A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON GENDER-SPECIFIC VULNERABILITIES AMONG INFORMAL WORKERS IN URBAN AREAS OF WEST BENGAL
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Abstract
The present study gives the comparative analysis by clubbing together gender-specific vulnerabilities of informal workers residing in urban regions of West Bengal with references to Midnapore Municipal Area. Based on 300 respondents of all professions like domestic work, construction and street vending, the study shows there are distinct differences in male and female workforce in regard to their educational records, job status and enjoyment of welfare programs. Women were also discovered to be more clustered in medium security jobs that pay low wages such as domestic help and showed a significantly low awareness and access of schemes like the E-Shram card and PM-SYM. These patterns manifest in structural unequalities that are based on occupational segregation by gender and systematic lock out of social security. The results highlight the necessity of gender-sensitive policies that should be used to improve education, skills training, inclusion in welfare systems, and safety of urban life of the female informal workers, thereby leading to more gender-equal labor markets in cities.
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