Abstract
Women can be engaged directly in the development process, and they can experience the benefits of growth more equitably by generating increasingly productive employment opportunities for women (Behrman and Zhang 1995). However, there is no country in the world in which women’s quality of life is equal to that of men – quality of life being measured in terms of longevity, health status, educational opportunities, employment and political rights (UNDP 1993). Further, in developing countries, the situation is not only uneven but also distressing (Nussbaum and Glover 1995). In several countries, the work participation rates of women are substantially lower than that of men. Even when women are employed, they face pervasive wage discrimination not to talk about the long hours of unpaid household labour. Besides, there are several other issues relating to intra-household inequality in terms of consumption, assets and even participation in the decision-making process relating to the determination of the family size, education of children and the overall welfare of the household. Though the household head is expected to be an altruistic agent, often the male household head is neglectful of females, whether wives or children, and make decisions inimical to those interests (Nussbaum and Glover 1995).
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Notes
- 1.
This chapter is based on Mitra (2010b), Asia-Pacific Human Development Report Background Paper Series 2010/07.
- 2.
Also see Chen (1991), Agarwal (1994), Sen (1994), and Jhabwala (1997). Besides, Jain and Banerjee (1985), Sharma and Singh (1993), Standing (1991), Banerjee (1997), and Bhatt (2001) bring out several interesting aspects of women employment in the informal sector. Deshpande (2001) confirms that women workers entered the labour market they preferred to be engaged in occupations where the nature of work was more or less an extension of the work they carried out as housewives. Based on the case study of sales women in Ernakulam (India), Patrick (2001) confirms both occupational segregation and wage discrimination that women workers face in the labour market. Even within the informal sector, which offers lower wages compared to the formal sector, women workers get a bad deal (Mitra and Mukhopadhyay 1989; Mukhopadhyay 1999; Institute of Social Studies Trust 1997; Kalpagam 2001). Also see Moser and Levy (1986), Chen (1989), SEWA (1989), Sen (1994), Breman (1996), Jhabwala (1997), Unni (1997), Bhatt (2001) and Kalpagam (2001).
- 3.
Poverty Profile 2004: Bangladesh.
- 4.
Female-to-male work participation rate = 0.67 + 1.40e-06 GDP per capita
(13.64) (0.35)
Figures in parentheses are t-ratios. GDP per capita is highly insignificant.
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Mitra, A. (2013). Gender Inequality in the Labour Market. In: Insights into Inclusive Growth, Employment and Wellbeing in India. Springer, India. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-0656-9_8
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