Feminization of the health and care workforce in India and South Asia: implications for women’s labor and decent work

Joshi, Deepika and Abhishek, Shriyuta and Nandi, Sulakshana and Sinha, Dipa (2024) Feminization of the health and care workforce in India and South Asia: implications for women’s labor and decent work. [Publications (Pre-joining)]

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Abstract

Globally, and particularly in low- and middle-income countries, there is a growing trend of feminization of the health workforce. A significant proportion of women in this field tend to enter the lower echelons of the health workforce hierarchy. Furthermore, their occupation and standing are often influenced by factors such as caste, class, and socioeconomic status. This chapter presents a situational analysis of the primarily female health and care workforce in India and South Asia, employed by the state in roles such as community health workers, nurses and midwives, and early childcare (Anganwadi) workers. These occupations are pivotal in sustaining crucial health and care functions within society. Despite their vital contributions, the working conditions of these professionals are marked by precarity, inadequate compensation, weak support systems, and other challenges. We aim to understand the positioning of these individuals in the health workforce and the existing working conditions by examining literature and applying theories such as neoliberalism, care extractivism, social reproduction, and power and intersectionality analysis. Recently, these workers have been actively resisting state policies through unionization efforts and protests, advocating for improved working conditions and fair wages. While our primary focus is on state-recruited workers, we also extend our examination to the nursing workforce employed by the private sector. The initial analysis concentrates on India; however, subsequent sections incorporate data from other South Asian countries, where available. This inclusive approach allows for analyzing similarities and differences, aiming to provide a regional overview.

Item Type:	Publications (Pre-joining)
Authors:	Joshi, Deepika and Abhishek, Shriyuta and Nandi, Sulakshana and Sinha, Dipa
Document Language:	Language English
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Health care, labour
Subjects:	Social sciences Social sciences > Economics Social sciences > Economics > Labor economics Social sciences > Social problems & services Social sciences > Social problems & services > Public health
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > University Publications > Centre for the Study of the Indian Economy (CSIE)
Full Text Status:	Restricted
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/6701
Publisher URL:	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-2098-9_37

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