Rural Women in Gujarat
Dr. Vinay N. Patel,
S.C.A. Patel Arts Cellage, At-Sadhli,Ta-Sinor, Dist-Baroda,Gujarat
INTRODUCTION:
The woman of the 21st century is not only housewife but in this era the woman coming out of the house and giving her contribution in the society and economy. Which is the result of the cumulative and interactive effect of the sustained efforts of government, the women’s movement and the civil society at various fronts over the last three decades? In this process, an active and grassroots level leadership is emerging among women. The results of Census 2001, indicates a change in female literacy from 22 % in 1971 to 54 % in 2001 in India. Now, modern woman is participating in the panchayat and municipal elections. Also the female work participation rate increased from 19.7 % in 1981 to 25.7 % in 2001. These indicate the changes in the role of women in the society and economy.
Literacy and Work Participation of Women in India:
Women’s contribution to agriculture in terms of the number of tasks performed and time spent, is greater than men. “A case study conducted in the Indian Himalayas, found that on a one hectare farm, a pair of bullocks works for 1,064 hours, a man for 1,212 hours and a woman for 3,485 hors in a year.” This means woman works approximately three times more than pair of bullocks and 2.75 times more than man in a year. But now the contribution of women in other sectors is increased due to education. The literacy rate of female increased from 29.76 % in 1981 to 54.16 % in 2001 in India (Table-1). This factor affects the female participation in income-earning activities, not only will there be more income for the family, but gender inequality would also be reduced.
Table: 1 : Literacy Rates by Sex in India (1981 to 2001) (in per cent)
|
Sr. No. |
Census |
Females |
Males |
Persons |
Male- Female Gap in Literacy Rate |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
1. |
1981 |
29.76 |
56.38 |
43.57 |
26.62 |
|
2. |
1991 |
39.29 |
64.13 |
52.21 |
24.84 |
|
3. |
2001 |
54.16 |
75.85 |
65.38 |
21.69 |
Source: Census of India, 1991, Series I and Census of India, 2001, Government of India, New Delhi.
Note :(i)The literacy rates relate to the population aged seven years and above.
(ii)The 1981 Census literacy rates exclude Assam and 1991 Census literacy rates exclude Jammu & Kashmir.
The woman of the 21st century is not only housewife but in this era the woman coming out of the house and giving her contribution in the society and economy. Which is the result of the cumulative and interactive effect of the sustained efforts of government, the women’s movement and the civil society at various fronts over the last three decades? In this process, an active and grassroots level leadership is emerging among women. The results of Census 2001, indicates a change in female literacy from 22 % in 1971 to 54 % in 2001 in India. Now, modern woman is participating in the panchayat and municipal elections. Also the female work participation rate increased from 19.7 % in 1981 to 25.7 % in 2001. These indicate the changes in the role of women in the society and economy.
Literacy and Work Participation of Women in India:
Women’s contribution to agriculture in terms of the number of tasks performed and time spent, is greater than men. “A case study conducted in the Indian Himalayas, found that on a one hectare farm, a pair of bullocks works for 1,064 hours, a man for 1,212 hours and a woman for 3,485 hors in a year.” This means woman works approximately three times more than pair of bullocks and 2.75 times more than man in a year. But now the contribution of women in other sectors is increased due to education. The literacy rate of female increased from 29.76 % in 1981 to 54.16 % in 2001 in India (Table-1). This factor affects the female participation in income-earning activities, not only will there be more income for the family, but gender inequality would also be reduced.
Table: 1 : Literacy Rates by Sex in India (1981 to 2001) (in per cent)
|
Sr. No |
Census |
Females |
Males |
Persons |
Male- Female Gap in Literacy Rate |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
1. |
1981 |
29.76 |
56.38 |
43.57 |
26.62 |
|
2. |
1991 |
39.29 |
64.13 |
52.21 |
24.84 |
|
3. |
2001 |
54.16 |
75.85 |
65.38 |
21.69 |
Source: Census of India, 1991, Series I and Census of India, 2001, Government of India, New Delhi.
Note :(i)The literacy rates relate to the population aged seven years and above.
(ii)The 1981 Census literacy rates exclude Assam and 1991 Census literacy rates exclude Jammu & Kashmir.
Literacy level plays a major role in the economic development of the state or nation. If people are literate, then there will be minimum violence in the country. If literacy level of female is high, it means the allover literacy is high, because the woman plays major role in education of child. According to table-1 the literacy rates of women increased in India, but even this it is less than man literacy.
