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Indian Railways is among world's largest transportation and logistics networks. The Railways transports 23 million passengers every day in 12,000 passenger trains and 3 million tonnes of freight per day in 7000 freight trains from its 8000 stations across India. It transports around 36% of overall transit in the transport sector.Although being the national transporter, the women participation in the development and usage of this vast transportation network has been at a comparatively lower rate compared to other sectors, which is an issue that should be addressed. The female participation as consumers of transportation facilities must be improved for establishing railways as a gender-equitable transport system. Women are underrepresented in the transportation sector in general, and in Indian Railways in particular, because the infrastructure is not equipped for female personnel or female passengers.Seeing in totality, it seems that the railways in India has never been planned with keeping the needs of women in mind. Only a few reserved coaches, a few separate restroom blocks at stations, and certain special waiting areas at larger stations are normally planned for female passengers. According to the International Labor Organization's Transport Policy Brief 2013, occupations in the transportation sector are highly gendered and uneven, as is access to transportation services. As a result, when it comes to transportation planning and the quest of good work, women's voices are all too often ignored.Male and female commuters are affected differently by public transportation conditions. Women suffer more when public transportation is in disrepair. For example, if public transportation is unreliable or prohibitively expensive, women may pass up better employment prospects away from home in favour of a low-paying local job closer to home. As a result, a good transportation system (that is both economical and convenient) is critical not just for women's practical needs, such as travelling to school/college or the market, but also for offering equitable chances for women's social and economic empowerment.Concern[caption id="attachment_56321" align="alignnone" width="960"]
Smt. Surekha Yadav becomes Vande Bharat's first female locomotive pilot.[/caption]Despite the fact that Indian Railways has been pursuing all of the efforts and plans introduced by the Government for a more active participation of women in railways as passenger and employee for its development, there are only 100,000 female employees out of a total workforce of 1.3 million, (nearly 8%) of the entire workforce. However, for a managerial position, this ratio is around 13% which is encouraging. Therefore, we can say that labour participation at all levels in Indian Railways needs significant attention.Major IssuesAs previously indicated, the situation for female employees in railways is not much different. Every day at work, women staff encounter a number of problems. There are very few stations that offer separate bathroom for female staff. If female staff are stationed at level crossing gates, for example, there is likely to be no nearby bathroom facility available. Because lower-level employees lack basic workplace amenities, it is likely that relatively few would continue with the job or strive to learn; most will prefer a desk job in a controlled setting where obstacles are less and conditions are better.In a situation where fewer women choose to work in the field, there are chances of lesser vertical up-gradation of women employees to achieve decision-making positions, this further creates a lack of interest towards lesser investment in basic amenities. The employment as aeroplane pilots and air hostesses is popular among young females in the country, while the number of female locomotive pilots and guards is far lower in railways. Additionally, despite the fact that there are a number of female ticket checkers, very few prefer to work in long-distance trains. These are some of the prominent issues that railway is facing. The reason can be attributed to lack of decent restrooms of female running staff, as well as the difficulties associated with long-distance train operations and journeys.Need for active woman participation
Transport acts as a pivot, connecting individuals to their workplaces, educational institutions, and social activities. Everyone uses it. As a result, a wide and elaborative perspective is required to develop and guide the transportation sector at every stage, ensuring that the services it provides are accessible to all.According to International Labor Organization, transport is one of the several areas that has traditionally been seen as having 'no place for women'. The Indian Railways is no exception. Female participation is quite low in all departments of Indian Railways. According to the 2011 census, India has 940 girls for every 1000 males; however, the working population in India tells a different tale.As per a recent NSSO labour force survey, which uses the usual status approach, the estimated female work population ratio (in percentage) in the country in 2009-10 and 2011-12 was 26.6% and 23.7%, respectively. According to the NITI Ayog report, just 27 females per 1000 work in transport, compared to 117 males per 1000 (in urban population) (State Statistics/Labor Force Participation Rates) in storage and communication.This gap persists despite various government initiatives and steps to increase the female participation rate, such as the enactment of the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, which increases paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks and makes a provision for mandatory crèche facility in establishments with 50 or more female employees, and the issuance of an advisory to states under the Factories Act, 1948, to allow women workers in night shifts with adequate severance pay.However, despite the fact that the Minimum Wage Act of 1948 and the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 have been in place for a long time to ensure equal wages for men and women and equal remuneration for men and women for the same or similar work without discrimination, female participation in the workforce has remained stagnant.Situation in other countriesWomen's engagement in other countries is also low. Female labour force participation (aged 15 and up) is 48.7% worldwide as of 2018, lesser than 51.2% in 1990. Nonetheless, public transportation is a sector dominated by male working culture, with females making up about 10% to 30% of the workforce in large countries. JR-East is one of Japan's six major passenger rail companies.
