Addressing Women’s needs, Wage payments and Woes will make the job scheme inclusive and promote gender equality
By Dr Sonal Mobar Roy
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), launched in 2005, has made significant strides in promoting rural employment and poverty alleviation. However, gender disparities persist, and women’s full participation and empowerment in the scheme remain a challenge in many States. Strengthening gender mainstreaming is crucial to addressing these issues as it promotes the integration of gender perspectives throughout all stages of policy formulation, planning, implementation and evaluation.
According to the latest data on the MGNREGS website, 59.98% of women person-days have been generated so far in FY24. Women’s participation in MGNREGS (2018-22) shows an incremental increase from 37% to 53%. This shows that post-pandemic, women have come forward for wage employment.
Equal Opportunities
Gender sensitisation plays a pivotal role in promoting gender equality and empowering women within the framework of MGNREGS by creating awareness, challenging stereotypes, promoting a deep understanding of gender issues and equality and addressing discriminatory practices. It goes beyond merely acknowledging gender differences. Not only does it enable women to actively participate in decision-making processes and assert their rights, but it also creates an enabling environment wherein women gain confidence, knowledge and skills to engage effectively in activities and empowers them to challenge traditional gender roles and societal norms that restrict their economic and social mobility.
In many rural communities, deeply ingrained patriarchal norms and gender biases hinder women’s participation in the scheme. It has been observed in States like Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan that women feel awkward working along with their father-in-law or brother-in-law at the same site as there is a high probability of physical contact. Moreover, they have to constantly put the veil that causes discomfort and may lead to mishaps. It is a common sight to see women carry a toddler along with them, sometimes tucked on the side or on the back. Cases were observed wherein after receiving her wages through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), when a woman withdraws cash from bank, her husband snatches it. Resilience leads to domestic violence and harassment.
Several strategies and initiatives have been implemented to promote gender sensitisation within MGNREGS such as training and capacity building of staff, elected representatives and workers on gender equality, women’s rights and the importance of women’s participation. Special attention is given to promoting women’s leadership and decision-making roles.
Gender-responsive planning and implementation involve integrating gender considerations into the design, implementation and monitoring of MGNREGS activities. This includes ensuring equal access to resources, providing safe and inclusive work environments, addressing women-specific needs, and considering the time and mobility constraints faced by women as well as the differently abled. On most of the sites where work is in progress, it is seen that neither is there any crèche or proper arrangement of clean drinking water. Lavatories are nowhere in sight.
Another discriminatory behaviour observed is addressing labour by their caste name or in case s/he is a differently abled person, addressing them by their disability. This is not only inhuman but also ethically wrong. Young women have to face issues such as ogling and inappropriate gaze. For elderly women too, working at the site is quite challenging. So the sensitisation measure should focus on addressing issues which are either trivial or totally ignored. The arc should be widened to prevent and address gender-based violence and harassment.
Intersectionality, Inclusiveness
Intersectionality recognises that individuals have multiple social identities that intersect and shape their experiences and opportunities. Gender sensitisation combined with inclusiveness takes into account the intersectionality of identities such as race, caste, class, religion, social identity, disability and sexual orientation. It acknowledges that individuals may face different forms of discrimination and disadvantage due to the interplay of these identities. By understanding intersectionality, efforts towards gender sensitisation become more comprehensive, inclusive and effective.
Gender sensitisation within MGNREGS is particularly significant for vulnerable individuals, including marginalised women, scheduled castes and tribes, and other disadvantaged groups. It ensures that vulnerable individuals have equal opportunities to participate in the scheme, access livelihood opportunities and improve their socio-economic status. It recognises and addresses the unique concerns of women from marginalised communities, such as access to childcare facilities, protection from discrimination and ensuring equal wages for equal work. By actively involving vulnerable individuals in decision-making processes, gender sensitisation helps ensure their perspectives are considered and their voices are heard.
An inclusive approach ensures that no one is left behind. Inclusive spaces ensure that policies, practices and facilities are accessible and responsive to the needs of diverse genders sans discrimination. It involves providing gender-neutral restrooms, flexible work arrangements, and promoting an inclusive language and culture that respects individuals’ self-identified gender pronouns. Using the phrase ‘person-days’ instead of ‘man-days’ is a good initiation in this direction.
Policy Perspective
The government should formulate comprehensive gender-sensitive guidelines for MGNREGS that provide clear directions on integrating gender perspectives across all aspects of the programme, including planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation. The guidelines should address issues such as women’s representation in decision-making bodies, gender-responsive infrastructure development, and measures to ensure women’s safety and security at worksites.
Specialised training should be conducted to enhance their understanding of gender issues, gender-responsive planning and implementation strategies. Capacity-building efforts should also include training on addressing gender-based violence and harassment, promoting women’s leadership, and engaging men and community members as allies in promoting gender equality. Incorporating gender-sensitive language, policies and practices in institutions, organisations and public spaces is highly desirable.
Collaborating with community organisations, civil society and advocacy groups is vital to reinforce gender mainstreaming efforts in MGNREGS. Collecting gender-disaggregated data is critical to monitoring and evaluating the impact of MGNREGS on women’s participation, access to resources and overall empowerment. Monitoring mechanisms should be established to ensure the effective implementation of gender mainstreaming initiatives. Besides, gender-responsive budgeting should be integrated into the MGNREGS budgeting process, ensuring that funds are allocated to address specific gender-related needs, such as childcare facilities, gender-responsive infrastructure and gender-sensitive training programmes.
Addressing the three ‘W’s — Women’s needs, Wage payments and Woes — is a must. Gender sensitisation within MGNREGS is crucial for promoting women’s participation, agency, and empowerment in rural development. The progress made so far is encouraging, as evidenced by the increasing trend of female workers in the scheme. However, challenges remain, and sustained efforts are necessary to address gender disparities and ensure equal opportunities for women. (Views are personal).