Condition of working women: Equal Remuneration Act, Maternity Benefit Act, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojna….

Condition of working women: Equal Remuneration Act, Maternity Benefit Act, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojna, Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013  – Rajya Sabha Q&A

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

RAJYA SABHA

QUESTION NO  605

ANSWERED ON  27.11.2014

(a) whether it is a fact that instead of improvement in the condition of working women, drastic fall in their number has been registered;

(b) earlier working women were holding 101st position whereas the position of working women in India has been recorded much below in the list of 142 countries, the details thereof;

(c) the steps being taken by the Ministry to enhance the number of working women and whether these steps have not been helpful; and

(d) if so, whether Government will review these steps and enforce it in an effective manner?

(a) & (b): Estimates of employment and unemployment are obtained through labour force surveys conducted by National Sample Survey (NSS) Office, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation. According to the NSS surveys 2011-2012, The workforce Participation Rates of male is 54.4 % and Women 21.9 % which indicates that the workforce Participation Rates for women is lower than for male.

(c) & (d): Equal Remuneration Act, 1973 provides for payment of equal remuneration to men and women workers for the same work or work of similar nature without any discrimination. In order to ensure social security to the workers including women in the unorganised sector, the Government has enacted the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. A National Social Security Board is constituted at the central level to recommend social security schemes viz. life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection and any other benefit as may be determined by the Government for unorganised workers including women.

The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 regulates employment of women in certain establishments for a certain period (12 weeks) before and after childbirth and provides for maternity and other benefits. Such benefits are aimed to protect the dignity of motherhood by providing for the full and healthy maintenance of women and her child when she is not working.

Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (IGMSY) scheme is being implemented as Conditional Maternity Benefit (CMB) for pregnant and lactating women to improve their health and nutrition status to better enabling environment by providing cash incentives to pregnant and nursing mothers to partly compensate wage loss both prior to and after delivery.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 has been enacted, which cover all women, irrespective of their age or employment status and protect them against sexual harassment at all workplaces both in public and private sector, whether organized or unorganized. In order to improve the employability a Skill Development ministry has been especially created.