PROFILE OF WOMEN WORKERS
11.1 Women form an integral part of the Indian
workforce. According to the information provided
by the Registrar General of India, the work participation
rate for women was 25.63 per cent in 2001.
This is an improvement from 22.27 per cent in 1991
and 19.67 per cent in 1981. The two important aspects
that require mention are that while there has
been an improvement in the work participation rate
of women, it continues to be substantially less in
comparison to the work participation rate of men.
In 2001, the work participation rate for women in
rural areas was 30.79 per cent as compared to 11.88
per cent in the urban areas. In the rural areas, women
are mainly involved as cultivators and agricultural
labourers. In the urban areas, almost 80 per cent of
the women workers are working in the unorganized
sectors such as household industries, petty trades
and services, buildings and construction.
11.2 In so far as the organized sector is concerned,
in March 2005, women workers constituted
19 per cent of the total organized sector employment
in the country, as compared to 18.7 per cent in
the previous year. As on 31st March,2005, there
were about 50.16 lakh women workers employed
in the organized sector (Public and Private Sector).
Of this, nearly 28.52 lakh were employed in community,
social and personnel services sector. Plantations
and factories were other important employers
of women.
WOMEN'S ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND
SKILLS / VOCATIONAL TRAINING
11.3 Within the framework of democracy, our
laws, development policies, plans and programmes
have aimed at women's advancement in different
spheres. In this endeavor DGET, being the nodal
agency, looking after Vocational Training in country
takes care of providing training to women.
11.4 To take special care for the vocational training
of women a Vocational Training Programme for
women was launched in the Ministry of Labour in
1977 and a separate Women's Training Cell was
formed under DGE&T. This cell is responsible for
designing & pursuing long term policies related to
Women's Vocational training in the country. Revision
of curricula of various trades is also taken up
from time to time to meet the training needs of the
industry.
11.5 As a part of the programme, in the Central
sector, the Institutional Network includes 11 Institutes,
providing training facilities exclusively for
women in skills having high wage-employment and
self-employment potential. The institutes set up under
the Women's Occupational Training Directorate
are : National Vocational Training Institute(NVTI)
for Women, NOIDA and Regional Vocational Training
Institutes (RVTI) for Women at Mumbai, Bangalore,
Thiruvanathapuram, Hisar, Calcutta, Tura,
Allahabad, Indore, Vadodara and Jaipur
11.6 The National/Regional Vocational Training
Institutes for Women are only women exclusive Institutes,
which provide facilities for advanced skill
and post-advanced training for women who have
passed 10th or 12th standard and meet the specified
eligibility conditions for various courses. Besides
the regular courses, these institutes also organize
need based short term/ad-hoc courses, Short term
courses in preparation/use of Audio-Visual aids for
general women groups-housewives, students and
school drop-outs and Training Programmes in Pedagogy
for ITI instructors. NVTI/RVTIs have trained
about 55460 trainees since inception in various
training courses and about 3754 seats offered in
various training courses.
11.7 In the State Sector, Vocational Training facilities
exclusively for women at Craftsmen level (Basic
courses) are provided through a network of
Women Industrial Training Institutes (WITIs) /
Women wings in general ITIs under the administrative
control of the State Governments. The details
on number of WITIs/wings etc. & the training seats
sanctioned is collected from the respective State
Governments and compiled by the Women's Training
Directorate at DGE&T. There are about 1152
Women ITIs and Women Wings in general ITIs (264
Govt. Women ITIs and 95 Private Women ITIs, 685
Women Training Wings in Government ITIs and 108
Women Training Wings in Private ITIs) having a total
of 49,336 Training seats.
11.8 Besides this, the Indian Institute of Workers
Education, Mumbai has established a separate cell
on "Women and Child Labour" and evolved advance
training programmes for women activists who are
members of the Central Trade Unions Organizations
and are involved in the upliftment and welfare of
women and child labour in the country. From 1992-
93 to October, 2007, 1297 women activists were
trained in the various training programmes conducted
by the Women and Child Labour Cell of the Institute.
ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN JOB SEEKERS
11.9 The Employment Exchanges take special
care to cater to the job needs of women registered
with them. During January-December, 2006 they
placed 31300 women in various employments.
PROTECTION OF THE INTEREST OF
WOMEN WORKERS
11.10 The Government has taken several steps for
creating a congenial work environment for women
workers. A number of protective provisions have
been incorporated in the various labour laws. These
are elaborated in Box-11.1.
11.11 Besides this, a separate Cell for Women
Labour was set up in this Ministry in 1975. The intention
was to focus attention on the condition of
working women and bring about an improvement
therein. The Cell has the following functions:
Ø Formulation and coordination of policies and
programmes for the female labour force within
the framework of national manpower and economic
policies.
Ø Maintaining liaison with other Government agencies
to secure effective implementation of the
programmes in respect of women workers.
Ø Monitoring the implementation of the Equal Remuneration
Act,1976.
Ø Setting up of an Advisory Committee under the
Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
Ø Giving grants-in-aid to Non-Governmental
Organisations/ Voluntary Organisations to formulate
and execute action oriented projects for
women workers.
11.12 In recent years, the Ministry has been actively
involved in creating awareness among women
workers especially in respect of their legal rights and
duties. This is being done in cooperation with Non-
Governmental Organizations/Voluntary Organizations.
Sl.No. Name of Enactment Protective Provisions
01. The Beedi & Cigar
workers (Conditions of
Employment) Act, 1966.
Provision of crèches for the benefit of women workers
in the industrial premises wherein more than fifty
female employees are ordinarily employed.
02. The Plantation Labour
Act, 1951.
Provision of crèches in every plantation wherein fifty or
more women workers (including women workers
employed by any contractor) are employed or where the
number of children of women workers (including
women workers employed by any contractor) is twenty
or more.
Women workers are provided time off for feeding
children.
03. The Contract Labour
(Regulation & Abolition)
Act, 1970
Provision of crèches where twenty or more women are
ordinarily employed as contract labour.
Female contract labour to be employed by any
contractor between 6.00 A.M. and 7.00 P.M. with the
exception of mid-wives and nurses in hospitals and
dispensaries.
04. The Inter State Migrant
Workmen (Regulation of
Employment & Conditions
of Service) Act, 1979
Provision of crèches for the benefit of women workers
in establishments wherein twenty or more women are
ordinarily employed as migrant workers and in which
employment of migrant workers is likely to continue for
three months or more.
05. The Factorie s Act, 1948 Provision of crèches in every factory wherein more than
thirty women workers are ordinarily employed.
06. The Mines Act, 1952 Employment in mines below ground prohibited and in
any mine above ground except between the hours of 6
am and 7 pm however no employment of women
between 10 pm and 5 am is permitted. Further, women
employed aboveground shall have rest period not less
then eleven hours. Provision of separate toilets and
washing facilities for women workers.
07. The Maternity Benefit
Act, 1961
Maternity benefits to be provided on completion of 80
days working.
Not required to work during six weeks immediately
following the day of delivery or miscarriage. No work
of arduous nature, long hours of standing likely to
interfere with pregnancy/normal development of foetus
or which may cause miscarriage or is likely to affect
health to be given for a period of six months
immediately preceding the period of one week before
delivery. On medical certificate, advance maternity
benefit to be allowed.
Rs.250.00 as Medical bonus to be given when no
prenatal confinement and post natal care is provided
free of charge
08. The Equal Remuneration
Act, 1976
Payment of equal remuneration to men and women
workers for same or similar nature of work protected
under the Act.
No discrimination is permissible in recruitment and
service conditions except where employment of women
is prohibited or restricted by or under any law.
09. The Employee’s State
Insurance (General)
Regulation, 1950
Claim for maternity benefit becomes due on the date
medical certificate is issued for miscarriage, sickness
arising out of pregnancy, confinement or premature
birth of child.
Claim for maternity benefit becomes due on (General
Regulation 1950) the date medical certificate issued for
miscarriage, sickness arising out of pregnancy,
confinement or premature birth of child.
