Some women who can afford choose out sourcing for the work, but it is not a solution for gender inequality, since these occupations are performed by other women in highly segregated labour market at very low wage. The uneven division of labour still anchored in highly stable gender stereotypes. By disseminating collective beliefs on the proper roles of men and women in society, based on natural masculine and feminine attributes and skills, gender stereotypes continue to assign breadwinning responsibilities to men and care giving responsibilities to women (Cunha et al., 2018)1 All over the world, women are more likely to be given the primary responsibility for family care, including the provision of food and caring for the children, elderly and sick family members. In a situation determined by lack of food security and insufficient access to energy, mobility and water services, these tasks can be extremely challenging and time-consuming. Therefore, in addition to material resources, time is also a scarce resource for many women. In many societies the contribution of this kind of labour to the economy and social well-being is underrecognised and less valued than ‘productive’ labour, and often almost completely neglected in economic statistics. The gender division of labour persists even in countries with a high degree of gender equality and a high share of women in the formal labour market.2
2. Pay Gap Previously, pay gap could be attributed to lower education rates, lower workforce participation, the notion of “feminine” jobs and the lack of legislation pertaining to equal pay, along with a slew of cultural norms about gender roles and attributes, such as women can’t hold power, women are less intelligent, women should be homemakers and women should raise children. Researchers around the globe have pointed out that increasing the percentage of women in the workforce and ensuring equal opportunities and pay equity can majorly contribute to the economic growth of a country and can prove to be an accelerator in eradicating poverty. According to the Monster Salary Index 2019, the controlled pay gap stands at 19%, where men (₹242.49) earn ₹46.19 more in comparison to women (₹196.3).
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