Despite the fact that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was established 75 years ago, the fight against gender discrimination is still one of the most important struggles of our day. The disparity in pay between formal and informal sectors becomes a crucial arena for the complex struggle for human rights, where the concepts of equality are frequently misrepresented.

Women are disproportionately represented in these vulnerable roles in the informal sector, which accounts for a significant amount of global economic output but is rarely discussed in general economic discourses. The informal sector, which includes a wide range of occupations like housekeeping, street vending, and small enterprises, is characterized by a peculiar lack of labor rights or employee contracts that permit inequality to grow unchecked.

When compared to their male counterparts, women working in the informal economy have much less opportunity and remuneration. Uncertainties in the law pertaining to informal employment allow discrimination to continue covertly. In-country initiatives to recognize and protect informal women workers, who represent the backbone of communities around the world, offer benefits in terms of development and ethics.

Empowering women, who are the backbone of India's economy yet suffer persistent obstacles to equitable pay, is imperative. The time for action is now.

The Stark Reality - Statistics Speak Louder Than Words:

• World Inequality Report 2022: Let's start with some sobering data from the World Inequality Report 2022. The survey claims that men in India make up the majority of labor income earners, taking home an astounding 82% of the total, while women only make up 18%. This extreme difference results in a startling gender pay gap of 78%. It begs the question: Why does India's gender wage disparity continue to exist?
   
• Global Gender Gap Report 2023: India is ranked 127th out of 146 nations in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023, which presents a gloomy image of gender inequality in the country. This depressing ranking highlights the enormous differences in a number of areas of life, particularly in terms of economic opportunity and participation, which significantly contribute to the overall gender pay gap.
   
• Periodic Labour Force Survey 2022-23: The Government of India's PLFS 2022–23 provides insight into the actual situation on the ground. It shows that the average rate of labor force participation for men living in rural areas is 80.2%, while the rate for women living in the same areas hovers around 41.5%.
   
• National Family Health Survey 2019-21: Another spectrum of insight is provided by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2019–21. It reveals a striking disparity in the rates of labor force participation—just 25.2% of women and a startling 74.8% of men are employed in India.

The Why: Key Perpetuating Factors:
Widening salary gaps are maintained by deeply ingrained conventions and practices, the underlying factors that contribute to persistence of these challenges are:

• Segregation in the Workplace: Stereotyping pushes women into lower-status, lower-paying positions.
   
• A 2003 survey found: There was a sizable gender disparity in Latin America's informal economy: 50.1% of women and 44.1% of men employed in non-agricultural labor were in the informal sector.
   
• Motherhood Penalty: Women's employment and income usually suffer when they take time off for caregiving activities. In India, the pay difference between mothers and non-mothers is 15%, according to the ILRR report.
   
• Education-Wage Disconnect: Women's earnings growth significantly lags advancements in attainment, even though female education levels are rising. This emphasizes how important it is to address larger labor market biases.
   
• Enforcement Gaps: Although there are strong equal pay legislations in place, they are not adequately enforced, which allows discrimination to go unchecked.
   
• Attendance Loophole: The majority of the informal sector does not have an attendance system. Although attendance is taken at construction sites, it is often manipulated, leading to a lesser pay despite minimum wages set by the government.

The complexities of the issue are made clear by concrete instances. In India, gender disparity in the workforce is glaringly obvious. Women make up just 12% of construction workers, and they are paid 30% less than men in this sector.

For example: Neha, a construction worker who, despite her efforts, had a severe setback in her job progression, because of a brief maternity leave.

Disparities may be made worse along a number of axes, including caste, class, age, and geography. Think about a Dalit women, who bear two burdens: they earn far less than the average salary of men. Then there's Ananya, a new graduate encountering obstacles because of her inexperience, and Maya, a rural woman struggling with a lack of education and ingrained gender norms.

The statistics don't provide a complete picture. They conceal more difficult circumstances for women from underprivileged groups, who make up a disproportionate share of India's unorganized labor force. Focused solutions that prioritize their needs are essential.

Strategies for Change:

• Strengthen Legal Frameworks and Enforcement: Although equal pay legislation is already in place in India, it is still difficult to enforce them. It is suggested that the enforcement regimes be strengthened, with severe penalties for offenders, in order to increase the efficacy of these laws. Drawing motivation from the triumph of Rajasthan's Equal Remuneration Rules, pushing for their widespread implementation. To guarantee complete protection, it is also necessary to extend rights and norms to include the entire informal sector.
   
• Make Education and Skill Development Investments: Education is a potent instrument for women's empowerment. Such programs ought to be expanded nationally, building on the achievements of projects like "Project Abhinav Kanya Shiksha Karyakaram," which teaches girls in Gujarat STEM subjects. Programs for vocational skills training can also give women the knowledge of their rights and abilities necessary for higher-paying positions across a range of industries.
   
• Encourage Women's Leadership and Entrepreneurship: Women's economic empowerment necessitates the encouragement of women's leadership and entrepreneurship. In India, the "Stand Up India" campaign has helped a lot of women-owned enterprises. In addition to creating networks, mentoring programs, and leadership pipelines, the corporate giants should be encouraged to emulate similar initiatives in order to provide women the tools and chances they need to succeed in the workplace.
   
• Initiate Social Change via Sensitization: Reducing gender wage gaps requires a fundamental shift in culture. Inspired by the "HeForShe" movement, it is advised to launch programs in which CEOs formally commit to paying equity. It is possible to dispel prejudices and encourage a more welcoming workplace by implementing workplace training programs and incorporating pay equity modules into school curricula.

A one-size-fits all approach cannot redress complex inequities. Policies and interventions must align with on-the-ground realities.

Conclusion:
A Close examination of India's gender pay disparity demonstrates the urgent need for significant reforms. The World Inequality Report, Global Gender Gap Report, PLFS, and NFHS statistics highlight the extreme inequality ingrained in jobs in the informal economy, which employs a disproportionate number of women. There must be practical answers given this striking image of injustice spanning the core of the Indian economy.

India has a significant gender pay disparity, particularly in the informal sector. Data demonstrates the extent of unfairness and pay disparity throughout India's economy. This calls for immediate change. India now has the chance to appreciate women's economic contributions and empower them.

Individual accounts such as those of Maya and Neha provide a human face to the daily challenges that millions of people suffer due to unequal wages. Their tenacity inspires realistic measures to raise pay and enhance working conditions since it stands for development. Indian women must no longer be held back or have their talents ignored by archaic social norms.

Effective and practical programs like "Stand Up India" and "Project Abhinav Kanya Shiksha Karyakaram" have given us a head-start. Now is the moment to expand and replicate these achievements.