The marginalisation of women in India has been around for several centuries, but the fact that it still exists in several forms is a tad bit disappointing. Even today, we see many situations, where men are given preference over women, even though women might just be as meritorious and deserving. While there might be disparities and discrimination in the social lives of women, in the world of employment, it is even more, especially with women who come from financially or socially challenged backgrounds.
At TRRAIN, we work with several young women who come from marginalised and underprivileged backgrounds, because we have an understanding of the problems and challenges that tend to crop up. Let’s take a deeper look into the issues of working women in India or those wishing to join the workforce.
The top 10 working women’s problems in India
It is important to note that the challenges and problems that the women in India face, and this includes those who are already a part of the workforce and those who are looking for opportunities to earn a sustainable livelihood, are similar.
1. Discrimination and stereotyping – Gender-based discrimination and stereotyping are common in India because many of these are ingrained into them from their childhood. Although the stories are starting to change, there are still several parts of our country, especially those that are still backward in terms of education and social awakening, where the thought process that girls are meant to stay within the four walls of the house continues. Because of such stereotyping, several women are not able to join the workforce and become contributing members of their homes and society as well.
2. Lack of equal opportunities – There is a major lack of equal opportunities even today – several companies and workplaces still would prefer to hire men, as opposed to women. The reasons for the hiring bias can be many – like worrying about the possibilities of workplace harassment of women, and not being willing to invest in toilets/changing rooms for women. Hiring men often seems simpler way out and many choose to take that.
3. Fewer opportunities in male-dominated fields – While this discrimination exists in several industries, that are naturally male-dominated, such as engineering and technology, the disparity is much larger. You will rarely see women on the production floor of car manufacturing companies or iron forging units. Only 12% of the Indian woman workforce is employed in the electronics industry and only a minuscule 3% in core engineering.
4. The persistent issue of pay disparity – This perhaps is one of the biggest hurdles faced by working women and is prevalent across the industries. Employed in the same company or industry, men and women are often paid separately, even though working hours and tasks might be similar. By delaying or negating the chance of creating a sustainable livelihood for women, it is a fundamental principle – equal pay for equal work – that is being questioned.
5. Tackling ignorance and lack of sensitivity in work environments – There is no doubt that several employers, especially male, have a lack of sensitivity towards women employees. The notion is – that you are being paid to do certain work, hence you need to do it, irrespective of your problems. Because most companies do not have any sensitivity training programs or workshops to build awareness, these often ignorant practices continue, creating an almost hostile environment for female employees.
6. The struggles of career gaps and rejoining the workforce – For those who might be rejoining the workforce, the problems are often greater; their commitment is questioned and even their return is questioned. Many times, women might have taken a break due to family commitments, such as marriage, pregnancy, or taking care of the elderly, but these very responsibilities are turned into problems by employers.
7. Pregnancy discrimination – What should be a happy time in the life of a woman is often made the most difficult – pregnancy is one of the most persistent female workplace issues in India. Although the pregnant woman might be allowed to work, and more importantly be willing to work through most of her pregnancy, employers are often wary of hiring women during this phase of their lives.
8. Language barriers – Although this might not seem like a problem, language often becomes a barrier for many women, who are looking to join the workforce or climb the ladder. This problem is seen more often with women who come from marginalised sections of society and do not have access to quality education. Not being able to converse with the clientele properly or not being able to express their part of the story with the right set of words, often leads to problems at the workplace.
9. The grooming gap – It is interesting to note that many companies will spend many man-hours in grooming their male employees, but not as much as in their female ones. The opportunities given to women to upskill and improve are often minimal, leaving them behind in the race to the top.
10. Lack of practical knowledge – This, perhaps, is one of the biggest challenges, because even though women might be educated enough for a job, not having any practical working knowledge the job entails, puts them at a disadvantage. The struggle to implement theoretical concepts in practical situations at work is quite often real.
Having understood problems like these, we at TRRAIN have created initiatives like TRRAINHer Ascent, wherein we offer a number of marginalised women the opportunity to rise above all of these challenges. Through our training programmes, innumerable women have received the learning, grooming, and confidence to become a part of the workforce in the retail and allied sectors, changing their lives and also of those around them.
