The Role of Work Arrangements and Social Norms in Women’s Work Participation in India

Exploring barriers to women’s labor force participation in Haryana

Project Introduction

This project seeks to understand the interplay of work arrangements and prevailing social norms in shaping women’s labour force participation in India. It focuses on households in Haryana, examining how the structure of available work opportunities interacts with community and household attitudes to influence whether women enter, remain in, or exit the labour force.

Partners

Researchers

Project Methodology

The study covers thousands of couples across 11 districts of Haryana. Eligible couples include those where both spouses are between 18 and 35 years of age, actively use WhatsApp and UPI, and where the wife is not currently employed. The woman is designated as the primary respondent and may answer on behalf of her husband, ensuring that responses capture the household perspective. Couples are invited to participate in in-person sessions lasting approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, designed to gather detailed insights while remaining sensitive to their time and socio-cultural context.

Impact

The study is expected to generate policy-relevant insights into the factors shaping women’s labour force participation in Haryana. By capturing how work arrangements and prevailing social norms jointly influence household decisions about women’s employment, the research aims to inform future policy efforts to expand women’s economic participation in similar social and economic contexts.

Documentation

This project is currently in progress, and will be updated with findings as results arise.

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