Women in only 32.25% of districts feel they have been able to achieve work-life balance, says report

Prof Satish Deodhar, Dean (Faculty), IIM-A, underscored the need for participation by men in sharing household responsibilities to achieve work-life balance for both genders.

He said, “Of the four parameters studied in the report, the work-life balance parameter shows least progress. Only 32% of women reported that they could manage work-life balance. In my opinion, workforce participation of women is intricately linked to responsible household work participation by men.”

The report that has also introduced the Women Empowerment Index, providing a detailed, district-level analysis of women empowerment across India, offered new insights and data to help advance gender equality with focus on district-level variations.

“By focusing on district-level data, rather than taking a broader state-wide approach, the report reveals the unique challenges women encounter in different regions and across different communities – from limited access to education and economic independence to the struggle for a better work-life balance – to enable more targeted interventions by districts,” Prof Vidya Vemireddy, Chairperson of Gender Centre and co-author of the report, said during the launch event.

For the database, data from other multiple sources has been compiled including National Family Health Survey (NFHS), National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and others.

The more refined level of analysis will enable policymakers to design and implement targeted interventions, addressing specific regional disparities and fostering a more equitable allocation of resources, the authors of the report stated.

“By adopting a localised approach, stakeholders can develop tailored strategies that consider the cultural, social, and economic contexts unique to each district. This can lead to more impactful and sustained changes, as policies and programmes can be customised to the specific needs and challenges of the population at a district level rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution across an entire state,” the report stated.

For the index, four dimensions have been cumulated: decision-making and physical mobility, educational and informational empowerment, economic empowerment, and time allocated for unpaid work for the year 2019.