Women’s Work in South Asia: Reflections on the Past Decade

The development and promotion of legislation and policies promoting gender equity in employment form an essential part of the agenda of international organisations and global forums. However, gender inequity in the labour markets of South Asian countries remains, and the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 predicts that it will take 197 years to achieve gender parity. This article explores some of the changes and challenges of the past 10 years related to gender equity in employment and outlines some of the legislative changes during this time such as the increase in maternity leave and requirement for women on boards. While changes have occurred, many issues of inequity remain. The changes brought about by the government regulations during the pandemic of 2020-2022, including the sudden focus on working from home, has had both positive and negative effects on women’s work and lives.