Patwardhan Publishes Research Article in The Economic and Labour Relations Review
Posted: 8/21/2025 (CSDE Research)
CSDE External Affiliate Vedavati Patwardhan (Center on Gender Equity and Health, UC San Diego) recently published a research article in The Economic and Labour Relations Review titled, “Work-related decision-making and economic well-being among married women in India.” In this article, Dr. Patwardhan and co-authors use original survey data from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra to examine how married women’s agency over the decision to work influences economic inclusion. In all three states, women who make the decision to work independently are significantly more likely to engage in paid work than those whose spouses control this decision. In Maharashtra, sole work-related decision-making is also linked to higher savings and remittances sent by married women. In all three states, women who make work-related decisions jointly with their spouses have greater control over money. This study highlights work-related agency as a crucial dimension of women’s economic opportunities, adding to the growing evidence on the importance of women’s household bargaining power in shaping their economic participation. To read more about Dr. Patwardhan and her co-authors’ findings and results, visit this link.