Gender and work

Sex is biological (genes, reproductive organs). Gender is a social identity: the roles a culture expects from men and women, learned from early childhood until they harden into stereotypes. So gender is socially constructed. India's Supreme Court recognises a third gender.

Women have always worked: in farming, animal husbandry, construction and domestic labour, often as the sole earners. Yet they are often denied decisions and independence. Work as a home maker is rarely counted as economic activity, though 'money saved is money earned'.

When women also work outside the home, they carry a double burden. Their issues include: fewer chances as work becomes more skilled, earnings treated as secondary, stress, safety, maternity benefits and child care.

The Constitution guarantees equality, and equal opportunity in public employment (Article 16(1)). Laws protect women workers: the Factories Act 1948 (Section 48 requires a crèche where more than 30 women work), the Plantation Labour Act 1951, the Mines Act 1952, the ESI Act, the Maternity Benefit Act 1961 and the Equal Remuneration Act.

Other steps: women's cells, a National Plan of Action, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas for girls' education. Women have built great enterprises: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw founded Biocon; Lijjat Papad grew from 7 members in 1959 to about 45,000. Gender is learned; equality must be built.