Reality of Women's Empowerment in India, Employment Rates and GDP Growth | Shrayana Bhattacharya
Mar 9, 2024
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Economist Shrayana Bhattacharya discusses the struggles of working women in India, advocating for diversity and inclusion. She shares insights from her book 'Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh' and talks about the challenges faced during her research in villages. The podcast also explores low female employment rates, economic development, and the importance of authentic storytelling in portraying women's lives.
Marriage impacts women's economic freedom, leading to low female employment rates in India.
Engaging dialogues reveal deeper narratives of women's economic struggles and aspirations beyond surveys.
Longitudinal research unveils intergenerational shifts in women's empowerment journeys over time.
Deep dives
Understanding Women's Identity Through Work and Shah Rukh Khan
Marriage emerges as a significant reason for women leaving the workforce, impacting their economic freedom. The podcast explores how women use Shah Rukh Khan as a creative device to dissect Indian societal dynamics across various segments. Through extensive research, the speaker sheds light on women's struggles and aspirations, showcasing their efforts to establish economic agency and make their mark. Women's journey from seeking Shah Rukh to aiming to become self-reliant reflects deeper insights into Indian societal norms and gender roles.
Challenging Traditional Research Methods with Engaging Conversations
The podcast delves into the unconventional approach of using engaging dialogues instead of traditional survey techniques. By connecting with women on familiar interests like favorite actors, the speaker uncovers deeper narratives about economic struggles and aspirations. This method reveals the intersection of entertainment, economics, and gender dynamics, fostering insightful discussions beyond conventional research boundaries.
Longitudinal Research Unveiling Transformations in Women's Lives
The podcast emphasizes the power of longitudinal research in capturing significant transformations in women's lives over time. Following the narratives of women for 15 years reveals intergenerational shifts, from traditional gender roles to aspirations for economic independence. Through personal anecdotes and careful documentation, the speaker portrays the emotional contours of women's journeys towards empowerment and self-identity.
Economic Opportunities for Women in Rural vs. Urban Settings
The podcast highlights contrasting trends in women's economic participation between rural and urban areas. While rural women show a notable increase in workforce engagement driven by economic necessity, urban women face stagnant employment rates. The discussion underscores the complex interplay of social norms, marriage dynamics, and the unequal distribution of economic opportunities, calling for comprehensive solutions to bridge the gender gap and promote women's economic empowerment.
Gender Pay Gap and Representation in Economic Decision-Making
The podcast episode delves into the gender pay gap issue and the lack of representation in economic decision-making. It highlights that societal structures often undervalue certain types of work, like care work, leading to low wages. The discussion emphasizes the importance of diverse voices, including men and women from different backgrounds, in making significant economic decisions to address sectoral and wage reforms.
Importance of Documentation and Observations in Understanding Social Issues
The episode underscores the significance of documenting daily observations and engaging with diverse perspectives to understand complex societal issues. It encourages individuals to go beyond surface interactions and prioritize meaningful conversations about labor conditions, economy, and opportunities. Through regular writing and observation, the speaker emphasizes the power of personal contributions in fostering social awareness and change.
In this Episode of SparX, Mukesh Bansal, Founder of Myntra & Cult.Fit is in conversation with Shrayana Bhattacharya, economist and author of "Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh”.
Join us as we explore Shrayana’s valuable insights into the lives of resilient women facing societal norms and economic challenges. From discussing the struggles of working women in India to emphasising collective action and societal cohesion to address systemic problems, Shrayana highlights the shared responsibility in tackling gender inequality. She calls for breaking away from privileged perspectives, advocating for diversity, inclusion, and the inclusion of fresh voices to pave the way for genuine progress.
Shrayana also gives us a sneak peek of her vision for her next book, "Tyranny of the Indian Uncle," which focuses on Indian men in their 50s, exploring the privileges and challenges of being a man in today’s society.
Chapters:
00:00:00 - 00:00:49 Coming up!
00:00:49 - 00:01:00 Opening theme
00:01:00 - 00:14:17 “Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh”– the story and process behind writing the book
00:14:17 - 00:20:15 Shrayana discusses factors contributing to decade-long research
00:20:15 - 00:25:11 Shrayana shares empowering women’s stories that are close to her heart
00:25:11 - 00:27:53 How can we encourage more research-based non-fiction books?
00:27:53 - 00:33:52 Shrayana recounts her experiences and interactions in the villages during her research
00:33:52 - 00:47:38 Low female employment rates: Statistics, Causes and Measures
00:47:38 - 00:55:55 How can we, as a collective, enact measures to attain economic equality in employment opportunities across all work sectors?
00:55:55 - 01:04:30 Shrayana's professional journey, the scope and insights her work uncovers
01:04:30 - 01:06:28 Tyranny of the Indian Uncles: Shrayana on her next book
01:06:28 - 01:12:31 Shrayana talks about her writing process and approach
Resources:
1. Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA): https://www.sewa.org/
2. More about Nobel Prize Winner, Claudia Goldin: https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/20...
3. Periodic Labour Force Survey: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframe...
4. For the 2022 Labour Force Participation Rates: https://dge.gov.in/dge/sites/default/...
5."Indian men are bottom five in helping in housework" find the data for this on page 45 of the Annexure: https://www.ilo.org/global/publicatio...
6. Global Gender Gap Report 2023: https://www.weforum.org/publications/... (You can find date that supports the statement, "India is bottom five when it comes to economic participation" in Table 1.2, Page 17 of annexures)
7. Some women writers to explore
- Claudia Goldin
- Ashwini Deshpande
- Naila Kabeer
8. The Tyranny of the Indian Uncle: https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/b...
9. The Secondary Market: https://lifestyle.livemint.com/news/b...
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