Wages for housework: Can cash transfers empower Indian women?

In this episode of Frontline Conversations, Prabha Kotiswaran, Professor of Law and Social Justice at King’s College London, speaks about her book "Wages for Housework: India’s Experiment with Unconditional Cash Transfers to Women". The book looks at India’s growing use of unconditional cash transfers to women through the lens of feminist social reproduction theory, with field research in Goa, Assam, and West Bengal. Kotiswaran discusses the feminist history behind the idea of “wages for housework” and explains why recognising women’s unpaid domestic and care work does not necessarily mean reinforcing it. She argues that unconditional cash transfers can be redistributive even when they are not fully transformative, particularly when women have little control over household finances or are excluded from paid employment. She also addresses the criticism that these schemes are primarily electoral tools, arguing that women beneficiaries exercise agency in how they understand welfare, the state and their voting choices. Kotiswaran explains why feminist participation in policymaking is necessary when designing cash transfer programmes and why unconditional cash transfers must remain part of a broader agenda for gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, and transforming the care economy. Highlights: - The feminist history of “Wages for Housework” - Why recognising unpaid domestic labour matters - Whether cash transfers are primarily electoral tools - The relationship between cash transfers and the gender division of labour - Rural and urban differences in how women experience cash transfers - How cash transfers affect women’s bargaining power within households - The role of feminist movements in welfare policymaking <!--THE END--> - Cash transfers to women in India - Women’s unpaid labour - Feminist economics - Wages for housework - Women’s economic empowerment - Gender and welfare policy Perfect for viewers interested in: Credits: Host: Ayesha Minhaz Editing: Razal Pareed Producers: Kavya Pradeep M and Muhammed Mukhtar T H If you found this video insightful, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to Frontline for more in-depth conversations. Subscribe to Frontline: Subscribe to Frontline Digital: Renewals / New Subscriptions for Unlimited Access Follow us on: Facebook -   / frontlineindia   Twitter - Frontline (@frontline\_india) / X Instagram -   / frontline.magazine   LinkedIn -   / frontline-magazine-b12921295