Invisible Hands, Invisible Rights: A Socio-Economic Study of Women Agricultural Labourers in Rural Rajasthan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24113/224n3d53Keywords:
Women Agricultural Labourers, Gender Inequality, Agricultural Employment, Women's EmpowermentAbstract
This paper examines the socio-economic and psychological conditions of agricultural women labourers in rural Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. Women play a vital role in agricultural production through sowing, harvesting, weeding, threshing, and livestock management; however, their contribution remains undervalued in the rural economy. The study is theoretical and conceptual in nature and is based on feminist political economy, labour-market segmentation theory, and Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach. The paper highlights that women agricultural labourers continue to face low wages, seasonal unemployment, poor healthcare access, lack of education, social discrimination, and limited participation in decision-making. Patriarchal social structures, landlessness, and economic dependency further increase their vulnerability. The study also discusses the social and psychological consequences of insecure employment, poverty, and gender inequality among rural women labourers. The paper concludes with policy implications, recommendations, and future research directions aimed at improving the living standards, empowerment, and human development of women agricultural labourers in Rajasthan.
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