Authors :
Premprakash M Thapa; Dr. K M Chudasama
Volume/Issue :
Volume 7 - 2022, Issue 12 - December
Google Scholar :
https://bit.ly/3IIfn9N
Scribd :
https://bit.ly/3w2UMJ7
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7527753
Abstract :
Gender equality and women empowerment is
one of the most important agenda in the Sustainable
Development Goals of the United Nations. It is very difficult
to justify economic development without full participation
of women workforce in any economic activities of state or a
nation. Women constitute almost 50 percent of the total
population and its contribution in the manufacturing sector
or overall formal sector of the economy in developing
countries of the world is very low to its counterpart male
workforce. On the contrary, women employment in SEZs
sector (earlier known as Free Trade Zones or Export
Processing Zones) in many developing countries witnessed
around 70 percent or even higher. India also witnessed high
women workforce participation in the EPZs/SEZs sector
compared to the overall formal sector of the economy.
Giving so much importance to the female employment by
EPZs/SEZs, and the contribution of exports through
EPZs/SEZs also increasing to overall exports as well as to
the country's gross domestic products (GDP). We can fairly
say that for last 4/5 decades, many developing countries of
the worlds started their exports-oriented industrialization
process with less gender discrimination compare to overall
formal sector of the economy. Purpose of this study is to
describe and explain the degree of feminization of exportoriented industries with special reference to SEZs located in
Gujarat state. Time series data of special economic Zones of
Gujarat state from 2010-11 to 2019-20, (10 years) reveals
that there is a decreasing trend of women’s share in
employment in SEZs sector of the state.
Keywords :
Gender, Equality, Empowerment, Employment.
Gender equality and women empowerment is
one of the most important agenda in the Sustainable
Development Goals of the United Nations. It is very difficult
to justify economic development without full participation
of women workforce in any economic activities of state or a
nation. Women constitute almost 50 percent of the total
population and its contribution in the manufacturing sector
or overall formal sector of the economy in developing
countries of the world is very low to its counterpart male
workforce. On the contrary, women employment in SEZs
sector (earlier known as Free Trade Zones or Export
Processing Zones) in many developing countries witnessed
around 70 percent or even higher. India also witnessed high
women workforce participation in the EPZs/SEZs sector
compared to the overall formal sector of the economy.
Giving so much importance to the female employment by
EPZs/SEZs, and the contribution of exports through
EPZs/SEZs also increasing to overall exports as well as to
the country's gross domestic products (GDP). We can fairly
say that for last 4/5 decades, many developing countries of
the worlds started their exports-oriented industrialization
process with less gender discrimination compare to overall
formal sector of the economy. Purpose of this study is to
describe and explain the degree of feminization of exportoriented industries with special reference to SEZs located in
Gujarat state. Time series data of special economic Zones of
Gujarat state from 2010-11 to 2019-20, (10 years) reveals
that there is a decreasing trend of women’s share in
employment in SEZs sector of the state.
Keywords :
Gender, Equality, Empowerment, Employment.
