Changing Global Economy and Informal Sector in India: An analysis of Female Migrants in Paid Domestic Work

The present blog aims to explore the link between rural- urban migration of women and their employment opportunities in the informal sector in the wake of Globalization. Through an analysis of paid domestic work the paper highlights various aspects of informality in the sector, delineating the migrant, class, caste, gender characteristics of these workers.
To understand the workplace culture for Indian women, a brief note on women’s empowerment in the present global scenario is highly essential. Globalization at a minimum involves the creation of a world economy that is not merely the sum of its national economies, but rather is a powerful independent reality, created by the international division of labor and the world market, which presently predominates over national market.
The positive effect of globalization is that it has opened up broader communication lines and attracted more companies as well as different organizations into India. This provides opportunities for not only working men, but also women, who are becoming a larger part of the workforce. With new jobs for women, there are opportunities for higher pay, which raises self–confidence and brings about independence. This, in turn, can promote equality between the sexes, something that Indian women have been struggling with their entire lives. Globalization has the power to uproot the traditional treatment towards women to afford them an equal stance in society.
Despite the positive effects of globalization through increased employment opportunities for women, globalization has a darker, more sinister side. Out of the total 397 million workers in India, 123.9 million are women and of these women 96% of female workers are in the unorganized sector.
The present paper aims to explore the link between rural- urban migration of women and their employment opportunities in the informal sector. Through an analysis of paid domestic work the paper highlights various aspects of informality in the sector, delineating the migrant, class, caste, gender characteristics of these workers.