(The following is an excerpt from Pan-India Stories of Informal Workers During Covid-19 Pandemic: Crisis Narratives by Deepanshu Mohan, Sakshi Chindaliya, and Arun Kumar Kaushik published by Palgrave Macmillan. Para breaks have been added for the convenience of the reader.)
Within the realm of informal spaces in India, the profound impact of gender-differentiated exposure during the pandemic presented a complex web of challenges that women, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, navigate. Amidst the backdrop of the pandemic, the deeply entrenched socio-cultural and economic structures that have historically alienated women, placing them at a distinct disadvantage, became more apparent than ever.
Hence, instead of approaching it from an equality perspective, we resorted to the lens of equity. This allowed us to analyse how women’s diverse social identities intersect to produce specific and compounded consequences, shedding light on the “double burden” they bear (Friedan, 1963). Through our ethnography, we dove into the intricacies of their experiences, which provided insight into the often invisibilised, overworked, and underpaid nature of their contributions to the economy.
For instance, contrary to the common perception of the fishing industry being primarily male-dominated, we found that women are central in the intricate supply chain of this unorganised sector. Despite engaging in all facets of the trade, except venturing out in the sea, their efforts are rarely accounted for in the mainstream discourse. The invisibilisation of their contributions not only reflects but also perpetuates the existing gender-based hierarchies.
This gendered imbalance extends to other informal sectors as well, including sanitation work, where women face conditions that are less than favourable. During our fieldwork in Guwahati, we found that the inadequate wages and harsh working conditions in this industry exacerbated the disparities, with overworked and underpaid women carrying out essential work. The challenges were further heightened during floods, where women from lower caste and class backgrounds were disproportionately affected. Having to navigate through the murky waters, women were forced to continue their physically demanding work, even while menstruating.
In stark contrast, we observed how entrenched gender-based hierarchies and prescribed roles compel women to bear the “double burden”: a relentless cycle of managing their household responsibilities while toiling for extended hours, all on meagre wages that can barely sustain their families. In both Assam and Tamil Nadu, for example, we found that men often resorted to consuming alcohol as a coping mechanism during the trying periods of state-sanctioned lockdown. Meanwhile, women were juggling caregiving duties and household chores alongside managing long work hours.
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Additionally, we also noted a substantial increase in the occurrence of gender-based violence. The intertwined socio-cultural, economic, political, and environmental aspects disrupted by the health crises and/ or a disaster exacerbated the adversity faced by these vulnerable groups, where women bore the brunt of increased violence and over-exploitation.
Furthermore, despite being entrusted with household finances, women remained restricted in their independence in informal spaces. In fishing families in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, women’s assets, intended to provide them with a sense of autonomy, were routinely pawned to meet household needs, leaving them with little say in these decisions. The enduring issue of intra-household bargaining power persisted, with women having the knowledge of household finances but still remaining monetarily dependent on their husbands.
This lack of agency hindered their ability to make decisions related to their own lives, health, education, and career opportunities, reinforcing the gender disparities deeply embedded in our society. The socio-cultural expectation for women to prioritise their family’s needs over their own compounded the challenges they faced.
The lack of access to childcare facilities added further constraints to the lives of working women occupying informal spaces, inhibiting their ability to participate in the labour force. In Bhalswa, for instance, we found that while there may not be marked gender segregation, women continued to struggle due to a dearth of affordable childcare mechanisms. They were forced to segregate waste as well as fulfil their nurturing responsibilities. In fact, women, especially single mothers, were often left with no choice but to involve children in the segregation process, as it was difficult to separate them from their livelihood.
Sadly, exposing children to the hazardous nature of waste picking has become a norm in Bhalwsa. This is because of the absence of institutional mechanisms that provide women with paid leaves or any job security. The limitations on women’s working hours, aggregated with domestic duties, left them with little to no time for respite, underscoring the challenges of women’s underrepresentation echoed in various informal sectors.
These disparities extend into the urban landscape, where women find themselves relegated to unorganised or informal sectors, highlighting the complex interplay of gender, mobility, and access. Women, constituting 88.8% of the industrial and 71% of the service sector of the informal labour force, confront substantial disparities in employment options (International Labour Office, 2018). For instance, our ethnography in Kapashera revealed that the urbanisation process, resource constraints, and institutional biases perpetuate gender disparities.
Women’s lack of access to formal education and vocational training limits their opportunities, while societal norms enforce a gendered division of labour, further restricting their mobility. In addition to that, we found that there is an increasing demand for cheap labour, which attracts women to male-dominated sectors within these informal spaces; however, they remain at a distinct wage disadvantage. Women are often forced to work alongside their husbands but are seldom recognised as primary breadwinners.
The post-pandemic job market has been particularly challenging for women, who are often seen as liabilities due to their family responsibilities. The lack of job security made women reluctant to take time off, even in difficult circumstances. These exploitative working conditions were especially evident in industrial areas, such as Kapashera. Women were compelled to rely on precarious daily wage employment, resulting in a lack of stable livelihood and an absence of collective bargaining. These issues created insurmountable challenges for women, adversely affecting their health and well-being and hampering their autonomy.
Despite facing challenging circumstances that are not conducive to work or exercising their agencies, women from informal spaces have tried to reclaim the narrative. Driven by the desire to be seen as equal to their male counterparts, women have striven to excel in traditionally male-dominated sectors, endeavouring to secure recognition for their labour. Reclaiming the narrative through collective support has become essential in the organisation of women in the workforce. This offers insights into the interplay of socio-cultural and political challenges and forces perpetuating gender disparities in informal spaces.
Therefore, to achieve gender equity, we require a comprehensive reevaluation and unlearning of debilitating societal norms and structures to ensure that women are not only equal participants but also receive equitable opportunities and recognition for their invaluable work within these informal settings.
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