Framing Women Workers in Asia: Gender-Related Socio-Demographic and Developmental Indicators

Abstract

Any discussion of gender-related issues for industrialising Asia must be placed in the context of recent and current economic, social and demographic trends and changes. Increased female literacy and higher educational attainment have led to easier entry for women into the paid workforce, and with this, increased social security and related benefits. However, gender relations are often disparate, even in the most developed countries, and this inequality is manifested in the household, the economy and the polity. In some Asian countries, women’s full participation in economic development and public life is precluded by both legal and customary barriers. In Asian countries where women’s employment has contributed significantly to industrial development, the gender gap in wages remains wide. The need for women to balance productive and reproductive responsibilities is often neglected and labour laws and social policies are often gender-blind.