Women, Poverty, and Productivity in India

摘要

Analysis of the structure and causes of poverty is, in simple terms, the study ofwho gets what and why. The publication considers the effect of gender on access within the family and beyond. It is based on a more detailed study of women's involvement in key sectors of the Indian economy, the returns they are getting, and the critical constraints they face in increasing their access to, and productivity in, these sectors. Three fundamental observations emerge. First, women are vital and productive workers in India's national economy. Second, the poorer the family, the greater its dependence on women's economic productivity. The third observation is that, as a society, India invests far less in its women workers than in its working men.