It was shocking to read the report, “Pardon, the gender wage gap is showing”, (Dec. 22) which states that India had among the worst levels of gender wage disparity. Women constitute about half of India’s population, yet their participation in the workforce has steadily come down over the years. This is on account of gender-based occupational segregation widely prevalent in agriculture and other informal sectors as well as in various occupations involving personal services and care.
The problem is further aggravated by cultural factors barring the entry of women in certain types of occupations, low level of education and training of women, and the fact that a large number of women who do domestic work or are involved in agriculture are unpaid. Considering the alarming scenario, there is an urgent need to take remedial action.
Joseph Abraham,
Gurugram
