Does India's Economic Transformation Promote Women's Economic Empowerment?
India has experienced a period of sustained, strong economic growth due to a mix of structural changes in the economy and large-scale public policy initiatives. This has been accompanied by a narrowing of the gender gap in education. However, female labour force participation rates, particularly in rural areas, have stalled. Previous research in this area has indicated that as households prosper socially and economically, women's labour force participation can decline. This study will examine the different, and sometimes contradictory, ways in which economic growth can affect women's access to, and control over, resources. It will examine the effects of structural shifts in the economy as well as the impact of government employment programs to assess the ways in which economic change affects women's opportunities for economic transformation and empowerment. The study will use a nationally representative panel survey to examine changes over time. By examining outcomes for women in households located across 34 different states, the project will compare areas that experienced substantial improvement in economic opportunities, infrastructure development, and policy implementation with those that did not. This project is part of Employment and Growth's research portfolio on expanding economic opportunities for women and youth. It complements the current GrOW portfolio of research projects which focus on the link between economic growth and women's economic empowerment. It will generate evidence on the degree to which sectoral shifts due to economic growth and public policies have influenced women's opportunities in the labor market.
Project ID
108243
Project Status
Completed
End Date
Duration
24 months
IDRC Officer
Bouba Housseini
Total Funding
CA$ 339,500.00
Programs
Employment and Growth
Employment and Growth
Institution Country
United States
Project Leader
Sonalde Desai
Institution
The University of Maryland Foundation, Inc.
Institution Website
Institution
The University of Maryland Foundation
Institution Website
Outputs
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Do public works programs increase women’s economic empowerment? : evidence from rural India Article
Using survey data collected before and after the enactment of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA, 2005) program, the paper examines changes in women’s participation in paid work and total earnings by using a difference-in-difference approach. The results suggest that women living in villages with a higher availability of MGNREGA work are more likely to participate in wage labor and have higher total wage incomes. These effects are absent for men, possibly because they have greater alternative opportunities. Responding to women’s needs by expanding work opportunities is likely to mobilize more women to enter the workforce, thereby increasing their wage incomes. Author(s): Desai, Sonalde Language: English |
Indian paradox : rising education, declining women’s employment Article
The study uses the first comprehensive Indian income data to evaluate whether the “other family income” effect explains the negative relationship between women’s education and labor force participation. In India, women’s education has a U-shaped relationship with labor force participation. This has been attributed to an income effect whereby women with more education marry into richer families that enable them to withdraw from the labor force. Results suggest that another factor at play is occupational sex segregation, which excludes moderately educated Indian women from clerical and sales jobs. Author(s): Chatterjee, Esha, Desai, Sonalde, Vanneman, Reeve Language: English |
Does participation in self-help groups empower Indian women? Brief
The number of self-help groups (SHG) promoted under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is 2,820,967 (October 2016). Social movements literature suggests that women’s agency and sense of self-worth is enhanced by participation in collective action. This poster/policy brief provides at-a-glance results of the programme. SHG members are more likely to be bank account holders and participate in paid work and non-farm business activity. SHG members are also less likely to use the veil or be the last one in the family to eat. They also have some say in what to cook - bargaining within traditional gendered division of labor. Author(s): Choudhuri, Pallavi, Desai, Sonalde Language: English |
Land live : land ownership in rural India and intra household exchanges Paper
The study examines the role of land ownership in shaping the well-being of older Indians by using data from the India Human Development Survey II (IHDS-II). In a society structured around extended households it focuses on the exchanges between parents and adult children in order to explore possible financial motives involved in elder care. Three aspects of well-being are considered: co-residence, medical expenditure and decision-making power within the household. Author(s): Desai, Sonalde, Barik, Debasis Language: English |
Village transportation infrastructure and women’s non-agricultural employment in India : the conditioning role of community gender context Paper
Using data from the India Human Development Survey (2005, 2012) the study explores the impact of village transportation conditions on women’s participation in non-agricultural work. Findings show that access by roads and frequent bus services positively influence men’s and women’s participation in non-agricultural work. Similar effects are found for women and men. The positive impact of transportation infrastructure on women’s non-farm employment is stronger in communities with more egalitarian gender norms. Other research shows that the earned income from non-farm work boosts women’s control over resources, decision making power, and child welfare. Author(s): Lei, Lei, Desai, Sonalde, Vanneman, Reeve Language: English |