It is crucial to highlight that most countries are undertaking various initiatives to enhance female participation in the transportation sector. Women in Transport, an all-party organisation in the United Kingdom, is active in this subject, holding regular meetings and debates to adopt techniques for increasing female participation.In Europe, the same types of organisations, UITP1 and ETF2, are trying to boost the share of female employees in transportation businesses from 17.5% to at least 25% by 2020 and 40% by 2035. This demonstrates that the value of female participation in the transportation sector is recognised in all countries, and efforts are being made to promote it at all levels.ConclusionUnder Vision 2020, Indian Railways is regarded as a "Vehicle of Inclusive Growth and National Integration" (Indian Railways: Vision 2020). Indian Railways committed in the Citizen Charter issued in March 2018 that providing passenger facilities and convenience in travel is one of the most significant aims of Indian Railways, in terms of both corporate ethics and social commitments. The first mission statement in this charter is safe and dependable services, and the final is essential facilities for females, senior citizens, and disabled persons for their convenience.
The Citizen Charter expresses Indian Railways' commitment to female passengers, and there is now a need to develop gender-friendly transportation. The first, and most crucial, step in achieving this aim may be to hire more female employees at various stations and on trains.A lady travelling alone will feel more secure with a female ticket checker and station master. It instils confidence in female candidates to observe that women operate in night shifts on Indian Railways. If Indian Railways wishes to achieve inclusive development, it is critical that ladies be included in all services and future planning. Whether it is station construction projects or new lines for high-speed trains, a female perspective will enhance social and strategic development.It is worth noting that, with 14 lakh employees, Indian Railways would set an example for other sectors of our economy if it takes initiatives to enhance female involvement at all levels. Indian Railways is an economic and social change career. This position should be broadened by opening doors for females and allowing female employees wings to reach the top and provide quality services to clients.The desired steps towards expanding female labour-force participation should include both infrastructure and regulatory adjustments.
Smt. Surekha Yadav becomes Vande Bharat's first female locomotive pilot.[/caption]Despite the fact that Indian Railways has been pursuing all of the efforts and plans introduced by the Government for a more active participation of women in railways as passenger and employee for its development, there are only 100,000 female employees out of a total workforce of 1.3 million, (nearly 8%) of the entire workforce. However, for a managerial position, this ratio is around 13% which is encouraging. Therefore, we can say that labour participation at all levels in Indian Railways needs significant attention.Major IssuesAs previously indicated, the situation for female employees in railways is not much different. Every day at work, women staff encounter a number of problems. There are very few stations that offer separate bathroom for female staff. If female staff are stationed at level crossing gates, for example, there is likely to be no nearby bathroom facility available. Because lower-level employees lack basic workplace amenities, it is likely that relatively few would continue with the job or strive to learn; most will prefer a desk job in a controlled setting where obstacles are less and conditions are better.In a situation where fewer women choose to work in the field, there are chances of lesser vertical up-gradation of women employees to achieve decision-making positions, this further creates a lack of interest towards lesser investment in basic amenities. The employment as aeroplane pilots and air hostesses is popular among young females in the country, while the number of female locomotive pilots and guards is far lower in railways. Additionally, despite the fact that there are a number of female ticket checkers, very few prefer to work in long-distance trains. These are some of the prominent issues that railway is facing. The reason can be attributed to lack of decent restrooms of female running staff, as well as the difficulties associated with long-distance train operations and journeys.Need for active woman participation