In India, during 2001, about 30.9% of women in rural areas and about 11.55 % of women in urban areas were in the workforce as compared to about 52 % of men in rural areas and 50.8 % of men in urban areas. This clearly indicates the wide difference in the participation of women and men in the economy. But if we see the back in 1981 only 23.1 % of women in rural areas and about 8.3 % of women in urban areas were in the workforce. This shows that the women participation in workforce is increased (Table: 2).
Table: 2 : Work Participation Rates by Sex in India (1981 to2001) (in per cent)
|
Sr. No |
Census |
Total / Rural / Urban |
Female |
Male |
Persons |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
1. |
1981 |
Total |
19.7 |
52.6 |
36.7 |
|
Rural |
23.1 |
53.8 |
38.8 |
||
|
Urban |
8.3 |
49.1 |
30.0 |
||
|
2. |
1991 |
Total |
22.3 |
51.6 |
37.5 |
|
Rural |
26.8 |
52.6 |
40.1 |
||
|
Urban |
9.2 |
48.9 |
30.2 |
||
|
3. |
2001 |
Total |
25.7 |
51.9 |
39.3 |
|
Rural |
31.0 |
52.4 |
42.0 |
||
|
Urban |
11.6 |
50.9 |
32.2 |
Source: Census of India, 1991, Series I and Census of India, 2001, Government of India, New Delhi.
Women’s share in the organized workforce has also shown an increasing trend, from 2.8 million (12.2 per cent) in 1981 to 4.8 million (17.2 per cent) in 1999. Between 1991 and 1999, rise in the percentage points of women was 3.1 in contrast; the share of men has declining. However, women’s participation in the organized sector is still very low, as compared to men.
Literacy and Work Participation of Women in Gujarat:
Gujarat is one of the most developing states of India. According to Census 2001 there were total 2,98,27,750 peoples are literate in Gujarat (58.87 per cent of total population). But it is not enough because this means about 41.13 percent people of total population are illiterate in Gujarat. The female literacy rate of Gujarat is in rural area only 40.35 percent and in urban area is 65.13 percent, when male literacy rate is 61.99 percent in rural area and 76.66 percent urban area of Gujarat in 2001. This indicates big gap between the literacy of men and women, also there is a big gap between the literacy urban women and rural women (Table-3). The literacy rate of rural area was 51.47 per cent when rural only 40.35 percent of rural women were literate.
According Census 2001 the Female –Male working ratio is 1: 2.15 in total population. But there is big difference between working ratio of rural area and urban area, they are respectively 6.51 and 1 : 1: 1.52. Only 13.32 per cent women of total urban women population and 39.64 per cent women of total rural women are working (Table-4).
Table : 3 : Literacy Rate of Women in Gujarat (2001)
|
Sr. No. |
Total Rural Urban |
Total Population |
Total literates |
Literacy Rate % |
Male Population |
Male literates |
Male Literacy Rate % |
Female Population |
Female literates |
Female Literacy Rate % |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
(8) |
(9) |
(10) |
(11) |
|
1. |
Total |
5,06,71,017 |
2,98,27,750 |
58.87 |
2,63,85,577 |
1,78,33,273 |
67.59 |
2,42,85,440 |
1,19,94,477 |
49.39 |
|
2. |
Rural |
3,17,40,767 |
1,63,37,997 |
51.47 |
1,63,17,771 |
1,01,15,541 |
61.99 |
1,54,22,996 |
62,22,456 |
40.35 |
|
3. |
urban |
1,89,30,250 |
1,34,89,753 |
71.26 |
1,00,67,806 |
77,17,732 |
76.66 |
88,62,444 |
57,72,021 |
65.13 |
Source: Census of India, 2001, Government of India, New Delhi.
Table : 4 : Work Participation of Women in Gujarat (2001)
|
Sr. No. |
Total Rural Urban |
Total Working Population |
Percentage Working Population of Total Population |
Male work Participation Rate % |
Female work Participation Rate % |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
|
1. |
Total |
2,12,55,521 |
41.95 |
68.11 |
31.89 |
|
2. |
Rural |
1,49,93,312 |
47.24 |
60.36 |
39.64 |
|
3. |
urban |
62,62,209 |
33.08 |
86.68 |
13.32 |
Source: Census of India, 2001, Government of India, New Delhi.
