SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION OF WOMEN IN GUJARAT

Abstract

Today, the role of women in the economic development of a country can hardly be ignored. The contribution of women in economic development is gauged by their by their work participation rate. In India, women participation in labour market is mainly due to economic need. Their activity outside the home is affected by various factors like educational attainments, husband’s status and availability of job opportunities etc. In is because of these reasons that participation of women in the labour force is lower than men in most of the countries.

The present paper is an attempt to find out the extent of women’s participation in the economic activity in Gujarat and types of occupations in which women predominate.

The population of Gujarat has increased constantly since 1961 to 2011. The population has increased almost three times in the state. Both male and female population has Gujarat. In 1960-161 female population was about fifty percent of total population. It has remained almost same in 2010-2011. The 2001 census shows low female participation rate as compared male participation rate in Gujarat. In 1961 the female participation rate in Gujarat was 27.89% while in 2001 female participation rate was 27.91%. This shows that female participation rate has not improved much in Gujarat.

Women in Gujarat today are working not only in fields, factories, construction companies and industries but are also doing mental work by doing administrative jobs, management work and duties in many other fields. They are being provided educational and training facility so that they can actively participate in the labour force The Government of Gujarat has been giving importance to women welfare and women empowerment. Recently, in the budget proposal, the finance minister has suggested Special Economic Zone for women to be developed in Sanand (Taluka of Ahmadabad Districd) . Many educational and training institutes are to be opened sprcially for women. Still lost needs to be done to improve the sex ratio as well as the health of women. Intensive programmes should be launched to make them aware of their rights and reservations    them. Women participation should be increased in service sector, industrial sector sector and household industries. This will be possible if their outlook and perception is changed by giving proper education education to them. Women should be provided deter infrastructural facilities for encouraging self-employment among the educated unemployed according to the social need.