Transport acts as a pivot, connecting individuals to their workplaces, educational institutions, and social activities. Everyone uses it. As a result, a wide and elaborative perspective is required to develop and guide the transportation sector at every stage, ensuring that the services it provides are accessible to all.According to International Labor Organization, transport is one of the several areas that has traditionally been seen as having 'no place for women'. The Indian Railways is no exception. Female participation is quite low in all departments of Indian Railways. According to the 2011 census, India has 940 girls for every 1000 males; however, the working population in India tells a different tale.As per a recent NSSO labour force survey, which uses the usual status approach, the estimated female work population ratio (in percentage) in the country in 2009-10 and 2011-12 was 26.6% and 23.7%, respectively. According to the NITI Ayog report, just 27 females per 1000 work in transport, compared to 117 males per 1000 (in urban population) (State Statistics/Labor Force Participation Rates) in storage and communication.This gap persists despite various government initiatives and steps to increase the female participation rate, such as the enactment of the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, which increases paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks and makes a provision for mandatory crèche facility in establishments with 50 or more female employees, and the issuance of an advisory to states under the Factories Act, 1948, to allow women workers in night shifts with adequate severance pay.However, despite the fact that the Minimum Wage Act of 1948 and the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 have been in place for a long time to ensure equal wages for men and women and equal remuneration for men and women for the same or similar work without discrimination, female participation in the workforce has remained stagnant.Situation in other countriesWomen's engagement in other countries is also low. Female labour force participation (aged 15 and up) is 48.7% worldwide as of 2018, lesser than 51.2% in 1990. Nonetheless, public transportation is a sector dominated by male working culture, with females making up about 10% to 30% of the workforce in large countries. JR-East is one of Japan's six major passenger rail companies.
It is crucial to highlight that most countries are undertaking various initiatives to enhance female participation in the transportation sector. Women in Transport, an all-party organisation in the United Kingdom, is active in this subject, holding regular meetings and debates to adopt techniques for increasing female participation.In Europe, the same types of organisations, UITP1 and ETF2, are trying to boost the share of female employees in transportation businesses from 17.5% to at least 25% by 2020 and 40% by 2035. This demonstrates that the value of female participation in the transportation sector is recognised in all countries, and efforts are being made to promote it at all levels.ConclusionUnder Vision 2020, Indian Railways is regarded as a "Vehicle of Inclusive Growth and National Integration" (Indian Railways: Vision 2020). Indian Railways committed in the Citizen Charter issued in March 2018 that providing passenger facilities and convenience in travel is one of the most significant aims of Indian Railways, in terms of both corporate ethics and social commitments. The first mission statement in this charter is safe and dependable services, and the final is essential facilities for females, senior citizens, and disabled persons for their convenience.
The Citizen Charter expresses Indian Railways' commitment to female passengers, and there is now a need to develop gender-friendly transportation. The first, and most crucial, step in achieving this aim may be to hire more female employees at various stations and on trains.A lady travelling alone will feel more secure with a female ticket checker and station master. It instils confidence in female candidates to observe that women operate in night shifts on Indian Railways. If Indian Railways wishes to achieve inclusive development, it is critical that ladies be included in all services and future planning. Whether it is station construction projects or new lines for high-speed trains, a female perspective will enhance social and strategic development.It is worth noting that, with 14 lakh employees, Indian Railways would set an example for other sectors of our economy if it takes initiatives to enhance female involvement at all levels. Indian Railways is an economic and social change career. This position should be broadened by opening doors for females and allowing female employees wings to reach the top and provide quality services to clients.The desired steps towards expanding female labour-force participation should include both infrastructure and regulatory adjustments. - मूलभूत सुविधांच्या समस्येकडे लक्ष देणेः शहरी महिलांच्या दैनंदिन गरजा आणि इतर लिंग-संबंधित उपायांसह त्यांच्या मागण्या पूर्ण करणे देखील महत्त्वाचे आहे. महिलांना अपारंपारिक कारकीर्द करण्यासाठी प्रोत्साहित करण्यासाठी, संस्थांनी स्वागतार्ह वातावरण प्रदान केले पाहिजे. हे घडवण्यासाठी पायाभूत सुविधा हा सर्वात महत्त्वाचा घटक आहे. सर्व आस्थापनांमध्ये स्वतंत्र शौचालये यासारख्या मूलभूत सुविधा पुरविण्यास प्राधान्य दिले पाहिजे. लांब पल्ल्याच्या गाड्यांमध्ये महिलांना चालक/रक्षक किंवा तिकीट तपासक म्हणून काम करण्यापासून रोखणारा दुसरा अडथळा म्हणजे शौचालय सुविधांचा अभाव.
