The economic development of women is crucial for sustainable and inclusive growth in any

society. When women are empowered economically, they contribute to the overall
development of their families, communities, and the country as a whole. Here are some key
factors highlighting the importance of women's economic development:

**1. Poverty Reduction:** Women's economic empowerment is directly linked to poverty

reduction. By providing women with economic opportunities and resources, they can
improve their livelihoods, lift themselves out of poverty, and contribute to the economic
well-being of their families.

**2. Economic Growth:** Investing in women's economic development can significantly

contribute to overall economic growth. Research shows that when women have greater
access to resources, education, and employment opportunities, it leads to increased
productivity, innovation, and competitiveness, benefiting the economy as a whole.

**3. Entrepreneurship and Job Creation:** Women play a vital role in entrepreneurship and
job creation. When women are provided with the necessary support, training, and access to
finance, they can start and grow their businesses, creating employment opportunities for
themselves and others in their communities.

**4. Gender Equality:** Economic development of women is closely linked to achieving

gender equality. Closing the gender gap in economic participation and opportunities not
only promotes social justice but also ensures a more equitable and inclusive society.

**5. Education and Skills Development:** Investing in women's education and skills
development is key to their economic empowerment. Access to quality education and
training equips women with the necessary skills and knowledge to secure better job
opportunities, earn higher incomes, and contribute effectively to the workforce.

**6. Health and Well-being:** Women's economic development is intertwined with their
health and well-being. By investing in women's health, including reproductive health and
maternal care, women can participate fully in the workforce, reducing absenteeism and
enhancing productivity.
**7. Decision-making and Leadership:** Economic development provides women with a
stronger voice and the ability to participate in decision-making processes. When women
hold leadership positions in economic sectors, their perspectives and experiences are better
represented, leading to more inclusive and effective policies.
Constitutional provisions
The Constitution of India not only grants equality to women but also empowers the State to
adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women for neutralizing the
cumulative socio economic, education and political disadvantages faced by them.
Art 39(a)- The State to direct its policy towards securing for men and women equally the
right to an adequate means of livelihood. LIVELIHOOD is every human right. Livelihood for
women is not an new issue. It is about issues women have been mobilising around for
decades.(land water forest indigenous peoples rights climate change and
displacement.)However there is a need to focus on livelihood as a right in the context of
deepening crisis of capitalism and its impact on livelihood related rights for women around
the world.
And in the landmark case Olga Tellis vs Bombay Municipal Corporation 1985, the sc ruled
ruled that eviction of pavement dwellers using unreasonable force, without giving them a
chance to explain is unconstitutional. Also states that art 21 icludes right to livelihood.

Art 39(d) directs the state to secure equal pay for equal work for both men and women. As
wage labor became increasingly formalized during the Industrial Revolution, women were
often paid less than their male counterparts for the same labor, whether for the explicit
reason that they were women or under another pretext.
Art 39(d( envisaged by the constitution as part of directive principles of state policy. While
these Directive Principles are not enforceable by any court of law, they are crucial to the
governance of the country and a stats has a duty bound to consider them while enacting
laws. While "equal pay for equal work" is not expressly a constitutional right, it has been
read into the Constitution through the interpretation of Articles 14, 15 and 16 – which
guarantee equality before the law, protection against discrimination and equality of
opportunity in matters of public employment. in ".
In Uttarakhand Mahila Kalyan Parishad vs state of UP, it was held that female teachers are
entitled to the same salary as is paid to the male teachers of the same institution. Again the
state has enacted the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 to give effect to these Directive
principles.(Uttarakhand Mahila Kalyan Parishad VS State Of UP)

