Women in informal sector-a case study

Informal sector plays a vital role in terms of providing employment opportunity to a large segment of the working force in the country, especially women. Although this sector offers low remuneration, women are compelled to enter this sector due to poverty and lack of opening in the formal sector due to their illiteracy and lack of skill. The present study throws light on the various dimensions of socio-economic problems of women labourers in urban informal sector so that appropriate policy paradigms can be formulated to ameliorate the condition of women labourers. The study was based on primary data collected with the help of a well-structured and pre-tested interview schedule administered to 100 women workers engaged in various activities in the informal sector in urban areas. Findings reveal that women in informal sector were overburdened with work and exploited. Unless efforts are directed towards empowering these women their socio-economic condition cannot be improved.