Socio-Economic Conditions of Women Construction Workers: A Case Study of Chamarajanagara City, Karnataka

Abstract

This study investigated the various challenges faced by female construction workers. Despite playing a vital role in social reproduction and economic production, women workers remain largely ignored and invisible in formal labor statistics and legal protections. This paper highlights important problems, including gender-based wage discrimination, unfavourable working conditions, lack of social security, and absence of legal safeguards such as overtime pay, standardised working hours, health, and maternity benefits. Women construction workers are especially vulnerable and face irregular incomes, high living expenses, dependence on unofficial credit sources, and frequent exploitation by local authorities. Furthermore, systemic problems such as sexual harassment, workplace intolerance, denial of terminal benefits, and inadequate healthcare underscore the broader neglect of labor rights in this sector. The present study focuses on investigating the socioeconomic status of female construction workers and evaluating the difficulties they encounter in the study area. In order to assess the socio economic status, working condition of the women construction workers in Chamarajanagara city, 55 sample respondents were selected. A convenience sampling method was adopted to collect primary data with the help of an interview schedule. The findings show that the majority of unskilled female workers were paid less compared to their counterparts. The major problems faced by women construction workers are the lack of security, there is no security for their life at working site. This study would be beneficial for the government, construction organizations, and women who are willing to work in the construction industry-related disciplines.