Annexure : 1 :District wise Population, literacy Rate and Work Participation of Women in Gujarat (2001)
|
Sr. No. |
Total Rural Urban |
Percentage Population of Total Population |
Literacy Rate of Total District Population |
Work participation rate (%) |
Male population rate of District Population |
Male literacy rate (%) |
Male work participation rate (%) |
Female population rate of District Population |
Female Literacy rate (%) |
Female Work participation rate (%) |
|
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
(8) |
(9) |
(10) |
(11) |
(12) |
|
|
Kachchh |
Total |
3.12 |
50.18 |
38.25 |
51.49 |
58.95 |
53.63 |
48.51 |
40.87 |
21.93 |
|
1. |
Rural |
2.19 |
44.33 |
40.68 |
51.20 |
53.87 |
53.58 |
48.80 |
34.33 |
27.14 |
|
|
Urban |
0.94 |
63.83 |
32.59 |
52.16 |
70.61 |
53.77 |
47.84 |
56.45 |
9.51 |
||
|
|
Banas Kantha |
Total |
4.94 |
41.43 |
43.61 |
51.81 |
53.88 |
51.20 |
48.19 |
28.05 |
35.46 |
|
2. |
Rural |
4.40 |
38.74 |
45.41 |
51.71 |
51.65 |
51.59 |
48.29 |
24.90 |
38.79 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.54 |
63.26 |
29.10 |
52.57 |
71.63 |
48.10 |
47.43 |
53.99 |
8.05 |
|
|
|
Patan * |
Total |
2.33 |
50.65 |
45.07 |
51.75 |
61.36 |
53.23 |
48.25 |
39.17 |
36.32 |
|
3. |
Rural |
1.86 |
46.41 |
48.30 |
51.60 |
58.05 |
53.91 |
48.40 |
34.01 |
42.33 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.47 |
67.44 |
32.27 |
52.36 |
74.30 |
50.58 |
47.64 |
59.91 |
12.16 |
|
|
|
Mahesana |
Total |
3.63 |
64.65 |
45.08 |
51.90 |
73.24 |
53.73 |
48.10 |
55.38 |
35.75 |
|
4. |
Rural |
2.81 |
62.01 |
48.78 |
51.69 |
71.59 |
54.58 |
48.31 |
51.75 |
42.58 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.81 |
73.80 |
32.25 |
52.61 |
78.87 |
50.81 |
47.39 |
68.19 |
11.65 |
|
|
|
Sabar Kantha |
Total |
4.11 |
56.26 |
45.16 |
51.36 |
67.43 |
52.28 |
48.64 |
44.46 |
37.63 |
|
5. |
Rural |
3.67 |
54.53 |
46.82 |
51.27 |
66.25 |
52.62 |
48.73 |
42.19 |
40.73 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.44 |
70.51 |
31.43 |
52.09 |
76.98 |
49.58 |
47.91 |
63.48 |
11.69 |
|
|
|
Gandhinagar |
Total |
2.63 |
65.93 |
41.54 |
52.31 |
74.87 |
53.07 |
47.69 |
56.13 |
28.89 |
|
6. |
Rural |
1.71 |
61.44 |
47.24 |
51.95 |
72.40 |
55.21 |
48.05 |
49.59 |
38.63 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.92 |
74.27 |
30.95 |
52.97 |
79.36 |
49.18 |
47.03 |
68.55 |
10.42 |
|
|
|
Ahmadabad |
Total |
11.48 |
68.98 |
34.55 |
52.86 |
75.40 |
53.09 |
47.14 |
61.77 |
13.75 |
|
7. |
Rural |
2.28 |
52.21 |
44.46 |
52.14 |
64.43 |
55.32 |
47.86 |
38.90 |
32.64 |
|
|
|
Urban |
9.20 |
73.12 |
32.09 |
53.04 |
78.07 |
52.55 |
46.96 |
67.54 |
9.00 |
|
|
|
Surendranagar |
Total |
2.99 |
51.56 |
42.74 |
51.99 |
61.84 |
54.02 |
48.01 |
40.42 |
30.53 |
|
8. |
Rural |
2.20 |
46.12 |
46.77 |
51.82 |
57.50 |
55.02 |
48.18 |
33.88 |
37.89 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.79 |
66.58 |
31.61 |
52.43 |
73.71 |
51.29 |
47.57 |
58.73 |
9.93 |
|
|
|
Rajkot |
Total |
6.26 |
64.16 |
39.27 |
51.80 |
71.02 |
