Female workforce is on the decline in Goa

Shoma Patnaik 

Panaji 

Despite having high per capita income and a literacy rate of 88.7%, Goa is not an equal opportunity player for women in employment, according to the Union ministry of labour and employment.

The ministry revealed in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that Himachal Pradesh at 66% is at the top in women as a percentage of the workforce while, Goa is at the lower end of the scale.

The participation of Goan women in the workforce of the state has been declining over the years, although at the national level the trend has been on the rise.

As per the information provided, Goa’s female participation rate in the workforce registered a significant decrease during the last three years – from 28.2% in 2019-20, to 27.3% in 2020-21 and further 20.7% in 2021-22.

However, female labour force participation rate has been on the uptrend at the national level – from 30% in 2019-20 to 32.8% in 2021-22.

Women participation in the workforce is an important element of empowerment and dependent on factors, such as congenial work environment, lack of gender discrimination in appointment and payment of wages, transport facilities for women employees, etc. 

Industry experts in the state said that Goan women tend to leave employment after marriage due to reasons such as looking after the family and having children.

In local factories the presence of fewer women is due to inability to work in shifts and difficulties in commuting.

The statistics presented in the Rajya Sabha show that northeastern states have higher percentage of women in the workforce.

Among the 37 states and Union territories, Himachal Pradesh at 66% is at the top in women as a percentage of the workforce while, Goa is at the lower end of the scale.

As per the reply provided by Minister of Labour and Employment Bhupender Yadav, various steps have been taken by the Centre to improve women’s participation in the labour force and quality of their employment.

A number of protective provisions have been incorporated in the labour laws for equal opportunity and congenial work environment for women workers.

The Code on Social Security, 2020 has the provisions for enhancement in paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, provision for mandatory crèche facility in the establishments having 50 or more employees, permitting women workers in the night shifts with adequate safety measures, etc.  

Furthermore the Code on Wages 2019 has provisions that there shall be no discrimination in an establishment among employees on the ground of gender in matters relating to wages. No employer shall make any discrimination on the ground of sex while recruiting except where the employment of women in such work is prohibited or restricted by or under any law for the time being in force.