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Confronting Gender Inequality and Gender Pay Gap in India's Workforce

From Daily Wages to Academia: Tracing India's Persistent Gender Pay Gap and Gender Inequality Across Sectors - Voices of Women Reveal a Deep-Rooted Issue

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Bimla, a 50-year-old daily wage labourer from Noida, has been working in construction for the past 18 years. Despite her hard work, she faces a significant pay disparity compared to her male colleagues. "At the construction sites, I carry heavy loads on my head and climb up to four floors," Bimla shares. "Yet, despite doing the same work, I earn only 400 rupees a day, while men receive 700 rupees. This issue isn't just mine; many women experience this unfair wage gap."

Bimla
Bimla | Photo courtesy: The Probe

Birwati, a 60-year-old daily wage labourer with 23 years of experience, highlights the multifaceted challenges women face in the labour sector. "Pay disparity is just one of the many issues. We're often not the preferred choice for daily wage jobs, with men getting priority and women seen as liabilities," she explains. Birwati's says this is a deeper systemic issue, where even securing employment is a significant hurdle for many women.

Describing the wage and gender inequality, she says, "We women earn about 400 rupees for the same work that earns men 500 or more. But what can we do? Speaking up risks our livelihood. When we've asked for equal pay, we're bluntly told to go work elsewhere if we want fairness. So, we stopped asking." 

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The stories of Vimala and Birwati are a stark representation of the numerous challenges faced by women labourers. These difficulties go beyond just wage disparities; they encompass systemic issues of gender bias and gender inequality in the workforce. Women in such positions often find themselves in a precarious situation where speaking out against unfair practices could lead to the loss of their already limited job opportunities. As a result, they are compelled to accept lower wages and unequal treatment as a trade-off for job security.

We also caught up with Rajkali, another daily wage worker. Her experience further underscores the pervasive issue of gender-based wage disparity in the labour sector. Having worked for 20 years at a construction site in Noida, she echoes the sentiments of many women labourers who feel voiceless and underrepresented. "We receive less pay than men, but we're left with no choice but

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Blinkit Workers Allege Exploitation, Push for Reforms

Blinkit workers demand reforms to address low wages and unsafe conditions in India's gig economy. Their fight challenges labour rights violations in quick-commerce platforms.

By Ajay N
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Blinkit workers protest

Blinkit workers protesting in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Courtesy: Special arrangement

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Blinkit Workers Rally Against Wage Cuts, Poor Conditions

In India, gig workers form the backbone of the rapidly expanding digital economy, powering platforms like Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zomato to deliver goods and services with unprecedented speed. These workers, often young and from economically vulnerable backgrounds, navigate challenging urban landscapes, working long hours to meet the demands of quick-commerce platforms. Their labour enables companies to promise deliveries in minutes, fueling India’s gig economy, which, according to a 2022 NITI Aayog report, is projected to employ 23.5 million workers by 2029. However, the precarious nature of gig work—marked by low wages, lack of social security, and minimal legal protections—has sparked growing unrest, as seen in recent protests by Blinkit workers in Varanasi.

On April 26, 2025, approximately 150 Blinkit delivery workers in Shri Ram Colony, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, launched a strike to protest alleged labour rights violations, including low wages and unsafe working conditions. The workers claim that Blinkit, a Zomato-owned quick-commerce platform, responded by suspending the IDs of all 150 striking workers, effectively barring them from earning a livelihood. The workers’ grievances center on reduced incentive rates, inadequate earnings, and the company’s failure to provide basic amenities like shaded waiting areas or heat-appropriate uniforms.

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