Article 41 states that there should be a right to education, work and public assistance in
certain cases. Within the limits of economic capacity and development, the state should
have provisions to secure rights on work of education and public assistance in case of
employment.
Art 42 Article 42 of the Constitution incorporates a very important provision for the benefit
of women. It directs the State to make provision for securing just and humane conditions of
work and for maternity relief. . The state has tried to implement this directive by enacting
the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
In the case of Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Female Workers on 8 March 2000, female
workers who were not regular workers but were temporary workers claimed that they were
entitled to maternity benefits that are available to regular workers. The Court held that the
provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 are in line with Articles 39 and Article 42. It
stated that a female employee cannot be compelled to work while she is in an advanced
pregnancy as it would be harmful to her as well as her child. It is for this reason that the Act
provides 6 weeks of maternity leave before and after delivery.
B. Shah v. Presiding Officer, Labour Court, Coimbatore, and Ors. on 12 October 1997 is
another case. In this, the Supreme Court had to decide if Sundays were to be excluded in
calculating maternity benefits for the period covered in Section 5. The Labour Court held
that Sundays must be included. It applied the beneficial rule of construction in favour of the
female workers and said that the benefit provided by the Act when read with Article 42 of
the Constitution of India was intended to allow the woman worker to make up for her
dissipated energy and maintain the level of her previous efficiency and output.
Womens right under Indian labour law
The rights contained in the labour laws has been divided in the following heads:
1 Measures in regard to health safety and welfare for women: Unless the workers are
physically and mentally healthy they cannot perform their duties effectively. The basic aim of
the welfare services in an industry is to improve the living and working conditions of workers
and promoting the physical, psychological and general well being of the working population.
Thus, it is necessary to adopt measures to maintain their health and to provide safety and
welfare measures to the women workers and regulate their working condition.
A The Factories Act, 1948:The Act was drastically amended in 1987 whereby safeguards
against use and handling of hazardous substances for setting up hazardous industries were
laid down like latrine and urinal facilities separately for men and women, prohibition of work
in hazardous occupations where it provides that no women shall be allowed to clean,
lubricate or adjust any part of a prime mover of any transmission machinery, lubrication or
adjustment which would expose the women to risk of injury from moving any part either of
that machinery, washing and bathing facilities are provided for women workers and shall be
kept clean, creches (It is a nursery and a place where babies of working women are taken
care of while the mothers are at work) which provides that in every factory there shall be a
suitable room for the use of children under the age of 6 years of such women and should be
adequately clean, ventilated, accommodation and sanitary condition, Hours of work which
provides that the daily hours of work of adult workers have been fixed at 9(Section 54 of the
Factories Act, 1948)but sometimes men can work for more time but it does not permit
women workers to go beyond the limit, maximum permissible load, prohibition of night
work and may other safety measures.
Pearson v Belgium Co LTD.(1896) 1 Q B 244:The question was whether stationary parts of a
machine can be cleaned by women if the machine as a whole is in motion. It was held by the
court that if machinery as a whole is in motion even stationary parts of the machine cannot
be cleaned by woman.
The Mines Act, 1952:
The Act has been enacted to amend and consolidate the law relating regulation of labour
and safety in mines. Mines means any excavation where any operation for the purpose of
searching for or obtaining minerals has been or is been carried on and includes all open cast
workings, railways, tramways and sidings belonging to a mine, all levels and inclined planes,
all shafts belonging to a mine. It includes prohibition of night work which provides that
women should be allowed to work between the hours 6 a.m and 7 p.m. and there should be
an interval of not less than eleven hours between he termination of employment on any one
day and the commencement of the next period of employment, prohibition of work in
hazardous occupation, creches, latrine and urinal facilities and other general provisions
The Plantation labour Act, 1951:
The Act regulates the condition of work of plantation workers and provides for their welfare.
( Plantations means nay plantation to which this act applies and includes offices, hospitals,
dispensaries, schools etc used for any purpose connected with such plantation but does not
include factory.) It also includes prohibition of night work, creches, latrine and urinal
facilities and many other general provisions.
Building and other Construction Workers' Regulation of Employment and Conditions of
Service Act, 1996:
The purpose of this Act is to regulate the employment and conditions of service of
constructions workers and to provide for their safety, health and welfare measures. The
special feature of this act is that it covers all private residential buildings if the cost of
construction is more than one lakh rupees. Building and other construction work is defined
as construction, repairs, etc., It include special provision like latrine and urinals,
accommodation, creches and other general provisions.
The Beedi and Cigar Workers(Condition of Employment) Act, 1966:
The purpose of this act is to provide for the welfare of workers in beedi and cigar
establishments self-employed and regulation of work conditions. The Act applies to all
employees in beedi and cigar establishments except self-employed persons working in their
own houses. It includes prohibition of night work, creches, latrine and urinal facilities and
other general provisions.
2. Social Security Measures for Women: Social security is a basic need of all women
regardless of employment in which they work and lie. Women have to face various
contingencies when they involved in employment such as sickness, maternity, disablement,
employment insecurities and risks. They constitute an important step towards the goal of a
welfare state by improving living and working conditions and affording the women
