Gendered Perspectives on Rural Employment: Evaluating Role of Mgnrega in Women Empowerment

Abstract

Women Empowerment in the rural area has been a vital aspect for every developing nation. The rural women have the caliber but do not have the apt forum to showcase their talent. But when the policy makers and the government identify a suitable method to employ, thereby empower the rural women, the effectiveness of the same should be assessed. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is one such initiative by the Ministry of Rural Development, India from 2005. The goal of this initiative is to reduce the rural unemployment while fostering economic independence, particularly for women as it required that one-third of the beneficiaries are rural women. Although MGNREGA is a gender-neutral scheme that promotes participation of women by providing wage parity with men, there are various gaps in the implementation over the years. Hence, this study investigates the impact of MGNREGA on the women empowerment by analyzing wage parity, access to employment opportunities, financial independence, and social inclusion. Using mixed-methods approach, this study has surveyed 306 rural women and conducted interviews in the Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu, India. The study adopted statistical tools to examine how MGNREGA participation by the rural women has influence financial decision-making, skill enhancement, and access to information. The findings show that while there has been a substantial improvement in the wage parity and financial autonomy for women, there has been persistent challenges such as delayed payments and other socio-cultures barriers. The study suggests having increased awareness in the adoption, streamlined payments and continuous skill development programs for better women empowerment.