In this interview, Salewa Olewoye spoke with Dr. Muzna Alvi, a Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the winner of the prestigious ASE Helen Potter Award. The conversation centers on Dr. Alvi’s award-winning research examining the complex dynamics of gender, caste, religion, and female labor force participation in India.
Key Takeaways from the Discussion
India’s Unique Paradox: Unlike typical economic development trends, India experienced a multi-decade decline in female labor force participation. Dr. Alvi breaks down the factors behind this shift, including changing cultural norms, structural shifts in a services-led economy, longer schooling for young women, and data measurement biases.
The Intersection of Religion and Caste: The interview explores why communities with similar economic deprivations exhibit vastly different labor outcomes. Dr. Alvi addresses why Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) women display high rates of labor participation while Muslim women face significantly lower rates, attributing much of this disparity to economic “ghettoization” and local job availability rather than purely cultural factors.
Policy Approaches & Solutions: Dr. Alvi highlights practical pathways forward, emphasizing the role of India’s self-help group movement, national workfare programs, and the vital necessity of supporting smallholder agriculture where most rural women are employed.