Incremental declineBefore we turn to examining these changes, it is important to note that the drop in work participation by rural women is not sudden. Therein lies the conundrum for rural women. Women’s work and family responsibilities rarely fit in neat compartments but household responsibilities do not prevent women from working. Many rural women raise chickens as well as children; husk paddy for sale while daal simmers; and sell vegetables in a market while caring for babies. If the cabinet committee were to focus on multi-sectoral reforms that have a positive impact on women’s work opportunities, the potential gender dividend could be far greater than the much celebrated demographic dividend.

Source: The Hindu June 11, 2019 18:22 UTC