1. This survey was sponsored by the Ministry of Planning and Programme Implementation, New Delhi and was carried out in 1998-99 by Dr. Bashir A.Dabla and his team of 24 research investigators, all belonging to Department of Sociology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, J & K , India.  The final report of the survey was submitted to the ministry in January 2000.

2. The unit of study of this survey was the Kashmir valley and the sample composed of 4800 respondents [800 from each district] belonging to various economic, social, educational, demographic, age, religious, linguistic, and martial groups. The findings of the survey are as follows.

3. SOCIAL PROBLEMS: The survey revealed that dominant majority of respondents had given dowry to the boy's family before or at the time of marriage, mainly on the insistence of girls.  Though all boys pay or agree to pay mahr at the time of marriage, but most of them don't pay in future.  The practice of polygamy is exceptional than general.  Those who married two, three or four women numbered 7.37%, 0.39% and 0.04% respectively.  While remarriage of widows takes place occasionally, divorce is considered highly undesirable.  Most of the women are denied inheritance rights, especially in rural areas.  About 12% women were beaten by their husbands.  The adoption of working role by women has created several problems within and outside their homes.  Children compose the main suffering lot.

4. ECONOMIC PROBLEMS: All women in the valley are active in all economic sectors/fields.  They worked in the fields of agriculture [36.00%], handicrafts [18.06], small business [07.77%], household-occupations [07.66%] and other economic activities [21.06].  In agriculture, the work, on their own and others lands and get minimum wages. They usually get differentiated and exploited, especially in the handicraft sector, in which a significant number of girl children work for petty wages.   In most cases, regular income of women has not ensure their economic independence.   The concerned govt. programmes/schemes has not benefited them all and in totally.

5. EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS: The survey conveyed that 29.50% women were literate in the valley.  In an average family [having 6.11 members], there were 1.26 male and 1.17 female educated members, 30.14% women had not all educational facilities  available.  At present, 2.96% children [1.71 boys and 1.24 girls] in an average family go to schools.  The drop-out rate  up to matric stage stood 21.00% for boys and 22.33% for girls.  While 40.15% children were studying in govt. schools, 30.47% children were in private schools.  The monthly expenditure  on education for 39.67% children was up to Rs.500/-, it was between Rs. 501/- and Rs. 1000/- for 27.22% children.  Again, it was Rs.1001/- and above for 8.95% children.

6. HEALTH PROBLEMS: The investigation revealed that while 58.43% children had undergone immunization fully, 9.79% children had taken it partly.   The major/common diseases found among children were cough, cold, dysentery, fever and jaundice.  The last delivery of women were conducted by doctor [20.66%], ANM [4.09%], trained dai [56.62%], untrained dai [14.60%], relative [16.73%] and neighbour [9.10%].  While 20.66% women delivered their babies in govt. hospitals, 5.33% in private nursing homes and 74.00% in their homes.  Woman on an average gave birth to 3.5 babies.  While 2.8 survived, 1.0 died, 63.39% women wanted no more children, but 4.10% wanted more children, especially males, 50.77% women breast feed their children, but 19.68% do not do it.  For family planning purpose, women used IUD/CUT [6.18%], Oral pills [58.25%], condoms [4.35%].

7. DISCRIMINATION PROBLEMS: The research divulged that women were harassed continously at their places of work.  This included mental and physical harassement at govt. and non-govt. offices.  Despite formal complaints, this practice continues.  29.15% women working in handicraft sector were getting lesser wages than their males.  While 43.37% women were given their inheritance rights, 36.75% were denied these rights.  Women had lesser authority than men in all in-family and out-family situations.  18.14% women were in favour of abortion, especially when the baby is of  female sex.                     

Main Findings and Recommendations of the Study on Gender Issues Affecting Females in Household  Industries in Vellore District of Tamilnadu        

   This study was sponsored by the Department of Statistics, Ministry of Planning and Programme Implementation, Government of India, and it was carried out by the Centre for Development Research  and Training (CFDRT), Chennai between October 1998 and May 1999.  The main findings and recommendations of the study are as follows.

1. Given the shrinking of the farm sector, the burden of providing full and sustainable employment in the rural areas has fallen on the non-farm sector.

2. There is need to collect data on problems faced by women engaged in household industries at  least from one district from each broad region of each state.

3. Recognizing the fact that the modern market concept is not longer confined to villages but increasingly forms part of a larger national network, the traditional household industries have to adapt themselves to such emerging market trends.

4. There is need to develop newer and market-driven designs for such products.

5. Notwithstanding the potential of the rural household industries to generate large employment opportunities, and is eminently suited for weaker groups like women, the assistance flowing to this sector from the banking sector has been woefully small.

6. The origin of the apparent gender biases in the district can be traced to the historicity of the contemporary social and cultural contexts.

7. Earlier attempts at starting non-farm income generation activities have met with a high rate of failure mainly because of their accent on production rather rhan on marketability and lack of capacity in their resource support base.

8. In most of the cases observed, raw materials are supplied by middle persons which makes the women dependent on larger producers and their agents.  Setting up of self-help groups would encourage entreprencurship in such women.

9. Problems faced by Scattered Scheduled Tribe populations and members of their fringe communities need to be further studied through ethnographic research.

10. New products for which there is demand in the market may be introduced in order to augment the incomes of poorer women engaged in household industries.

11. Another area which needs to be addressed is the low participation of women in the production and sales processes.  This can be addressed through proper training.

12. In preparation processes including manual manufacturing and finishing processes, which involve high level of physical activity and drudgery, women participate more.  This gender bias needs to be addressed through advocacy, communication and motivation strategies to bring about the desired behaviour changes.

13. The lowest participation rate by women is in the area of selling-a mere 1.1%.  This needs to be addressed through appropriate training, communication and advocacy.

14. Awareness of women about income generation programmes operating in the district is woefully low, warranting  suitable awareness generation programmes.

15. There is need for organizing skill training programmes for women (and men) in household industries based upon a scientifically carried out Training Needs Assessment (TNA).

16. There is need to establish market linkages directly to the household industry workers, and to women in particular.

17. Gender biases work against women in marketing their products.  Women's Empowerment programmes should address such issues adequately.

18. Access to poorer women to minor forest produce-based raw materials nust be ensured.

19. Awareness of Common facility Centres should increased among the women workers.

20. Such awareness programmes should be tailored (including use of local cultural expressions) to result in the desired behaviour changes among the target audience.

21. Data collection, planning and implementation of sustainable employment generation programmes should be done through participatory methods.

22. For identified new products, self-help groups should be set up to venture upon.

23. Besides skill training, such programmes should include training in other subjects like health, nutrition, legal rights of women, simple book-keeping and leadership.

24. The Annual District Credit Plan should take note of all these requirements and try to mobilize resources accordingly.

25. Capacity building for NGO's should be taken up to ensure better support services to women's groups engaged in such income generation activities.