ARTICLE
RISING FEMALE EDUCATION AND DECLINING LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION
INTRODUCTION
In recent years the trend of increasing level of education and falling labour force participation among women is witnessed. Women’s education increases the income of women and leads to growth in GDP .Educated women can bring a massive changes in an economy . It strengthens economies and reduces inequality .But this will take place only if women are employed or become active participants in the labour market. India, a developing nation witness this paradoxical trend. Women participation in the labour market has become a matter of interest among economists and gender activists. Participation of women in the labour force has been on the rise in many developed countries. When we look into the case of our country the situation is pathetic. The factors responsible for this declining labour force participation is numerous. Female labour force participation is a driver of growth and therefore participation rates indicate the potential of a country to grow more rapidly. Women faces many hindrances to enter labour market is one of the noteworthy reasons responsible for declining labour force participation. Ultimately the goal is not merely to increase female labour force participation but to provide ample opportunities for decent work that will in turn contribute to both economic empowerment of women and economic growth of a nation.
India has experienced a decline in female labor force participation over the last three decades .Even though Female Labour Force Participation Rate has been declining in India it is expected to increase in the coming years .Improved standard of living has stronger negative income effect on female labour force participation rate .For women safe working and living environment in small cities and towns is necessary. There is low support in society for working women. This arises from patriarchal structures which dictate that women prioritise their domestic responsibilities over professional aspirations. The disproportionate burden of household duties, accompanied by mobility and safety constraints results in women forgoing their employment .Globally unpaid care work is a key reason that women are outside the labour force . Additionally deep rooted social norms and lack of agency leave women with little choice in their employment decisions .A large proportion of educated women are full time housewives engaged in domestic household chores such as cooking, cleaning, childcare etc. Their services are not paid and they remain out of labour force. Their economic output is not included in the GDP.
The real economic ,business and societal value of the participation of women in India’s labor force can only be achieved through the active involvement of women across the formal economic system. In advanced economies women in professional occupations outsource their care work which further results in employment and income generation for more people. Similarly, Indian women and the economy will immensely benefit from solutions that focus on improving the participation of women in the formal economy .This will include reducing, redistributing and rewarding unpaid care work.
The decision of and the ability for women to participate in the labor force is the outcome of various economic and social factors that interact in a complex fashion at both the household and macro level .Based on the global evidence some of the most important drivers include educational attainment, fertility rates, age of marriage , economic growth and urbanization . In addition to these issues social norms determining the role of women in the public domain continue to affect outcomes.
In India much of the discussions on the falling trends has focused on four key explanations .Rising educational enrolment of young women, lack of employment opportunities, effect of household income on participation and measurement. Over the last decade India has made considerable progress in increasing access to education for girls as increasing number of women of working age are enrolling in secondary schools. The nature of economic growth in the country has meant that jobs were not created in large numbers in sectors that absorb women especially for those in rural areas. Despite inadequate job creation household income did rise which potentially reduced women’s participation especially in subsidiary activities due to change in preference. In India a substantially high proportion of females report their activity status as attending to domestic activities .It is interesting to note that significant proportion of women usually engaged in domestic duties reported their willingness to accept work if the work was made available at their household premises. Women’s labor force participation and access to decent work are important and necessary elements of an inclusive and sustainable development process.
Kerala , a small state lying in the extreme south India enjoys the highest position at the literacy rate. Surprisingly, the work participation rate among females shows a declining trend. Despite the high literacy level female work participation rate appears to be quite low and falling. There should be a positive /direct relationship between female education and work participation rate that is, rising female education should result in rising level of work participation rates. But here an inverse relationship is witnessed between the two variables.
Reasons for the deteriorating trend of women work participation is numerous. Income effect plays a significant role . In our society it is seen that educated women are likely to marry educated men with higher income. Women would have less incentive to work if family income is high. Rising income of Indian households have enabled Indian women to withdraw from the labour market. Problem of multitasking is another challenge faced by majority. The pressure of living the life as a perfect wife, mother and employee makes them hectic and affects not only their mental health but also their capacity to excel at work .It’s not an easy task for a women to run a home and manage her career. Due to the problem prevailing in multitasking she herself will quit or is forced to quit the job.
Glass ceiling effect can also have an adverse impact on working women .It is a social barrier preventing women from being promoted to top position. The phrase is commonly used to describe the difficulties faced by the women and minorities when trying to move to higher roles in a male dominated corporate hierarchy.
CONCLUSION
Rising female education and falling work force participation among women is increasing at an alarming rate. The policy makers in India should take comprehensive approach for improving labour market outcomes for women through improving access to child care , maternity protection, provision of safe and accessible transport etc. By alleviating the barriers that prevent women from participating in the labour market economic growth can be ensured.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
https://genderdata.worldbank.org
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