Roadmap for Answer Writing
1. Introduction (50-75 words)
- Context: Introduce the issue of poverty among women in India and the significance of addressing gender disparities.
- Thesis Statement: State that the answer will explore the causes of poverty among women and the measures taken to mitigate this issue.
2. Causes of Poverty Among Women (100-125 words)
- Unpaid Care Work: Explain how women’s responsibility for unpaid domestic work limits their opportunities for paid employment.
- Fact: Women spend around five hours daily on unpaid care work, while men spend only half an hour.
- Low Female Labour Force Participation Rate: Discuss the decline in women’s participation in the workforce due to social stigma and unsafe working conditions.
- Fact: FLFPR decreased from 30.3% in 1990 to 20.5% in 2019.
- Gender Gaps in Nutrition, Education, and Health: Highlight disparities that affect women’s socio-economic status, particularly in poorer households.
- Low Wages: Address the wage gap where women earn 34% less than their male counterparts for the same work.
- Lack of Decent Work Conditions: Mention the prevalence of informal employment and its associated vulnerabilities.
3. Measures Taken to Address Poverty Among Women (100-125 words)
- Legislative Measures: Describe key laws aimed at empowering women.
- Fact: Equal Remuneration Act, 1976, and the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013.
- Government Schemes: Outline initiatives aimed at reducing gender inequality.
- Fact: Programs like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and One Stop Centre Scheme focus on empowerment.
- National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW): Discuss its role in promoting women’s development.
- Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK): Explain how this micro-finance initiative helps uplift poor women.
- Support to Training and Employment Program for Women (STEP): Mention efforts to ensure sustainable employment for marginalized women.
- Working Women Hostels: Discuss how these hostels facilitate safe accommodation for working women.
4. Conclusion (50-75 words)
- Summary: Recap the causes of poverty among women and the various measures taken to address these issues.
- Call for Action: Emphasize the importance of continued efforts and policies to empower women and reduce poverty effectively.
In India, women disproportionately experience poverty due to various socio-economic and cultural factors.
Causes of Poverty Among Women
Limited Access to Education: Despite improvements, many women, especially in rural areas, lack educational opportunities, leading to low literacy rates and restricted employment options.
Unemployment and Underemployment: Women often face higher unemployment rates and are more likely to engage in low-paying, informal jobs, contributing to economic vulnerability.
Gender Inequality: Deep-seated patriarchal norms result in unequal access to resources and opportunities, limiting women’s economic independence and decision-making power.
Time Poverty: Women bear the brunt of unpaid domestic work, reducing their availability for paid employment and perpetuating the poverty cycle.
Measures to Address Women’s Poverty
Government Welfare Schemes: Initiatives like the Subhadra Yojana in Odisha provide direct financial assistance to women aged 21 to 60, aiming to empower economically disadvantaged women.
Employment Guarantee Programs: The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) offers 100 days of wage labor annually to rural households, with a focus on enhancing women’s participation in the workforce.
Microfinance and Self-Help Groups (SHGs): Programs facilitating women’s access to credit and savings groups have proven effective in enhancing women’s economic status and reducing poverty.
Educational Initiatives: Investments in girls’ education have shown to reduce poverty levels, as each additional year of schooling significantly boosts future earnings and community well-being.
Addressing women’s poverty in India requires a multifaceted approach that combines policy interventions, economic empowerment, and cultural shifts towards gender equality.
The answer provides a good overview of the causes of poverty among women and mentions relevant measures taken to address the issue. However, it could be strengthened with the inclusion of more specific data and broader analysis.
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The answer does not include concrete statistical data on gender disparities in poverty, education, and employment rates in India. Adding recent data would provide more weight to the argument.
While it touches on several causes, such as education and unemployment, it could include other causes like healthcare access, inheritance laws, and discriminatory practices in the formal sector.
Measures mentioned are valid, but it could highlight more national-level initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and schemes targeting healthcare (e.g., Janani Suraksha Yojana).
There is no mention of global or UN-backed gender equality targets (e.g., SDG 5).
Missing Facts and Data:
Gender wage gap data – Women earn 19% less than men in India (source: Monster Salary Index 2019).
Female labor force participation rate – 23.3% (ILO 2019).
Higher poverty rate among female-headed households.
Incorporating these would strengthen the analysis by providing both depth and empirical support.
Model Answer
Introduction
In India, women face a disproportionately heavier burden of poverty compared to men due to various systemic issues. Understanding the causes of poverty among women and the measures taken to address it is crucial for promoting gender equality and economic empowerment.
Causes of Poverty Among Women
Measures Taken to Address Poverty Among Women
Roadmap for Answer Writing
1. Introduction (50-75 words)
2. Causes of Poverty Among Women (100-125 words)
3. Measures Taken to Address Poverty Among Women (100-125 words)
4. Conclusion (50-75 words)
Women in India face a disproportionate status bar of poverty, an epidemic entrenched in long-standing social, economic and cultural inequalities. Access to education, limited job opportunities, and social norms that perpetuate gender inequality are among the main factors that exacerbate this problem. A lack of education presents a significant hindrance for women, which impacts their ability to find employment and makes them less likely to be financially compensated for it. Also, men are often expected to be the main breadwinner of the household, while women are often expected to stay at home, taking care of unpaid work, which limits their opportunities in the economy.
In order to fight against this problem, the Government of India, as well as a number NGOs, introduced several programs. The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child) is a campaign launched by the Government of India to prevent sex selective abortions of females, with a focus on the survival and protection, along with education of young girls. Microfinance initiatives and self-help groups (SHGs) offer women access to the capital and training needed to start small businesses and earn an income. In addition, various legal reforms such as Dowry Prohibition Act and Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, etc., are enacted to protect rights of women and elevate their status in the society.
Despite these efforts, many hurdles still must be overcome.” The solutions need to be multi-faceted and strive for equal education for all, advancing gender equality and establishing the relevant legal and social setting to make a meaningful difference. If India were to address these core issues, it could eliminate the gender gap in poverty and develop a more equitable society.