse. This article adds to what is known by looking at the link between economic growth and women's economic output in India, a country with a lot of economic, social, and cultural differences between its regions. Over the past 30 years, there has been a rise in conservatism and patriarchy at the same time that the economy has been doing well.

At first glance, it looks like economic growth is slowing down. From 2001 to 2011, the number of women in the sex ratio, which is seen as a measure of how society sees it, went down from 927 to 914. Investing in women's health has also been limited, and the death rate of mothers has only gone up slightly in the last 10 years. Even though there has been a lot of progress, the number of people with anaemia has gone up by 6% in the first half of the 21st century. Since the beginning, many political groups have been against a law that aims to give one-third of the seats in Parliament to women.

Women working is seen as a key indicator of economic opportunities and a sign of how much women contribute to economic success. The number of Indian women who work has been going down for several decades. It went down from 29.6 percent in 1983 to 21.9 percent in 2011–2012 to 16.5 percent in the most recent Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2017–2018). Not only is the share of women in the labour force going down, but the size of the female labour force as a whole is also going down. Given that India's population seems to be in a good place right now, the fact that fewer women are working has big effects on the economy. India is the youngest country right now because it has the youngest working population (15–34 years old) in the world. If women don't work, it's more likely that they won't get to enjoy the benefits of the demographic dividend. It's important to point out that women's economic security is not guaranteed just because they go to work. The quality of work is especially important because it shows how women are treated in the work force.

In a lot of industrialised countries, the number of women who are willing to work follows a U-shaped curve. Goldin (1994) says that when the economy gets better, women's willingness to work goes down at first, but then it goes back up because of changes in the economy, lower birth rates, and more education for women. In India, the supply of women who can work doesn't look like a U, like it does in most other countries. According to many studies that used NSS data from India and other places, the number of women working has been going down as the economy has grown. Most studies show that if women's household wealth and school enrollment go up in both rural and urban India, they are less likely to work. Because girls are going to school more, moms are leaving their jobs to take care of their children. It has been found that smart women are much more likely to marry smart men, which means that the smart women stay unemployed. Several studies have shown that rural women don't have many jobs outside of farming. Because farming has become more automated, there are also fewer jobs for women on farms. People think that measuring mistakes and the fact that it's hard to tell the difference between housework and family work are to blame for the large number of women who work. Sociocultural norms also make it less likely for women to work. So, many things affect whether or not a woman joins or leaves the workforce.

Q2. Answer the following questions in not more than 1000 words each. (20 x 2 = 40 marks)

1. What are the pros and cons of ‘Work from Home’ for women workers? Discuss with the help of examples.

Ans) Pros and cons of ‘Work from Home’ for women workers as follows:

Pros of work from home for women workers

Flexible schedule: One of the best things about working from home is that can set your own hours.  can take breaks as often as  want or need to. Most jobs that let  work from home give  a lot of freedom. As an example, many jobs that can be done from home don't have to follow normal business hours. This makes it easier to go to things like doctor's appointments. Work-from-home jobs are often a huge help for people who have to work odd hours to take care of their families.

The idea of working from home can help employees find a better balance between work and life. For example, employees who might have had to commute to work can now use that time for themselves, giving the idea of a much better balance between work and life. Staff members are happy to work from home and are willing to fit household chores into their work day, giving them more free time in the evenings. For example, they can load or unload the dishwasher or make dinner during their lunch break.

Custom work environment: If you work from home, can set up your office wherever and however want. Some people can work in a noisy place, while others can't get anything done unless it's dead quiet. So, have the freedom to work in a setting that you make yourself.  Employees who work from home might also be happier because they have more freedom in how they do their jobs. Not only ready to make decisions on your own, but you are also ready to work without worrying about office stress, interruptions, or other problems you might face in a traditional workplace. This will have an immediate effect on how happy you are with your job as a whole.  Workers can stay in touch with the office at all times thanks to the Internet. Tools like Skype have made it much easier for co-workers and teams to talk to each other, and they can sometimes lead to more productive and effective meetings.

No dress code: The best thing about working from home is that  don't have to get dressed up every day for work. Just put on r favourite pyjamas and tie up hair that hasn't been combed, and  ready to go to work. r comfortable clothes are the best.

Time to do chores: Working from home gives  more time to do things around the house 've been putting off for weeks, like doing laundry or stocking r pantry.

Money saver: Working from home can also save  money because  won't have to pay to get to and from work and because won't have to buy food for lunch or snacks like did when  worked in the office. Now can cook anything at home, which could be a healthy way to live.

More job opportunities: People who can't work in traditional roles may be able to get more job opportunities if they can work from home. As an example, people who can't travel or work long hours because of a disability can build their careers from home. Having the ability to work from anywhere can also mean more jobs in fields like technology, health care, and education.

Cons of work from home for women workers

Lack of motivation: When  work from home, it can be hard to get up in the morning and be as motivated to work as  would in an office. Lack of motivation is not only bad for our work, but it can also hurt our emotional health. This can lead to a general lack of inspiration, which makes us less productive. To work hard from home,  need to be very self-disciplined.

Loneliness: Only a few people who are used to working in a place where they have to talk to their co-workers all the time can work from home alone. If  spend most of r time working alone at home,  can feel very alone. As a foreign worker, the best way to avoid feeling lonely and alone is to plan trips and events with friends and family. Some remote jobs have regular team or recreation events to help people get to know each other.