55.94 |
48.20 |
56.80 |
21.36 |
|
9. |
Rural |
3.05 |
56.51 |
46.74 |
51.35 |
65.33 |
57.67 |
48.65 |
47.21 |
35.21 |
|
|
|
Urban |
3.21 |
71.43 |
32.17 |
52.23 |
76.33 |
54.33 |
47.77 |
66.08 |
7.95 |
|
|
|
Jamnagar |
Total |
3.76 |
56.91 |
38.56 |
51.53 |
65.02 |
54.68 |
48.47 |
48.28 |
21.43 |
|
10. |
Rural |
2.11 |
51.11 |
44.53 |
51.06 |
60.30 |
56.32 |
48.94 |
41.52 |
32.23 |
|
|
|
Urban |
1.65 |
64.31 |
30.94 |
52.13 |
70.93 |
52.64 |
47.87 |
57.10 |
7.32 |
|
|
11. |
Porbandar* |
Total |
1.06 |
58.90 |
40.07 |
51.38 |
66.97 |
55.83 |
48.62 |
50.36 |
23.42 |
|
Rural |
0.54 |
50.97 |
47.79 |
51.21 |
60.20 |
58.63 |
48.79 |
41.28 |
36.41 |
||
|
Urban |
0.52 |
67.25 |
31.94 |
51.56 |
74.06 |
52.90 |
48.44 |
60.00 |
9.64 |
||
|
|
Junagadh |
Total |
4.83 |
57.55 |
40.88 |
51.15 |
66.52 |
54.59 |
48.85 |
48.15 |
26.52 |
|
12. |
Rural |
3.43 |
53.65 |
45.12 |
50.98 |
63.49 |
55.96 |
49.02 |
43.41 |
33.85 |
|
|
|
Urban |
1.40 |
67.07 |
30.53 |
51.57 |
73.83 |
51.28 |
48.43 |
59.86 |
8.42 |
|
|
|
Amreli |
Total |
2.75 |
56.67 |
43.10 |
50.33 |
65.00 |
55.02 |
49.67 |
48.24 |
31.02 |
|
13. |
Rural |
2.13 |
53.71 |
46.18 |
49.98 |
62.49 |
55.86 |
50.02 |
44.93 |
36.51 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.62 |
66.92 |
32.46 |
51.53 |
73.40 |
52.21 |
48.47 |
60.03 |
11.46 |
|
|
|
Bhavnagar |
Total |
4.87 |
55.43 |
38.25 |
51.62 |
64.95 |
53.42 |
48.38 |
45.27 |
22.05 |
|
14. |
Rural |
3.03 |
48.43 |
42.09 |
50.97 |
59.69 |
53.49 |
49.03 |
36.73 |
30.24 |
|
|
|
Urban |
1.85 |
66.92 |
31.94 |
52.69 |
73.31 |
53.31 |
47.31 |
59.80 |
8.13 |
|
|
|
Anand * |
Total |
3.66 |
64.27 |
42.26 |
52.35 |
73.86 |
55.09 |
47.65 |
53.74 |
28.17 |
|
15. |
Rural |
2.66 |
61.20 |
45.62 |
52.39 |
72.17 |
56.48 |
47.61 |
49.12 |
33.66 |
|
|
|
Urban |
1.00 |
72.42 |
33.34 |
52.23 |
78.35 |
51.36 |
47.77 |
65.94 |
13.64 |
|
|
16. |
Kheda |
Total |
3.99 |
61.42 |
44.87 |
52.01 |
73.08 |
55.07 |
47.99 |
48.79 |
33.80 |
|
Rural |
3.19 |
58.56 |
48.14 |
52.02 |
71.64 |
56.25 |
47.98 |
44.39 |
39.35 |
||
|
|
Urban |
0.80 |
72.81 |
31.83 |
51.99 |
78.84 |
50.40 |
48.01 |
66.29 |
11.72 |
|
|
|
Panch Mahals
|
Total |
4.00 |
50.65 |
48.23 |
51.59 |
63.10 |
53.40 |
48.41 |
37.38 |
42.72 |
|
17. |
Rural |
3.50 |
47.60 |
50.93 |
51.52 |
60.99 |
54.10 |
48.48 |
33.37 |
47.56 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.50 |
72.02 |
29.31 |
52.11 |
77.71 |
48.50 |
47.89 |
65.82 |
8.42 |
|
|
|
Dohad * |
Total |
3.23 |
35.94 |
49.78 |
50.37 |
46.75 |
51.66 |
49.63 |
24.96 |
47.87 |
|
18. |
Rural |
2.92 |
32.72 |
51.72 |
50.28 |
43.92 |
52.03 |
49.72 |
21.39 |
51.42 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.31 |
66.41 |
31.37 |
51.22 |
73.03 |
48.27 |
48.78 |
59.46 |
13.63 |
|
|
|
Vadodara |
Total |
7.19 |
61.18 |
41.71 |
52.10 |
69.01 |
55.86 |
47.90 |
52.66 |
26.31 |
|
19. |
Rural |
3.94 |
48.94 |
49.53 |
51.83 |
59.60 |
58.69 |
48.17 |
37.46 |
39.67 |
|
|
|
Urban |
3.25 |
76.02 |
32.22 |
52.42 |
80.29 |
52.46 |
47.58 |
71.32 |
9.91 |
|
|
|
