Income of firms increases when women workers treated equally: Asha Thomas

KOCHI: “Gender equality in workplaces will help to increase productivity and the country's GDP,” said Asha Thomas, Additional Chief Secretary, Labour, Skills and Excise Department while rendering the inaugural address at the Workshop on Women Empowerment in Factories organised by the 
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday. 

During her speech, she pointed out that McKinsey findings show the income of organisations has 
increased when women are given equal treatment. 

The conception of civil society needs to change against working women which will lead to their empowerment. 

Asha also added one of the reasons why women do not come up in the male-dominated employment areas and tend to find more safety in jobs and profession which are more conducive to women is the fear of sexual harassment in the workplace. 

Nowadays women are capable of taking up employment and profession in almost all areas which are predominately male-dominated, but the perception of working women in the society, constraining her to 
mere household responsibilities must change,” she added.