Work-Life balance: When  work from home,  should also keep in mind that  should put r personal life on hold so  don't end up being irritable all the time.  need to learn how to balance r work and personal life at home. Even though working from home gives  the chance to balance r work and home life, it can be hard to set clear boundaries between r work and r personal life. Set clear boundaries between r work hours and r free time, and let other people in r home know about these boundaries.

Small living space: Most people worry that if they work from home, they will have to give up some of their living space to make room for an office. This is a problem for people who already have to live in a small space with pets or children.

Interruptions: When  have to work on a deadline or are in the middle of an important video conference, it can be hard to work from home with kids. But isn't it cute when a funny friend or a cute kid pops up in the video?! Distractions like watching TV or doing housework can make it hard to do r job well. Too many things to do can make  less productive and less motivated.  can avoid this by getting rid of things in r home that  find distracting. Use headphones that block out noise and play soothing music to block out noises like traffic and activity in the neighbourhood.

Miscommunication: Some people have trouble communicating when they work from home because their internet connection is slow or because they can't say what they want to say as well as when they talk to someone in person. This can make things harder to do.

2. Explain the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on world economy. In the light of “Atma Bharat ” discuss the Indian scenario.

Ans) The COVID-19 pandemic has had many economic effects, such as the COVID-19 recession, which was the second largest in recent history, and a drop in business in the services sector during COVID-19 lockdowns. The crash of the stock market in 2020, which included the biggest drop in a single week since the financial crisis of 2007–2008, and the effects of COVID-19 on the financial markets. the 2021–2022 global supply chain crisis, the 2021–2022 inflation spike, shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the 2020–present global chip shortage, panic buying, and price gouging. It caused governments to give more stimulus than ever before. The pandemic also played a role in the energy crisis of 2021–2022 and the food crisis of 2022.

The COVID-19 crisis had an effect on the world economy, which led to a 7 percent drop in world trade in 2020. Even though GVCs are still around, the pandemic caused a number of demand and supply problems that have come back during the recovery period in 2021 and 2022. These problems have spread around the world through trade.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses lost 25% of their income and 11% of their employees. Contact-heavy industries and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were hit the hardest. At the time of the COVID wave, only 4% of businesses declared bankruptcy or closed for good. This was because policymakers helped a lot to prevent large-scale bankruptcies.

In separate statements, the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, and other Union ministers all linked the research, development, and production of COVID-19 vaccines in India to atmanirbharta. Modi said, "Immunizations made in India are a sign of Atmanirbhar Bharat."

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and his government used the phrase "Atmanirbhar Bharat," which means "self-reliant India," to talk about the country's plans for economic growth. The phrase is a catch-all idea for the Modi government's plans for India to become more efficient, competitive, and resilient and to play a bigger role in the world economy.

Since 2014, Modi has used the phrase in English when talking about national security, poverty, and digital India. Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, which means "Self-Reliant India Mission," was the first popular use of the phrase in Hindi. It was used in 2020 when India's economic package for the COVID-19 pandemic was announced. Since then, the phrase has been used in press releases, statements, and policies by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Defense. The phrase has also been used by the government when talking about India's new National Education Policy and the Union Budget of India for 2021. The idea of "under Modi's premiership" comes from how the phrase was used in the Indian subcontinent in the past.

One of India's most successful movements before it got its independence was the swadeshi movement. Between 1947 and 2014, the country's Planning Commission used the idea of self-reliance in a number of five-year plans. Since it got its independence, people have noticed that India has been making policies and building institutions that encourage self-reliance. People have used drinks, cars, cooperatives, financial services and banking, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, and other private companies and their products as examples of self-reliance.

The new plan for self-reliance, called aatmarnibharta, included a willingness to join the global economy and challenge it. This was different from the past, when people wanted to stay away from it, like during the swadeshi movement before independence and with foreign aid after independence. Swadeshi, on the other hand, has been changed with slogans like "Speak up for local" while also promoting the idea that the world is connected. Economist Intelligence Unit says that "Modi's policy aims to reduce domestic market access to imports while at the same time opening the economy and exporting to the rest of the world." The government wants to find a way to make this work.

Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan could be seen in the context of India-China border relations and India's economic dependence on China in some areas, just like the coronavirus pandemic. Calls for India to boycott Chinese products and promote an Atmanirbhar Bharat instead are practically difficult in the short term for India, which imports US$75 billion worth of goods every year from China, and parts of Indian industry are dependent on China. Following the Galwan Valley skirmish on 15 June 2020, which resulted in a number of deaths, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, said if the government was serious about making India self-reliant, Chinese companies should not be given contracts for projects such as the Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System. A contract for 5.6 km (3.5 mi) of the project was given to a Chinese company.

During Narendra Modi's time as prime minister, there has been a lot of talk about a "Atmanirbhar Bharat," but this isn't always reflected in government policies. There has been concern Atmanirbhar Bharat is political messaging that has no economic impact. India's trade deficit restricts a reduction in dependence on imports, restricting protectionism and isolationism. During this phase, however, there have been signs of protectionist tendencies, such as rising tariffs. In general, the Modi government has been more interested in helping domestic industries than international ones. Subsidies are being used as a way to get business leaders from around the world to come to India. People have said that the initiative is a form of crony capitalism and that it gives small businesses that agree with the message false hope. On December 7, 2021, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh said that each state must be self-sufficient for India to be self-sufficient.