As per 2001 Census report, there are 260 ‘Gender Critical’ districts in the country on the basis of poor sex ratio, poor female literacy, and poor work participation of females. Nagaland too has 3 districts (Mon, Tuensang and Dimapur) which falls under this category. Whatever could be the worth of this report in the context of Nagaland, (as the Census 2001 of Nagaland has been rejected by the State Govt), this report gives much food for thought for the upcoming Census 2011 (from February 9th to February 28th with a revisional round from 1st March to 5th March), the need to seriously study the reality and Census 2011 to be a true mirror of reality and show the status of women in its true light. One cant, but be provoked to think, that on the contrary, if actual grass root observation of work participation of women in various areas are understood, recognized and recorded, it might definitely give a different picture altogether. Census 2011, with an objective of gender responsive census, is giving special attention towards a gender balanced report where women’s contribution in economic activity is recognized and recorded. Hopefully census 2011 brings out grass root reality of Naga women’s role and status.
But the misconception among the general community is that ‘work’ means only when the woman ‘dresses up nicely like an office goer and goes to a ‘proper Govt office’ and brings home monthly salary. In reality, she does almost every kind of ‘paid/unpaid work’ and contributes much to the economy of the household and to the societyWork (Economic Activity) as per Census 2011 is adopted according to the definition in the S.N.A (System of National Accounts) and as per international practice, is defined as participation in any economically productive activity with or without compensation, wages or profit. Such participation may be physical and/or mental in nature. Work involves not only actual work but also includes effective supervision and direction of work. It even includes part time help or unpaid work on farm, family enterprise or in any other economic activity. The important point is that the activity should be economically productive. In census, a person is categorized as a ‘worker’ when she/he has participated in any economic activity at any time during the reference period (last one year preceding the date of enumeration).
From observation and experience, in the context of Naga women and work (economic activity), there is hardly any ‘work’ that a Naga woman doesn’t do apart from her daily normal household duties (household duties are not treated as economic activities as they are not accounted for in the S.N.A). And also, there is hardly any woman that doesn’t ‘work’. But the misconception among the general community is that ‘work’ means only when the woman ‘dresses up nicely like an office goers and goes to a ‘proper Govt office’ and brings home monthly salary. In reality, she does almost every kind of ‘paid/unpaid work’ and contributes much to the economy of the household and to the society. She is almost every where, every place, every situation that is economically productive .Women work in the Govt offices, NGOs, private companies, educational institutions, they work in the fields and farms, petty business like running a pan shop, a small road side hotel serving tea and rice, big business establishments, selling vegetables from the garden or wild vegetables collected from the jungles, making traditional snacks/other snacks for sale, giving home tuition, helping in the family business, fetching firewood from the jungle for sell, flower gardens/nurseries which brings a good amount of money, spinning, weaving, embroidery, stitching and tailoring, knitting, beautician, running and attending PCOs, giving tuition to their own children in the homes, home distributors for many commercial items , pottery, basket making, bee-keeping, fishing, rearing and tending cattle, poultry, duckery, piggery, making soaps and detergents, producing ornaments and jewelleries, daily wage labor, whole sale dealers. retail outlets, cooking and catering, drying of vegetables and fruits for sell, making gur from sugar cane, production fruit/ vegetable juices, production of pickles or other processed items like fermented Soya, bamboo shoot, mustard leaves, music, dance and art teacher, silk worm rearing,SHGs, micro-finance, vocational institutions, day-care centres, paid domestic work etc etc. The list of work that women/girls do can be endless. Almost every single activity is economically productive and thus she is a worker (whether it be main worker or marginal worker) as per census definition
The national average of female work participation is 25.6%, Nagaland is 18% (2001 census). Is women/female work participation in Nagaland really very low? As per 2001 report, work participation of women is as low as 10 % in some Naga villages! How do Naga women keep themselves busy in the towns and villages of Nagaland? Diligent probing by enumerators and informed and responsible response from the respondents (whether male or female) during this 2011 census will truly determine whether female work participation in Nagaland really is below the national average or above the national average.
K. Ela (National Trainer Census 2011)
But the misconception among the general community is that ‘work’ means only when the woman ‘dresses up nicely like an office goer and goes to a ‘proper Govt office’ and brings home monthly salary. In reality, she does almost every kind of ‘paid/unpaid work’ and contributes much to the economy of the household and to the societyWork (Economic Activity) as per Census 2011 is adopted according to the definition in the S.N.A (System of National Accounts) and as per international practice, is defined as participation in any economically productive activity with or without compensation, wages or profit. Such participation may be physical and/or mental in nature. Work involves not only actual work but also includes effective supervision and direction of work. It even includes part time help or unpaid work on farm, family enterprise or in any other economic activity. The important point is that the activity should be economically productive. In census, a person is categorized as a ‘worker’ when she/he has participated in any economic activity at any time during the reference period (last one year preceding the date of enumeration).
From observation and experience, in the context of Naga women and work (economic activity), there is hardly any ‘work’ that a Naga woman doesn’t do apart from her daily normal household duties (household duties are not treated as economic activities as they are not accounted for in the S.N.A). And also, there is hardly any woman that doesn’t ‘work’. But the misconception among the general community is that ‘work’ means only when the woman ‘dresses up nicely like an office goers and goes to a ‘proper Govt office’ and brings home monthly salary. In reality, she does almost every kind of ‘paid/unpaid work’ and contributes much to the economy of the household and to the society. She is almost every where, every place, every situation that is economically productive .Women work in the Govt offices, NGOs, private companies, educational institutions, they work in the fields and farms, petty business like running a pan shop, a small road side hotel serving tea and rice, big business establishments, selling vegetables from the garden or wild vegetables collected from the jungles, making traditional snacks/other snacks for sale, giving home tuition, helping in the family business, fetching firewood from the jungle for sell, flower gardens/nurseries which brings a good amount of money, spinning, weaving, embroidery, stitching and tailoring, knitting, beautician, running and attending PCOs, giving tuition to their own children in the homes, home distributors for many commercial items , pottery, basket making, bee-keeping, fishing, rearing and tending cattle, poultry, duckery, piggery, making soaps and detergents, producing ornaments and jewelleries, daily wage labor, whole sale dealers. retail outlets, cooking and catering, drying of vegetables and fruits for sell, making gur from sugar cane, production fruit/ vegetable juices, production of pickles or other processed items like fermented Soya, bamboo shoot, mustard leaves, music, dance and art teacher, silk worm rearing,SHGs, micro-finance, vocational institutions, day-care centres, paid domestic work etc etc. The list of work that women/girls do can be endless. Almost every single activity is economically productive and thus she is a worker (whether it be main worker or marginal worker) as per census definition
The national average of female work participation is 25.6%, Nagaland is 18% (2001 census). Is women/female work participation in Nagaland really very low? As per 2001 report, work participation of women is as low as 10 % in some Naga villages! How do Naga women keep themselves busy in the towns and villages of Nagaland? Diligent probing by enumerators and informed and responsible response from the respondents (whether male or female) during this 2011 census will truly determine whether female work participation in Nagaland really is below the national average or above the national average.
K. Ela (National Trainer Census 2011)
