Women, the Domestic Sphere, and Policy Challenges in India – UPSC Notes

Key Issues Raised

1. Political & Cultural Narratives

   • “Nari Shakti” and “women-led development” rhetoric used by ruling forces.

   • RSS Chief’s statement (Aug 2025): families must have at least 3 children → reduces women to reproduction roles.

   • Silence on domestic violence and dowry deaths but loud on “love jihad”.

2. Violence Against Women in the Domestic Sphere

   • Dowry deaths: ~7,000 annually (2017–2022) → 35,000 women in 5 years.

   • NFHS-5:

     • 30% women faced intimate partner violence.

     • Only 14% reported to police.

   • 1/3rd of 4.45 lakh crimes against women = domestic violence cases.

   • Laws on domestic violence, marital rape, divorce often diluted/contested in name of “culture” and “institution of marriage”.

3. Work in the Domestic Sphere (Time Use Survey 2024)

   • Women (15–59 years):

     • 25% in employment (avg. 5 hrs/day).

     • 23% in family enterprises (~2 hrs/day).

     • 93% in unpaid domestic services (7 hrs/day).

     • 41% in unpaid caregiving (2.5 hrs/day).

   • Men:

     • 75% in employment (8 hrs/day).

     • 14% in family enterprises (2 hrs/day).

     • Only 30% do domestic work (<1.5 hrs/day).

     • Only 21% do caregiving (~1 hr/day).

   • Net result → women work longer hours than men, with less time for food, sleep, leisure.

4. Government’s Framing

   • PIB (Feb 2025): presented inequality as part of the “Indian social fabric” where women naturally shoulder caregiving.

   • Anganwadi, ASHA, mid-day meal workers treated as “volunteers”, not regular workers → underpaid honorariums.

5. Economic Implications

   • SBI (2023): monetised value of unpaid women’s work = ₹22.5 lakh crore (7% of GDP).

   • Women’s invisible labour subsidises subsistence wages and keeps labour costs low.

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Policy Implications

• Current policies undervalue women’s domestic work → reinforces gender inequality.

• Failure to address domestic violence, unpaid work, and recognition of care services perpetuates structural discrimination.

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Alternatives / Way Forward

1. Prevent & eliminate violence against women through strict enforcement + cultural change.

2. Equal wages & work recognition for both men and women.

3. Universal, state-funded childcare & eldercare facilities.

4. Quality healthcare and education as public goods.

5. Promote gender-equal domestic responsibility (cultural + educational shifts).

6. Justice to scheme workers → minimum wages, recognition as govt. employees.

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Possible UPSC Questions

Prelims

1. The Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024 highlights which of the following?

   • (a) Women spend more time than men in paid work.

   • (b) Women spend more time than men in unpaid domestic and caregiving work.

   • (c) Men and women spend equal time in unpaid caregiving work.

   • (d) Men spend more time in domestic work than women.
     (Answer: b)

2. The monetary value of unpaid work by women in India, as per SBI (2023), was approximately:

   • (a) 3% of GDP

   • (b) 5% of GDP

   • (c) 7% of GDP

   • (d) 10% of GDP
     (Answer: c)

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Mains

1. GS Paper I (Society):
   “Despite the rhetoric of ‘Nari Shakti’ and women-led development, the domestic sphere remains a site of structural inequality in India. Discuss with reference to violence and unpaid labour.”

2. GS Paper II (Governance & Social Justice):
   “The undervaluation of women’s domestic and care work sustains both patriarchy and capitalism in India. Critically analyse.”

3. GS Paper III (Economy):
   “Recognition of women’s unpaid work has implications for GDP measurement and wage policies. Examine with reference to recent surveys.”