- आर्थिक प्रोत्साहनः असे दिसून आले आहे की आर्थिक प्रोत्साहन हे कठीण नोकऱ्या सुरू करण्यासाठी प्रोत्साहन म्हणून काम करू शकते. त्यामुळे, जर पात्र महिलांसाठी चांगल्या पगाराची रेल्वे नोकरी उपलब्ध झाली, तर त्यांना कमी पगाराची कारकीर्द सुरू ठेवण्यासाठी प्रोत्साहित केले जाईल. केवळ आर्थिक बक्षिसे शारीरिकदृष्ट्या कठीण कामाचे आकर्षण वाढवू शकतात. जर महिला कर्मचाऱ्यांना अतिरिक्त लाभ दिले गेले तर या पदांसाठी तरुण महिलांची संख्या वाढण्याची शक्यता आहे.
- व्यवस्थापकीय पदांवर आरक्षणः सार्वजनिक वाहतूक प्राधिकरणाच्या सर्व स्तरांवर महिलांच्या उपस्थितीमुळे संस्थेमध्ये महिलांचे प्रश्न त्यांच्या सेवा आणि पायाभूत सुविधांमध्ये आघाडीवर आणून लिंगभेदाला मुख्य प्रवाहात आणण्याची क्षमता आहे. परिणामी, महिला अधिकाऱ्यांची वाढती संख्या रेल्वे सेवेत रुजू होणे आणि प्रवास सुरू झाल्यानंतर वचनबद्ध राहणे महत्वाचे आहे. वरिष्ठ व्यवस्थापन पदांसाठी आरक्षण देऊन हे साध्य केले जाऊ शकते.
- प्रसिद्धी आणि ग्लॅमरायझेशनः तरुण लोक त्यांच्या आर्थिक साधनांमध्ये असलेल्या किंवा एअर होस्टेस किंवा विमान वैमानिकांसारख्या विशिष्ट आकर्षण असलेल्या कारकिर्दीकडे आकर्षित होतात. भारतीय रेल्वेतील कारकीर्द तरुण विद्यार्थ्यांमध्ये चांगल्या पगाराच्या आणि लोकप्रिय आहेत, परंतु नोकरीशी संबंधित वास्तविक अडचणी आणि बक्षिसे सामान्यतः समजली जात नाहीत.
- महिला समित्याः भारतीय रेल्वे मंडळाने अलीकडेच सूचना जारी केल्या आहेत की, सर्व विभागांमध्ये प्राधान्याच्या आधारावर स्वतंत्र शौचालये आणि कपडे बदलण्याच्या खोल्यांमधील अपुरेपणा दुरुस्त करणे आवश्यक आहे आणि अशी सर्व कामे पूर्ण करण्यासाठी कालमर्यादा निश्चित केली आहे. महिला कर्मचाऱ्यांच्या चिंता दूर करण्यासाठी रेल्वे मंडळाने कर्मचारी सनदेतही वचनबद्धता दर्शवली आहे.
- संघटनात्मक इच्छाशक्तीः भारतीय रेल्वेच्या दृष्टीकोनात लैंगिक संवेदनशीलता समाविष्ट करण्यासाठी आणि ती सर्व प्रशिक्षण कार्यक्रमांचा एक भाग बनवण्यासाठी संघटनात्मक इच्छाशक्तीची आवश्यकता आहे. महिला कर्मचार्यांना विशेष प्रकरण मानले जाऊ नये, परंतु महिलांना त्यांच्या वैयक्तिक गरजा पूर्ण करण्यासाठी समान लक्ष देणे अत्यावश्यक आहे आणि सर्व विभागांमध्ये हे अंमलात आणण्यासाठी योग्य तरतुदी केल्या पाहिजेत.