Tribal Women's Empowerment and National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005

The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) is one of the most progressive legislations enacted since independence. Women's empowerment was not among the original intentions of the NREGA, and is not among its main objectives, though it is said that the NREGS aims to meet the practical needs of women workers in the short run and their strategic needs in the long run. The rural women who reported wage work other than NREGA were performing agricultural labour in their own village or in other villages, working in the construction industry in towns and cities, working at stone quarries and collecting and selling forest produce. These employment opportunities, however, are not without problems. The earnings from them were limited or seasonal or insecure. Much of this work is irregular and consequently women find themselves in a vulnerable position. There are various explanations for the varying participation of women workers under the NREGS. Factors that have encouraged women workers’ participation include the nature of the job not requiring special knowledge and skill; out migration of male family members; the employment opportunity being available at the doorstep; a tradition of rural women working in others’ fields; the provision of equal, non-discriminatory wages, etc.