protection against the uncertainties of the future.
maternity benefit act 1961It provides that a woman shall be entitled to maternity benefit for
a maximum period of 12 weeks of which not more than six weeks shall precede the date of
her expected delivery, protection against discrimination, leave for miscarriage and illness
(they will be entitled to leave the wages at the rate of maternity benefit for a period of 6
weeks immediately following the day of her miscarriage or medical termination of
pregnancy), leave for illness ( leave for a maximum period of one month with wages at the
rate of maternity benefit are allowable in case of illness out of pregnancy), increase
maternity leave to 6 months (The Sixth Commission has recommended enhancement of
maternity leave upto six months.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi v Female Workers (AIR 2000 SC 1275):
The Supreme Court declared that the maternity benefit is applicable to casual workers and
daily wage workers also. In this case the question was whether the muster roll employees
(which are casual and daily wage employees) of municipal corporation are entitled to
maternity benefit. There is nothing in the Maternity Benefit Act which entitles only regular
women employees to the benefit of maternity leave and not to those who are engaged on
casual basis or on muster roll on daily wage basis.
Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013: The
Sexual Harassment at workplace Act of 2013 is a special Legislation aiming towards providing
a safe and hostile free environment at work to women. An effective implementation of the
Act will contribute to the realization of their right to gender equality, life and liberty, equality
in working conditions everywhere. The sense of security at the workplace will improve
women's participation in work, resulting in their economic empowerment and inclusive
growth. The Act is gender specific to only women.
Financial security measures for women.
Minimum Wages Act, 1948:
It is primarily designed for the protection of workers in the unorganised sector, where
majority of women work. It is to provide minimum statutory wages for the scheduled
employments with a view to obviate the chances of exploitation of labour through payment
of very low and sweating wages. It also provides for the minimum daily working hours,
weekly rest day and overtime.
Sanjit Roy v State of Rajasthan (236):
The court held that every person who provides labour or service to another is entitled
atleast to the minimum wage and if anything less than the minimum wage is paid to him, he
can complain of violation of fundamental rights under Article 23 and ask the court to direct
payment of minimum wages to him so that the breach of Article 23 may be abated.
Payment of Wages Act, 1936:
It was enacted to regulate payment of wages to workers employed in industries and to
ensure a speedy and effective remedy to them against illegal deductions and unjustified
delay caused in paying wages to them. Wages includes all terms of money and payable to
the employee including any sum payable for termination of service, wages in lieu of holidays
or leave, overtime wages and bonus payable.(It does not include value of any house
accommodation, supply of light, water, medical, contribution to any pension travelling etc.,
Equal Renumeration Act Safeguard Women's Right, 1976:Part IV relating to the Directive
Principles of State Policy Article 39 of the Constitution envisages that the state shall direct its
policy, among other things and every employer is under a legal obligation to pay the same
wages for men and women if they perform the same work or work of a similar nature. The
Act is now applicable to almost every kind of establishment. Even if it is being performed at
different places, the salary has to be the same. An employer cannot discriminate against
women while recruiting unless employment of women is prohibited or restricted by law.
Thus, in matters of recruitment, promotions, training or transfer, the employer is prohibited
from discriminating against women.
The responsibility of ensuring that the provisions of the Act are strictly followed and also
that there is no discrimination between men and women in the sphere of recruitment,
promotions and training lies with the employer. It is also the responsibility of the employer
to maintain proper registers, documents or must rolls etc., which can be scrutinised by the
labour officer the district. Any woman who faces discrimination in these aspects can file a
complaint before the labour officer of her area. Thus in Air India case (Air India v Nargesh
Meerza, Air 1981 SC 1929) the judiciary has played an active role in enforcing and
strengthening the Constitutional goal of equal pay for equal work.
Sanjit Roy v State of Rajasthan (AIR 1988 SC 238):The Supreme court directed the State
government not only to pay the minimum wages but also to pay wages in accordance with
the principle of equal pay for equal work to both men and women worker engaged in famine
relief work.
Bhagwan Das v State of Haryana (AIR 1987 SC 2040)The Supreme court was of the view that
persons doing similar work cannot be denied equal pay on the ground that mode of
recruitment was different and a temporary or casual employee performing the same or
similar duties and functions is entitled to the same pay as that of a regular or permanent
employee.
Concl
The Ec dvl of Women has become one of the most important concerns of 21st century not
only at national level but also at the international level. Women Empowerment helps to
make the society and world a better place to live in and march forward on way to inclusive
participation. It means increase happiness for the family and the organizations where
women make a difference. Government initiatives alone would not be sufficient to achieve
this goal. Society must take initiative to create a climate in which there is no gender
discrimination and women have full opportunities of self decision making and participating
in social, political and economic life of the country with a sense of equality.
economic dvl of women will be real and effective only when they are endowed income and
property so that they may stand on their feet and build up their identity in the society. Let us
take the oath that we want an egalitarian society where everybody whether men or women
get the equal opportunity to express and uplift one’s well being and well being of the society
as whole. If we want to bring about women empowerment in the true sense, there is a
crying need for the elimination of the male superiority and patriarchal mindset. Also,
women need to be given equal opportunities for education and employment without any
sense of discrimination