Women and Work in South Asia: Regional Patterns and Perspectives

Women's work in South Asia often remains invisible in official statistics and development research. This is partly due to the inadequacy of the national data systems and partly because existing sociocultural constraints restrict women's participation in economic activities outside the domain of the family. The pattern of female labour participation in South Asia has distinct spatial dimensions which cannot be explained in terms of economic rationale alone; the region-specific context defining women's roles remains vitally important. This book integrates different scales of analysis and methodologies with indigenous and Western contributors combining macro and micro studies. Highlighting the 'public' and 'private' domains of women's work, the book discusses both the inadequacies of nationally published data at an aggregate level and regional and locally-induced religious, cultural and societal constraints on gender relations. Setting contextually specific studies within a broader geographical framework, Women and Work in South Asia explores the real connection between female autonomy and economic independence.