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The Challenges Faced by Women in Blue-Collar Jobs

Authors

  • Dr. Naveeda Noreen Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Management and Technology, Lahore
  • Maryam Shoukat University of Central Punjab
  • Sajal Asghar University of Management & Technology
  • Roobia Farooq University of Management & Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58932/MULA0021

Keywords:

Blue color jobs, women, double burden, challenges, Pakistan

Abstract

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of women in the labor force where they are consistently making significant economic contributions. Despite constituting 39.3% of the labor force in Pakistan, women face numerous challenges in their workplaces due to societal norms, and behaviors. This study explores the challenges faced by women holding blue-collar jobs in educational institutions in Lahore, Pakistan. This qualitative research unveils a nuanced array of obstacles confronted by women employed in blue-collar positions. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 female security guards and janitors, purposefully selected from two private higher educational institutions in Lahore. Thematic analysis was conducted and a total of four themes were extracted from the data. The findings expose a complex web of challenges that women in blue-collar jobs face including gender-based discrimination, the double burden of domestic and job responsibilities, unique restraints of blue-collar jobs and institutional facilities available to formal labor, and finally the significance of family support. Blue-collar jobs have been an arena of a male-dominated workforce. Women’s participation in this sector has been understudied in Pakistan. The present study aims to highlight the unique challenges that are linked to blue-collar jobs and women’s experiences of these issues.

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Published

2024-06-30

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How to Cite

Noreen, D. N., Shoukat, M. ., Asghar, S. ., & Farooq, R. . (2024). The Challenges Faced by Women in Blue-Collar Jobs. Journal of Professional Research in Social Sciences, 11(1), 61–82. https://doi.org/10.58932/MULA0021

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2024): Jan-Jun

Section

Articles (English)