Women and the Changing Nature of Work in Hyderabad’s HITEC City

Abstract

This article will look at the ways in which gendered work is being transformed in contemporary India by focussing on Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana. Since the mid-1990s, after India opened its doors to multinational agencies, new forms of gendered labour have manifested. One of the ramifications of this gendered process is the feminisation of labour that enabled the participation of more women in the work force, engaging in activities that were low-paid. The basis of feminisation is that certain jobs require fewer skills or particular kinds of skills, for which women are thought to be suitable. This also has implications for the low bargaining power of women workers. The feminisation of the labour force in HITEC city, Hyderabad is a consequence of the changing labour markets with globalisation, offshore factories, migration and other changes in the workplace.

We Know What is Good for Her: Hunar, and Respectable Work for Women

“…Islam, 2022), at the same time they remain vulnerable to sexual harassment and are paid low salaries/wages. Pradhan et al (2022) foreground the transformations wrought on by the globalisation in the HITEC city of Hyderabad resulting in the feminisation of labour which encourages the participation of women in the new economy, however, on the downside they are largely segregated in care and affective work which is categorised as feminised work. Despite the surge in demand for women in feminised labour does not catalyse improvement in the work conditions and wage raise.…”