JustJobs Network calls for bigger role for women in decision-making
Stressing on the need to address systemic causes and not just symptoms of the problem, President and Executive Director at the Just Jobs Network, Sabina Dewan, told CNBC-TV18 that policy makers and corporations need to take women's needs and resourcefulness into account.
India could become a five trillion-dollar economy by 2025, much ahead of the 2027 target, according to recent government estimates. But equitable growth isn't possible without gender parity in the workforce.
Women participation in India's labour workforce is at 22% currently, and according to a new report, 50% of women in the world’s fifth-largest economy are employed in agriculture or insecure work arrangements.
According to a report by the Centre for Gender Analysis, launched by JustJobs Network, such a trend can actually hinder women empowerment in the workforce. A study on women's economic participation in the Global South reveals that over 50% of women workers in India, Bangladesh and Zambia are employed in agriculture or low productivity services. The report says that such insecure work arrangements can actually disincentive women participation in paid work.
Stressing on the need to address systemic causes and not just symptoms of the problem, President and Executive Director at the Just Jobs Network, Sabina Dewan, told CNBC-TV18 that policy makers and corporations need to take women's needs and resourcefulness into account. Pointing out that a rise in women's employment in the less productive and informal agriculture sector isn't really a cause for celebration, she called for better skilling as well as removal of gender bias.
She further explained that 30-40% of entry-level positions in the IT sector go to women, and that there aren't as many women working at the higher levels of corporate governance. Dewan pitched for digital education for both genders at an early age to ensure necessary digital skills.
A higher participation rate of women does not automatically translate into better outcomes, the report further adds. It has pitched for more participation of women in the formal workforce, with more social protection & job security. It also batted for equal application of the gender lens to all aspects of state governance instead of just women issues.
However, the Indian government believes that women's workforce participation is rising in all sectors, including manufacturing and AI which will further improve productivity.
Pointing out that nearly 1/3rd women are part of the workforce today, Labour & Employment Secretary Arti Ahuja explained that India is on the cusp of a U-shape rise in women's contribution in the workforce — a trend witnessed globally during growth of economies. Even in the manufacturing sector, especially in electronics, she said that women's participation is growing and is going to grow more and more.
Experts batted for greater representation of women in tech sectors as well. They also stress on removal of social barriers which keep women deprived of opportunities.
Anurag Behar, CEO of the Azim Premji Foundation, told CNBC-TV18 that it is important to increase the pace of women empowerment. He added that if investment is made in infrastructure sector without heed to the prevailing gender inequity, then the inequity will only get replicated. He stressed on the need to get to the core of AI with equal representation of women in high value-add roles, dependent significantly on their skill development and education.
Terming India's potential as "great" in its quest for a five trillion-dollar economy, Just Jobs Network remarked that the economy is essentially walking on one leg as both men and women need to participate equitably in the labour market.
(Edited by : Sangam Singh)
First Published: Dec 18, 2023 7:05 PM IST
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