Status of Women in Informal Sector: Reference from Sitalkuchi Block of Koch Bihar District, West Bengal

The informal sector is integral to economic development in many developing countries, including India. This sector is important for its significant financial contributions, particularly in employment generation. According to one estimate, employment in India is overwhelmingly informal as 90% of all employees are in the informal sector. Moreover, 92% of women are informally employed. After the Industrial Revolution, women took entry in the labour market as wage labour but since then, they always occupied a secondary role in the labour market. For women, this informal sector is characterised by the presence of wage discrimination, lack of job security, irregularity, long hours of work etc. Hence, studying the role of women in the informal sector is essential for understanding their economic, social, and health dynamics, addressing gender inequalities and formulating effective policies. The purpose of this research is to investigate the nature and state of women's employment in the informal sector. To better understand the situation on the ground, a modest survey was carried out in three villages of Sitalkuchi block of Koch Bihar district, West Bengal. Information was gathered through unstructured interviews. To draw findings, qualitative analysis was finally used.