Gender Justice in Labour Laws: Advancing the Rights of Women Workers in India
Author(s): Ramesh Kumar Bharti
Abstract: Women in India continue to face pervasive discrimination, violence, and systemic marginalization in their homes, workplaces, and communities. Social customs such as child marriage, dowry expectations, and entrenched patriarchal norms perpetuate inequities that deny women safety, economic opportunity, and dignity. Over time, the Indian legislature has enacted a series of landmark statutes beginning with the Sati Abolition Act of 1829, the Widow Remarriage Act of 1856, the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, and the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961, to dismantle overtly oppressive practices and establish baseline protections for women. In the domain of labour and social welfare, gender-sensitive provisions were incorporated into laws like the Workmen’s Compensation Act (1923), the Wages Payment Act (1936), the Factories Act (1948), and the Maternity Benefit Act (1961). These measures sought to guarantee fair compensation for workplace injuries, timely wage payment, regulated working conditions, and paid maternity leave. Subsequent social insurance schemes under the Employees’ State Insurance Act (1948) and the Pensions Act (1987) expanded the safety net by offering medical benefits, maternity coverage, and post-retirement security with explicit recognition of women’s needs. Despite these legislative advances, implementation gaps and lingering societal biases often impede meaningful change, especially for women in rural and informal sectors. Ultimately, while legal reforms are crucial, genuine gender justice in India requires concurrent transformation of social attitudes, affirming women’s rights as equal citizens entitled to safety, economic participation, and autonomy.
Keywords: Gender Discrimination, Women’s Rights, Labour Legislation, Maternity Benefits, Social Protection
DOI: doi.org/10.65719/RC.3.2.2025.139
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