2 years, 9 months ago-
We hear of stories where in-laws forcefully take control of a woman’s finances. Is economic independence still a challenge for women even if they have a steady income of their own?
The economic independence of women can be viewed as the expansion of their capacity to make choices for themselves. However, economic independence is also key to ending the structural violence that keeps women powerless despite their achievements. The World Bank Gender Innovation LAB presents a set of interactive tools that can be used to calculate the value of unpaid work performed by women, and evaluate the impact of this valuation on their economic independence. Complete Real Freedom documentary explores the economic independence of women and its relation to gender equality. To what extent do discussions about achieving gender equality take into account the actual economic status of women? And what are the social and political consequences of this for society as a whole?
In the year 2014, women continue to be marginalized economically. In developing countries, approximately 70% of the total amount of unpaid work is done by women. But when it comes to the decision-making process, it is found that less than 30% of decisions are made by women. In addition, with the world economy on the move more women are expected to take up paid employment either in the formal or informal sector. Deployment of women in productive activities would provide an extra income for family maintenance and would result in a stable and diversified income stream. For this purpose, it is necessary to bring in a qualitative change in women’s role in production both as producers as well as consumers.
It is true in all societies, not just in developing countries that women play a vital role in economic activities. Approximately 60% of the population of developing countries depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Of these, up to 80% are women. Women produce up to 50% of many developing country’s agricultural products. In sub-Saharan Africa, women produce over 80% of the food crops, and in India, they farm one-third of arable land but control only 10% of access to productive resources. Economic empowerment begins with the right to make choices, for example, about whether or not to go to school, what kind of school to attend, and how much time to spend on each academic subject. It also includes the right to choose employment and entrepreneurship opportunities and sustainable livelihoods. The freedom to access markets at fair prices, own and inherit productive assets, enter credit arrangements that facilitate their businesses, and earn decent wages free from discrimination.
How much of that difference in pay is due to discrimination? It’s hard to know, but there are some indicators. Women have historically earned less than men even before they start working and when their work is equivalent. Researchers say that the wage gap almost fully accounts for all other factors that statistically explain wage differences by sex. Women don’t get ahead because that is the way the system is designed. This essay is intended to show what this looks like at a large company and inspire conversations within your own company about what it will take to create a more equal environment where everyone, regardless of their gender, feels respected equally.
Yes, economic independence is about expanding their choice, getting financial liberty for doing what they want, and improving their lifestyle. Most of the working women are very ambitious they have a set of goals in their mind that they want to achieve for that they work very hard and they try to earn but some families force women to give their full share of income in the house it is okay to contribute the half amount of earning for managing finances of the house, but it is very wrong when women earnings were taken by in-laws for earning she had work very hard even she has some wishes to purchase for her or do savings and it’s her choice how to spend or save no one has the right to take control on the money of women. Most of the women are earning steady income but they are still not receiving any penny to spend on them, it is kind of torture on women because of all this thing women demotivate and she leaves her job. There should be some strict action taken by the government to save the earnings of women because women can tolerate this to limit, women should be vocal that it’s my earning I can’t share the whole money. We have to put an end to this male dominating behavior, it does not matter how much women earn but it matters a lot when women need to fulfill some her wishes or want to help their family and save for future uncertainties.
Yes, Economic independence still a challenge for women because family excepts from her to give full income in their hand. It is obvious that women should contribute in household expenses but family should not except from her to give full income. Mostly their are working women who has their dreams and goals towards their career and wishlist. But their are in-laws who ask her to give full income. Why? Women does hardwork towards their office work and they also do all the household chores by managing both office and home but than also they don’t have independence on their own income to fulfill their wishes. Women should get independence to spend the income with her choice like savings, purchasing new things, investing, etc. It should be totally her choice on her income. Their are also women who are earning steady due to which all the income is taken by in-laws for household expenses. Because of which women don’t have saving or money to spend on herself for fulfilling her wishes. At some point women leave a job because they feels like for whom she is earning money. Due to not having independence on her own income, than how she will get happiness and motivated to follow her goals. Women has the responsibilities towards her parents, if she don’t get economic independence than how can she will save money for parents in future emergencies. Women should take her stand towards economic independence by talking about her own expenses and savings for parents. And in-laws should stop excepting from her to give full income instead they should start understanding that women are also having wishes to fulfill with her own income. They should excepts the household expenses from her choice of contributing money rather than excepting full income by doing this it will make the bond stronger.
Women’s economic empowerment included the ability of the women to equally engage in existing market conditions and their access to and control of productive resources. They had access to fair working conditions and control of their own time, life, and bodies. Economic empowerment of women promotes productivity, economic diversification, and equality of income, along with other positive results. For example, boosting women’s employment in OECD countries by more than USD 6 trillion might enhance GDP.
Over 2.7 billion women worldwide are legally reduced to being equal to males. Of the 189 economies evaluated in 2018, 104 still have legislation that prevents women from working in certain jobs, 59 do not have sexual harassment regulations at work and 18 economies allow husbands to legally stop their wives from working. For women aged 25-54 years, women’s engagement in labor is 63%, compared with 94% for men. In 2018, women’s global involvement in labor is 48.5% lower in terms of younger workers (aged 15 and over) and women (ages 55 and over), which is 26.5 points lower than men’s. The risk of women being employed by the family is more than twice that of men. The latest figures indicate that women’s proportion of informal employment in the developing countries, when includes agricultural workers, was 4.6 percentage points greater than men and 7.8 percentage points higher when excluded. Women spend around 2.5 times more time on housework and unpaid care than males. Unpaid work time is adversely linked to involvement by women workers. In employment, gender discrepancies in the quality of work lead to gender gaps in employment access, such as pensions, unemployment benefit,s or maternity benefits. Overall, about 40% of wage-earning women have no access to social security.
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