Determinants of Work Participation and Income of Female Embroidery Artisans in West Bengal, India

Abstract

Hand embroidery industry has spread over wide area of southern West Bengal. Howrah and South 24 Parganas are the two main districts where high concentration of unorganised embroidery industry is located. Major segment of employment in hand embroidery are generated in tiny home-based enterprises. Low-skilled, low value added products along with high quality export-oriented products are produced in different production organisations. A large number of home-based production organisations are operated by significant number female artisans. Majority of the women were involved in this unorganised sector because of economic backwardness. The sub-contracting system of production exploits the female artisans through under-payment. But, hand embroidery works now become a means to maintain somehow moderate level of livelihood to the poor female artisans. Hand embroidery works serve some goal to achieve women empowerment among distressed rural and semi-urban families. The present study deals with the socioeconomic status of female embroidery artisans and econometric models have been applied to explore the determinants of work participation and income of them. Concluding part of the paper presents the summary of findings and recommends some measure for future economic amelioration of the artisans.