10. The Beedi Workers
Welfare Fund Act, 1976
11. The Iron Ore Mines,
Manganese Ore Mines and
Chrome Ore Mines Labour
Welfare Fund Act, 1976.
12. The Lime Stone and
Dolomite Mines Labour
Welfare Fund Act, 1972
13. The Mica Mines Labour
Welfare Fund Act, 1946.
Appointment of women member in the Advisory and
Central Advisory Committee is mandatory under the
Acts at Sl.Nos.10-13.
14. The Building and Other
Construction Workers
(Regulation of
Employment and
Conditions of Service)
Act, 1996.
Representation of a women member on Building and
other Construction Worker Welfare Boards.
Provisions for maternity benefit to female beneficiaries
of the Welfare Fund.
Provision for crèches where more than 50 female
construction workers are ordinarily employed.
15. The Industrial
Employment (Standing
Orders) Act, 1946.
Provision regarding safeguards against sexual
harassment of women workers at their work places..
EQUAL REMUNERATION
11.13 The ILO Convention No.100 of 1951 relating
to equal remuneration for men and women was
ratified by the Government of India in the year 1958.
To give effect to the Constitutional provisions and
also to ensure the enforcement of ILO Convention
No. 100, the Equal Remuneration Ordinance was
promulgated in the year 1975. The Equal Remuneration
Act, 1976, subsequently replaced the above
Ordinance.
11.14 States/Union Territories have appointed
competent authorities under the Equal Remuneration
Act, 1976 and have also set up Advisory Committees
under the Act. The situation regarding enforcement
of the provisions of Equal Remuneration
Act is regularly monitored by the Ministry and the
Central Advisory Committee. Annual returns are
called for by the special cell from the State Governments
in order to monitor implementation of the Act.
The State Governments/Union Territories are being
advised from time to time to ensure more rigorous
enforcement of the Act so as to improve the condition
of women workers.
11.15 The following social welfare organizations
have been recognized, under the Equal Remuneration
Act, 1976, for the purpose of filing complaints
in courts against employers for violation of the provisions
of the Act:
l The Centre for Women's Development Studies,
New Delhi.
l The Self-Employed Women's Association,
Ahmedabad.
l The Working Women's Forum (India), Chennai.
l The Institute of Social Studies Trust, New Delhi.
CHILD CARE CENTRES
11.16 Statutory provisions have been made in certain
Labour laws for organizing child care centers
for the benefit of women workers. The Factories
Act, 1948, the Beedi & Cigar Workers (Conditions
of Employment) Act, 1966, and the Building and
other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment
and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996 provide
for establishment of crèches for the benefit of women
workers. The Plantation Labour Act, 1951, provides
that the women workers be provided time-off
for feeding children.
SUPREME COURT GUIDELINES ON
SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN
WORKERS
11.17 The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, in the
case of writ petition No.666-70 of 1992 filed by
Vishaka & Others vs State of Rajasthan & Others
laid down certain guidelines for the prevention of
sexual harassment of women employees in their work
places. A number of initiatives have been taken to
give effect to the guidelines. All Central Ministries/
Departments, State Governments / Union Territories
and Central Public Sector Undertakings have
been informed of the provisions contained in the judgment.
They have been asked to implement the guidelines
laid down in the said judgment. The Conduct
Rule applicable to the officers of the Central Government
and the All India Services has since been
amended to give effect to the guidelines. The Industrial
Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946
has also been amended to make the guidelines applicable
to the employees in the Private Sector.
FUTURE STRATEGY
11.18 In this period of economic liberalization and
globalization, the quality of women's employment will
depend upon several factors. The foremost among
these are access to education and opportunities for
skill development. The solution lies in creating
awareness among women about their legal rights and
duties and by providing them adequate opportunities
to upgrade their skill levels. The emphasis should
be on effective enforcement of the Minimum Wages
Act, 1948 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
Proper enforcement of these Acts will create an enabling
environment for women workers. Besides
these protective measures, policies, which encourage
education, skill development, and training among
women, also need to be given priority.
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