HYDERABAD: While participation of women labour force has seen a declining trend in India over the last decade with 21 million women exiting the workforce and getting confined to only domestic responsibilities, a field study carried by a recognised NGO in two slums of Hyderabad came up with remarkable findings. The study was conducted by ActionAid with the support of UN Women.
Karnika Nagar huts in Rahmath Nagar, Yousufguda ward has a high sex ratio of over 1,000 women working as construction workers, more in comparison to the men in the occupation, states the study. Moreover, Mudfort basti in Cantonment area, Secunderabad, according to the study, also has a high female sex ratio and has no non-working individual.
However, it was also found that in Karnika Nagar huts, there are no private toilets or drainage system. A single Anganwadi centre in the area caters to over 50 children. On the other hand, in Mudfort basti, all houses are temporary and the residents are perceived as encroachers as the land on which they have built their huts belongs to the Army.
The team of activists who conducted the study lament the fact that the pressure on women labourers, who are often discriminated against men in terms of wages and the treatment meted out to them, is further aggravated in lack of basic facilities like water and electricity.
“Our government does not have a mechanism to assess the aspect of the huge burden of domestic chores falling on the shoulders of these women labourers, which increases their physical work. Moreover, the lack of basic facilities adds to their woes.
We will submit the report to the government and demand that they look into the issues of women workers including this aspect,” said M Anjaneyulu, Telangana regional manager, ActionAid.
Although no sex disaggregated data is available for Telangana, gender discrimination exists in Telangana urban labour market at a vast level.
“The urban male work participation rate in 2011-12 was 54.14 per cent with the female equivalent being 19.1 per cent. Yet, inexplicably, the share of Telangana to all-India’s women workers is higher, being 10.17 per cent,” further asserts the study findings.
The research concerning the issue of women construction workers was conducted by ActionAid in three states, including Telangana. Commenting on the issue, Telanagan Joint Action Committee chairman M Kodandaram said, “There is a vast scope for employment generation for women in urban Telanagana. The issue of discrimination shown towards women labourers is also very challenging here.”