Female Domestic Workers: Income Determinants and Empowerment Correlates—A Case Study

Sanghita Bhattacharjee () and Bhaskar Goswami ()
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Sanghita Bhattacharjee: Women’s College, Calcutta

The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, No 0, 16 pages

Abstract: Abstract This paper deploys the information of 300 female domestic workers who work to make up the difference between subsistence requirements and the total earnings of the family. The determinants of monthly income of the workers are age, type of work, total family members, per-capita monthly household income, year of schooling and number of houses serviced. Low wages, low level of education, less control over assets and income, verbal and physical abuse and the absence of social security are reflected in their weak bargaining power which results in a low level of empowerment. Women’s earnings do not always ensure empowerment, especially when the wages are low. Meaningful legal safeguards, welfare measures and other provisions for empowerment must be inducted in modern society to reduce injustices, deprivations and indignities towards female domestic workers.

Keywords: Female domestic workers; Informal; Empowerment; Cumulative Empowerment Index; South 24 Parganas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J16 J31 J46 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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DOI: 10.1007/s41027-020-00223-8

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