According to a new study published in the journal Science Direct , women are less likely to leave the house than men . The title of this study is ' Gender Gap in Going Out of Home in Urban India '. There is a stark contrast between the roles of men involved in activities outside the home and women involved in domestic activities.
The presence of women, especially in industrial and manufacturing jobs, is very low. While these sectors are the backbone of our economy. Women have been confined to domestic work as this is what they have traditionally always been doing.
What does this study say
Stating that gender inequality is very high in India, this study shows that the work participation rate of women is also among the lowest with wide gender gap. Long-standing norms of segregation restricted women's movement outside the home.
The study used datasets reported for travel and non-travel activities for 30-minute intervals over a 24-hour period. The gender gap in travel rates and mobility rates for urban residents is defined as the percentage who went outside the home at least once on the reporting day.
The study found that 53 percent of women reported not stepping out of the house, compared to only 14 percent of men. Women's mobility declines rapidly from adolescence to adulthood. Most of the women are involved in domestic activities while most of the men do work outside the home.
The study results highlight the need for gender-stratified analysis for transportation research and the need for greater attention in the disciplines of development economics, social science, and transportation planning.
Traditional roles of women and men in India
The current era in the Indian society has brought mild changes in the lives of women. These changes have to be seen in the light of the traditional systems that have determined the roles of women in this country since time immemorial.
India remains a traditional society, but women are increasingly being accepted in public roles as well. Traditionally the roles of women in Indian culture are quite specific and very traditional. Women are expected to raise children and do household chores while men do the financial work.
Unlike many traditional societies where the public role for women is limited, India has always seen a diversity of views on gender roles and is more open in this regard, even though it values traditional gender roles.
Given the multiplicity of religions and castes in the country and the large geographical area that harbors an extraordinary diversity of local traditions, it would be unfair to paint gender roles across the country with the same brush. However, today there is a significant difference between the roles of women in urban and rural areas.
Rural vs urban life
Rural areas still follow many traditional practices. The lack of education in these societies can be pointed out as a major reason for the practices still prevalent.
But the interesting thing is that when people from these rural areas move to cities and their children get modern education, it is difficult to break the roles and traditions. This shows the rigidity of such traditional views on our psyche and it explains the discrepancy in gender mobility (the rate at which women and men move out of home).
Still in urban areas archaic practices like dowry, women living in veil or 'Parda' is a common practice. However, women are also being given financial 'responsibility' and their opinion is starting to matter even in rural areas. Such contrasts exist in this subcontinent. While the questions raised in the study are not new, they are certainly interesting.
There can be many reasons for this lack of mobility. These include the idea that women should look after household chores. Even though the female education rate has increased, but these trends are still present. Many girls get married only after completing their graduation. They are forced to live according to the old traditional values propagated by their in-laws. Even in urban areas, the scale of education of young women is not a sure solution to this type of problem.
Although there have been many positive changes in the status of women of the present generation as compared to their predecessors, major changes are needed to bring women in India at par with men in all aspects of professional and social sphere.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author. The views and facts given in this article do not represent the stand of Newztezz Online.)
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