Here’s why women’s education doesn’t translate to employment in India

Despite much progress in education and awareness, traditional thought that puts the onus of child rearing on the woman dominates social spheres including workspaces. Absence of childcare facilities and proper creche facilities make it challenging for women to join the labour force when social norms mandate that it's their primary responsibility to look after children.

Meanwhile, the gender pay gap stood at 19% on average and has increased from 2017 when it was 15%. Instead of accepting low paying jobs despite being educated, women choose to remain out of the labour force altogether.

A study found that about 50% of adults believed that a married woman should not be working outside the home if the husband earns a decent living. It is also interesting to note that such norms are “more binding” among wealthier and upper-caste households, explaining the low FLFP in urban India. Thus, it is not surprising that females spent 16.9% of their time on unpaid domestic services and only 4.2% on paid employment compared to men who spent 18.3% of their time on the latter.

In India, payment of MGNREGA wages into female workers' bank accounts increased women’s participation in the programme.

Despite improvements in educational attainment, the unemployment rates among rural and urban women for each level of education shot up post 2011-12. With household responsibilities inevitably falling on women, their employment is seen as a necessity only at times of financial stress in the household income.

Women also suffer restrictions on mobility, driven by safety concerns. Only 41% of women are allowed to go to the market, health facility, and places outside the village or community, while 6% are not allowed to do any of the three. When curbing women’s freedom is a norm, their participation in the labour market becomes challenging.

Social security must be tied directly to workers, migrant women must be provided with safe and secure infrastructure, and workplaces must strictly adhere to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013.

Migrant women face safety concerns and the problem of inadequate accommodation, which disincentives them to migrate to cities for work. Unfortunately, due to rampant patriarchy, sexual harassment is also normalised.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has seen an increase in sexual harassment complaints from workplaces.It’s not just a problem in low-paying jobs or the unorganised sector. A study by FICCI and EY found that 36% of Indian companies and 25% of MNCs were not compliant with the Sexual Harassment Act 2013.

Women are prohibited from working night shifts in specific factory processes, underground mines, and several other industrial operations, which indirectly set standards for what is considered women’s work. Since paternity leaves are not at par with maternity leaves, it might also reinforce social norms against working women.

Since small and medium businesses and start-ups might be unable to afford to pay maternity benefits or have an employee on leave for long, they might prefer not to hire females at all.

Social norms must normalise women in these new roles, or it will inevitably lead to unemployment.

Most women are employed in agriculture and manufacturing, both of which have witnessed the slowest job growths, indicating that demand for female labour supply has taken a hit. Professions dominated by women such as teaching, nursing, domestic help, and so forth are extensions of the care work women undertake at home. Thus, the social norms that define household work as women’s primary responsibility also impact the kind of jobs they are offered.

Educated women tend to marry more educated men who earn higher incomes. When the household income increases and the reliance on the women’s earnings falls, it incentivises women to drop out of the labour force and focus on their “status production”. Families and caste groups gain status by a woman’s seclusion from the labour market, except in cases of white-collar governmental jobs, which are considered highly respectful and thus, receive family support.

Men control women's lives under patriarchal institutions to a large extent, and women’s own internalised patriarchy influences the labour market decisions they make.

According to the National Family and Health Survey (2015-16), 16% of surveyed women do not participate in decisions regarding their own healthcare, household purchases, and visiting relatives. For 17% of women, their employment decisions are made by their husbands.

Akshita Sharma, the author, is a Research Associate at Social and Political Research Foundation (SPRF). Headquartered in New Delhi, SPRF is a policy think tank.