Economy
Indian women entrepreneurs highlight unpaid care work as barrier to economic participation
What happened
A recent study by The Indian Express reveals how unpaid care work disproportionately limits women’s economic participation in India. Women entrepreneurs and activists argue that societal expectations of caregiving restrict their professional growth, calling for policy changes to recognize and redistribute care responsibilities.
Key facts
A study by The Indian Express found that 65% of women entrepreneurs in India cite unpaid care work as a major obstacle to scaling their businesses.
Women spend 5-7 hours daily on unpaid care work, compared to 1-2 hours for men, per National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) 2023 data.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2022-23 reports that only 18.6% of women in India are engaged in paid employment, far below the global average.
Activists demand the inclusion of care work in GDP calculations to reflect its economic value.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has initiated pilot programs to pilot shared caregiving models in urban areas.
Context
- Unpaid care work includes domestic chores, childcare, and eldercare, predominantly shouldered by women.
- India ranks low in global gender equality indices, partly due to systemic barriers in economic participation.
- Government schemes like Poshan Tracker and Mission Shakti aim to address women’s empowerment but face implementation challenges.
Why it matters
- Highlights gender disparities in economic opportunities due to unpaid care work.
- Calls attention to policy gaps in supporting women’s workforce participation.
- Underscores the need for societal and institutional reforms to promote gender equality.