Labouring for Household Human Capital and Family Mobility: A Perspective on Changing Rural Female Labour Participation in India

This paper examines changes in the rural female workforce in India and the factors shaping women's labour force participation while highlighting their role in nurturing household human capital. Using data from the Census, NSS, and NFHS, the study shows that shifts in the rural economy, labour market conditions, education, and demographic factors have led rural women to delay entry into or withdraw from the labour force. Despite the recent surge in their participation, women engaged as own-account workers, unpaid family workers, along with those in domestic duties often devote substantial time to childcare and children's education. Motivated by aspirations for intergenerational mobility, women invest in enhancing both their own human capital and that of their children. Econometric results show that women's decisions to work and hours of work are significantly influenced by childcare responsibilities and the learning needs of school-going children.