Public employment is a crucial source of work for women in many countries, and existing research shows a strong link between women’s public sector employment and their broader labour market outcomes. In India—where female labour force participation has historically been low—the public sector plays an increasingly significant role in employing women. However, this feminisation is accompanied by a growing share of irregular, poorly paid, and insecure public jobs, such as community health workers (ASHAs) and para-teachers. This chapter presents a gender-disaggregated analysis of public employment in India using nationally representative survey data from the last three decades. It argues that feminisation is occurring both through rising shares of women and through the shifting nature of public jobs themselves. The quantitative findings are complemented by qualitative interviews from different regions, highlighting conditions of work, women’s preferences for such employment, and the implications for their social and economic status.

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Women’s Work and Public Employment in India

  • Dipa Sinha

摘要

Public employment is a crucial source of work for women in many countries, and existing research shows a strong link between women’s public sector employment and their broader labour market outcomes. In India—where female labour force participation has historically been low—the public sector plays an increasingly significant role in employing women. However, this feminisation is accompanied by a growing share of irregular, poorly paid, and insecure public jobs, such as community health workers (ASHAs) and para-teachers. This chapter presents a gender-disaggregated analysis of public employment in India using nationally representative survey data from the last three decades. It argues that feminisation is occurring both through rising shares of women and through the shifting nature of public jobs themselves. The quantitative findings are complemented by qualitative interviews from different regions, highlighting conditions of work, women’s preferences for such employment, and the implications for their social and economic status.