PROBLEMS AND HARASSMENTS FACED BY WOMEN CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN CUDDALORE DISTRICT OF TAMIL ANDU
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48047/1a7a3b10Keywords:
Workplace harassment, Informal labor, Principal Component Analysis, Gender inequality,Abstract
The construction sector in India serves as one of the largest employment providers for unorganized labor, including a significant proportion of women workers. Despite their indispensable contribution to infrastructure development, women construction workers remain highly marginalized, facing multifaceted problems such as unsafe working conditions, verbal and sexual harassment, unequal pay, and lack of access to basic facilities. This study, conducted in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu with a sample size of 300 respondents, investigates the socio-economic challenges and forms of workplace harassment experienced by women laborers. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the study identifies key structural and behavioral dimensions influencing their vulnerability. The findings reveal that institutional neglect, inadequate legal enforcement, and limited representation compound the hardships of women workers, with several issues being reported by 100% of the sample. The study underscores the urgent need for gender-sensitive policy interventions, stronger legal protections, and inclusive labor welfare measures. It contributes to the growing discourse on informal labor rights by highlighting the lived realities of women at the bottom of the employment hierarchy in India's construction industry.
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References
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