As India’s population soars above all, fewer women have jobs
India will soon eclipse China to become the world's most populous country, and its economy is among the fastest-growing
By KRUTIKA PATHI
Published - Apr 10, 2023, 12:21 AM ET
Last Updated - Jun 22, 2023, 09:29 AM EDT
MUMBAI, India (AP) — Sheela Singh cried the day she handed in her resignation.
For 16 years, she had been a social worker in Mumbai, India's frenetic financial capital, and she loved the work. But her family kept telling her she needed to stay at home to take care of her two children. She resisted the pressure for years, but when she found out her daughter was skipping school when she was at work, it felt like she didn't have a choice.
“Everyone used to tell me my kids were neglected … it made me feel really bad,” Singh, 39, said.
When she resigned in 2020, Singh was earning more money than her husband, an auto-rickshaw driver whose earnings fluctuated day to day. But nobody suggested he quit.
