Plight of women labourers in rural Punjab

The present study revealed that a large majority of the respondents have to face the problem of irregularity of work. Almost, all the respondents in the sampled districts do not enjoy any facility at their workplace. About onethird of the female respondents were not being paid equal wages for equal work with men. Majority of the sampled women labourers are not aware about the standard working hours fixed by the government. The study also revealed that a majority of the women labourers were suffering from some serious diseases. In addition to the problems faced at the workplace, the women labourers have to face many problems on their domestic front also. After the whole day work, they have the responsibility to look after their children and attend the domestic chores. Even during the period of their illness, more than one-fourth of the respondents have reported that they do not get the co-operation of their husbands rather they are ill-treated and forced to go for work. Some of the respondents have complained that they have been the victims of domestic violence. Apart from this, slightly more than one-third of the respondents have revealed that they were not involved in all important family matters. All this makes their situation more miserable.