The decline, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-2018 report by NSSO which the government has withheld, is more acute in the working age group of 15-59 years.
New Delhi: Over five crore rural women have left the national job market since 2004-05. Female participation has fallen by 7 percentage points since 2011-12, amounting to approximately 2.8 crore fewer women looking for jobs.
The decline, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-2018 report by NSSO which the government has withheld, is more acute in the working age group of 15-59 years. In this bracket, the rural female participation rate fell from 49.4 per cent in 2004-05 to 35.8 per cent in 2011-12 and further to 24.6 per cent in 2017-18. In effect, participation of rural women of working age has been halved since 2004-05.
“Higher participation in education is one answer to the puzzle but that cannot explain such a massive drop. One explanation is that fewer women are likely to remain in a shrinking job market where men have the upper hand. Part of it could also be the result of a cultural shift that makes the once-independent village woman a victim of growing social taboos against going out and working,” said an expert who did not want to be named.
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