Women and Work

In recent year, status of women in society has been a point of concern throughout the globe, particularly in developing country like India. The status of women in society denotes her position with others in terms of rights and obligations. The status of women normally covers two important dimensions firstly, the extent of actual control enjoyed by women in their own life and secondly, the extent to which they participate in decision making process. The special attention given to the needs and problems of women as one of the special section Indian society and recognition of political equality, definitely radical departure from the norms prevailing in traditional India. This had been given effect realization of women participation in social development. But however, in practice, influences of these progressive laws are not in operation as expected. It is largely because people are unconscious of these laws or they are reluctant to change their life styles.

Traditionally it was not considered appropriate for women to work outside the home for wages. But modernization and technological development has opened new avenues. Economic development has proceeded in India at differing rates and has affected various sectors of the economy and society differently. It is quite interesting that the women are involved in agricultural work for a long time. They take part in agricultural production such as weeding, plantation, and harvesting. The cooperative economic ventures between men and women were quite common in Indian families which remain more or less unaltered by recent changes. This is particularly so in rural and agrarian society. Moreover, women’s involvement in production activities is far greater in peasant society where self cultivation is widely practiced. Even women, who are not normally involved in active farm work, are also drawn into production tasks in peak periods and thus gender based division of work becomes fluid in nature.