Narmada * |
Total |
1.02 |
50.44 |
50.37 |
51.32 |
61.02 |
56.47 |
48.68 |
39.29 |
43.95 |
|
20. |
Rural |
0.91 |
47.37 |
52.67 |
51.22 |
58.49 |
57.49 |
48.78 |
35.70 |
47.62 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.10 |
77.68 |
29.94 |
52.21 |
83.07 |
47.56 |
47.79 |
71.78 |
10.71 |
|
|
|
Bharuch |
Total |
2.71 |
63.88 |
41.64 |
52.07 |
71.21 |
56.56 |
47.93 |
55.90 |
25.42 |
|
21. |
Rural |
2.01 |
60.16 |
44.96 |
51.94 |
68.48 |
57.77 |
48.06 |
51.17 |
31.11 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.70 |
74.61 |
32.04 |
52.44 |
79.04 |
53.10 |
47.56 |
69.73 |
8.82 |
|
|
|
Surat |
Total |
9.86 |
64.19 |
43.69 |
54.50 |
70.32 |
60.68 |
45.50 |
56.85 |
23.34 |
|
22. |
Rural |
3.95 |
53.82 |
51.49 |
51.35 |
60.84 |
59.60 |
48.65 |
46.41 |
42.93 |
|
|
|
Urban |
5.91 |
71.11 |
38.49 |
56.61 |
76.05 |
61.34 |
43.39 |
64.66 |
8.68 |
|
|
23. |
The Dangs |
Total |
0.37 |
47.98 |
49.80 |
50.33 |
56.76 |
52.36 |
49.67 |
39.08 |
47.21 |
|
Rural |
0.37 |
47.98 |
49.80 |
50.33 |
56.76 |
52.36 |
49.67 |
39.08 |
47.21 |
||
|
Urban |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
||
|
|
Navsari * |
Total |
2.43 |
66.63 |
44.35 |
51.16 |
72.51 |
56.53 |
48.84 |
60.46 |
31.58 |
|
24. |
Rural |
1.76 |
63.36 |
47.75 |
50.76 |
69.78 |
57.14 |
49.24 |
56.74 |
38.07 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.66 |
75.30 |
35.30 |
52.22 |
79.57 |
54.94 |
47.78 |
70.63 |
13.83 |
|
|
|
Valsad |
Total |
2.78 |
59.07 |
46.10 |
52.09 |
66.63 |
57.39 |
47.91 |
50.86 |
33.82 |
|
25. |
Rural |
2.03 |
53.00 |
49.32 |
51.14 |
61.13 |
57.17 |
48.86 |
44.49 |
41.09 |
|
|
|
Urban |
0.75 |
75.48 |
37.41 |
54.67 |
80.53 |
57.94 |
45.33 |
69.39 |
12.66 |
Source: Census of India, 2001, Government of India, New Delhi.
If we see the literacy rate and work participation of rural women and urban women, it indicates one thing; there is no relation between literacy and employability. The literacy rate of rural women is only 40.35 then the work participation rate of rural women is 39.64. Other side the literacy rate of urban women is only 65.13, it is more than rural women but the work participation rate of urban women is only 13.32. It means there is no relation between female literacy rate and work participation.
REFERENCES:
1. Census of India, 1991, Government of India, New Delhi.
2. Census of India, 2001, Government of India, New Delhi.
3. Fertiliser Static 2004-05.
4. Mazmudar V., K. Sharma and S. Axcharya (1979), Country Review and Analysis on the Role and Participation of Women in Agriculture and Rural Development in India, ICSSR New Delhi.
5. Ruddar Datt and K. P. M. Sundharam, Indian Economy, S. Chand & Co. Ltd., New Delhi.
6. Udai Pareek (1982), Education and Rural Development in Asia, Oxford and IBH Publications, New Delhi.
7. Usha Rao N. J. (1983), Women in Developing Society, Ashish Publishing House, New Delhi.
Received on 04.01.2012
Revised on 08.01.2012
Accepted on 22.01.2012
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