We All Can Do It!

Creating Balance in Work & Motherhood.

- K. Nalini

Indian Constitution in 1950 officially granted women and men suffrage. Unlike in the West, Indian women participated in voting, ran for public offices and political parties. Women have held posts as President, Prime Minister in India as well as Chief Ministers of various states. Indian voters have elected women to various State Legislative Assemblies and National Parliament for many decades. Women are trying to find solutions to major issues like violence against women and children, sexual violence, discrimination, child marriage, illiteracy etc. Today, economic independence has added to their confidence.

More women in India must join the workforce. Today only 25% of Indian women are employed according to the World Bank’s 2017 India Development Report. India ranked 120 among 131 countries on Female Workforce participation. As per the Report of the Consulting Firm of Deloitte on the subject of ‘Empowering Girls and Women in India’ women in labour force fell from 36.7% in 2006 to 25% in 2018.

Though India is a democratic nation with good legal reforms that support women, the participation of women in the economy and society is not doing well. Whether in the Corporate sector, entrepreneurship or political leadership women are lagging behind men.

What challenges do women face? What holds them back from participating in the workforce? Motherhood, gender bias, unequal pay, security, mental and physical harassment, lack of proper family support, insufficient maternity leave are some of the major issues and challenges that working women face today.

Child Care Issues