Demographic transition and change in women’s lives

Source: The post is based on the article “Demographic transition and change in women’s lives” published in The Hindu on 12th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS 1- population and associated issues

News: The article discusses impacts of demographic transition on the lives of women.

How has India’s demographic journey impacted women’s lives?

The surge of India’s population from 340 million at independence to 1.4 billion was fueled by decreased mortality rates. With male life expectancy rising from 56 in 1941 to 69 today, Indian families started having fewer children. This brought about significant shifts in the lives of Indian women, especially in their role as mothers, their engagement in education and employment, and their experiences in old age.

How has the decrease in ‘Fertility Rate’ affected gender preference?

With families having fewer children, a son’s guarantee became harder, raising the probability of not having a son from 6% with four children to 25% with two. A study from the India Human Development Survey found that 85% of women respondents expected old age support from their sons, hence sex-selective abortions and neglect of sick daughters became prevalent, reducing the number of girls per 100 boys from 96 to 91 between 1950 and 2019.

What implications do fewer children have for women’s education and employment?

As mothering became a lesser part of women’s lives due to lower fertility, more opportunities for education and employment arose. Women’s years spent caring for children under five reduced from 14 to eight between 1992-93 and 2018-20. However, despite over 70% of girls enrolling in secondary education, early marriage and childbearing persist as defining factors of women’s lives, with the average age at first birth remaining below 22 years for women born in the 1980s.

What role does early motherhood play in women’s employment?

Early motherhood hinders women’s labor force participation because the peak childcare years clash with the period for gaining work experience and securing skilled jobs. As a result, women often only have access to unskilled work once their children have grown.

How has increased life expectancy affected women in old age?

With life expectancy rising, the proportion of women aged 65 and above increased from 5% to 11% between 1950 and 2022 and is predicted to reach 21% by 2050. Aging has unique implications for women, as they usually outlive their husbands and, without access to savings and property, become dependent on their children for support.

What measures can help break the cycle of gendered disadvantage?

Enhancing women’s access to employment and assets could lessen their reliance on sons. However, efforts to increase women’s labor force participation must be paired with access to affordable childcare. An experiment in Madhya Pradesh found that expanding the Anganwadis to include a crèche increased work participation of mothers. Practical strategies for childcare access could involve staffing crèche under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme or setting up neighbourhood childcare centres through self-help groups. These steps could help harness the potential demographic dividend fully.