July 22nd 2024 Editorial

1. Female Employment as a Solution to Unemployment Issues

Data from editorial that can be used in Answers:

Context	Data
Current Unemployment	· Unemployment Trends: India Employment Report (IER) 2024 shows unemployment at 4.1% with high underemployment. · Gender Disparities: Female LFPR significantly lower than world average (23.3% in 2018).
Rural Female LFPR Growth	· Positive Trends: Female LFPR rose from 24.6% to 36.6% in rural areas during 2018-22. · Opportunity in Rural Employment: Engagement in traditional home-based occupations like bandhani, embroidery. 30% of women were stuck to their traditional occupations due to the unavailability of other options. · Challenges: Limited access to capital, societal norms restricting business opportunities (e.g., tie and dye business dominated by men).
Urban Female Employment Challenges	· Lower LFPR Growth: Urban female LFPR rose minimally, indicating fewer gainful opportunities. · Need for Diverse Job Opportunities: Focus on non-traditional sectors and skill development. Ø Gender Norms and Employment Choices: Women prefer traditional occupations due to flexibility and home-based work. Ø Empowerment Challenges: Need to balance strategic gender needs (challenging norms) with practical needs (household income). · Role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs): Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS) example in Gujarat empowering women in traditional sectors. (This example can also be used in GS Paper II role of SHGs and NGO)

Impact on Family Welfare

Economic Contribution: Women’s income improves family welfare and reduces economic vulnerability.
Resilience During Crises: Example from Kolkata slums showing increased resilience during COVID-19 due to female employment.

Long-term Strategy

Building a Supportive Work Environment: Policies promoting safety, facilities, and opportunities for women in urban and rural areas.
Collective Action: Federating SHGs and collectives for planned economic activities under initiatives like Lakhpati Didi.
Government policies: Like Mandating basic facilities (toilets, crèches) in workplaces, especially small and medium enterprises.

Conclusion

Overall Impact: Enhanced female LFPR crucial for reducing unemployment, improving family income, and challenging gender norms.
Policy Recommendations: Focus on diverse job creation, supportive infrastructure, and empowerment strategies.

2. Reasonable Accommodations and Disability Rights

Legal Framework and Reasonable Accommodations (RA)

Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016: Defines RAs as adjustments ensuring equal exercise of rights by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), including infrastructure modifications and workplace policy restructuring.
Exemption Clause: Institutions can avoid implementing RAs if proven to cause undue burden, a provision often misused due to financial reluctance.
Statistics: Only 36% of eligible PwDs were employed in India, highlighting the challenges in implementing inclusive workplace policies (Acc. to National Sample Survey Organization).

Institutional Reluctance and Challenges

Financial Barrier: Institutions cite undue burden as a defense, driven by misconceptions that accommodating PwDs is expensive and unproductive.
Impact on Rights: PwDs face discrimination when RAs are viewed through a cost-benefit lens rather than as a matter of rights.
Prevalence: Studies indicate that nearly 75% of companies globally have concerns about the cost of providing accommodations for employees with disabilities (Source: International Labour Organization).

Model for Implementation of reasonable accomodation

Sensitization and Incentives: Advocate inexpensive RA options and provide incentives like tax credits or subsidies for compliance.
National Fund for PwDs: Utilize Section 86 of RPwD Act to support institutions financially in implementing RAs, addressing genuine resource shortfalls.
Utilization: Currently, the National Fund for PwDs remains underutilized, with only a fraction of its allocated funds disbursed annually (Source: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India).

Practical Implementation and Policy Recommendations

Enhancement of Funding: Integrate the National Fund into annual budgets and establish transparent disbursement rules to optimize utilization.
Welfare Approach: Ensure institutions justify resource deficits genuinely through a welfare-based inquiry, aligning with CRPD standards.
Comparative Insight: ADA in the US has significantly improved workplace accessibility, setting a benchmark for inclusive policies globally (Source: US Department of Labor).

Conclusion

Addressing institutional reluctance through practical models like the Incentive and Cost-Sharing Model is essential for ensuring effective implementation of disability rights.

Mains Practice Question

Q1. Evaluate the RPwD Act, 2016 in fostering inclusive workplaces in India. Discuss its provisions on reasonable accommodations (RA), challenges in implementation, and suggest policy measures to enhance opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in employment.

Q2. Examine the socio-economic impact of providing reasonable accommodations (RA) for PwDs in India. Illustrate with examples how RA initiatives contribute to inclusive growth and economic empowerment.