Gender Division of Labour : A Study of Migrant Women in Construction in India

Abstract

Despite significant strides made by women to break glass ceilings and pursue hitherto inaccessible professions, the gendered nature of division of labour is perpetuated not only in the workplace but in the household as well. This patriarchal tradition leads to double burden of work for women increasing their dropouts from the labour market. For instance, the pandemic brought out the disproportionate impact of the lockdown on women’s employment with falling female labour force participation. This study sheds light on the experience of female migrant workers in construction. Falling at the intersection of gender and migrant identities, the construction sector exploits them on multiple fronts. They are predominantly employed as unskilled labourers on construction sites and find it difficult to be absorbed as masons even with training and certification. While policies at the central level have been devised for construction workers welfare, the bleak implementation of the BOCW and ISMW Acts is a cause of concern. Moreover, the study employs a feminist perspective for policy analysis to bring out issues in the policy design arising out of a gender blind approach. The major recommendations revolve around scaling up of affirmative state policies encouraging training and employment of women. While patriarchal division of labour within the four walls of houses is beyond the current purview of the state, gender neutral policies for childcare can pave the way for future reform. Moreover, the consolidation of the labour legislations under the labour codes has been analysed to assess the additions and dilutions affecting workers’ welfare.