- Research
Research
Cutting edge reports, briefs and factsheets delivering the latest evidence on labor markets.
- Reports
- Briefs
- Factsheets
Featured Work
Brief
- Data & Insights
Data & Insights
Featuring topical and informative data and graphs from our blogs and other Institute publications.
- Perspectives
- Explainers
- Data Stories
- Podcasts
Featured
Perspective
PerspectiveClimate Change, Energy and Natural Resources 29 October 2015Why Renewables Are Not Just About Climate Change
by Jit Shankar Banerjee
- Stories
Stories
Human interest stories that capture on ground voices from the World of Work.
- Photo Essays
- Films
Featured
Film
- Events
- Issues
- Initiatives
India must shun Nehruvian metropolis bias & turn to small cities for urban economic growth
7 June 2019
ABOUT THIS Perspective
India’s urban policy attributes the messiness to migrants, slums and poverty, and its preferred antidote is a Chandigarh-like order.
You may also be interested in
Perspective
Jobs: Bridging the gap between growth and quality
JJN’s Sabina Dewan writes on the urgent need to bridge the gap between growth and quality of jobs for the Indian working-age population. Labour market in India is failing to generate enough high-quality jobs for its large and growing population; at the same time employers struggle to find workers with the right skills for the job openings they have. Highlighting the growing extent of precarity in the nature of available work in the country, she makes the case for adopting a ground-up approach for job creation.
Perspective
E-commerce revolution is not inclusive enough
JJN’s Sabina Dewan writes on the expanding e-commerce ecosystem in India and its effect on MSMEs of the country. From the perspective of micro, small and medium enterprises, that are dealing with tech disruptions to stay in business and the 111 million jobs they support, she calls for appropriate and effective regulations to enable more inclusive growth of e-commerce.
Perspective
Capital versus labour in the digital age: Rigged against workers
While tech platforms have eased our lives, too little attention is paid to a growing inequity. Capital gets to multiply, but gig workers are left at a disadvantage as they’re not treated as employees and lack labour protection under the law. This capital-labour imbalance needs to be addressed.
Perspective
FutureWORKS Collective: Charting New Frontiers in the Global South
As global labour markets continue to undergo transition induced by rapid technological advancement and climate change, there is not enough research that captures the diverse experiences of the Global South. The FutureWORKS Collective, funded by IDRC Canada, is a consortium of research organisations that will fill this lacuna. The JustJobs Network is proud to be the coordinator of this initiative that underscores the urgency of adapting research and policies to the realities of the Global South.
Perspective
Bihar-India’s latest urban frontier
Bihar’s unconventional urbanisation is not characterised by the development of industrial hubs that generally characterise the process of urbanisation. Despite being famous for its out-migration, Bihar is experiencing something that the author describes as “urbanisation from within” i.e. the natural growth and densification of small towns and villages, increased population density and a shift from agriculture to non-farm activities. This article points out challenges in this form of urbanisation and suggests changes that will transform these urbanising villages into centers of job-rich economic development.
Perspective
Budget 2024: Where are the ‘good jobs’. Wages aren’t working for women
As the Union Government of India presents its interim budget, Sabina Dewan reviews the state of the country's labour market, and related policies. Theincrease in overall labour force participation is largely driven by an increase in rural female labour force participation, and comes against a backdrop of heighted rural distress with a consistent decline in inflation-adjusted real wages over the last five years. In light of shifting demographics, technological upheaval, climate change, and the pandemic, she makes the case for a robust policy response codified in a national employment strategy that can foster an ecosystem conducive to the growth of good jobs.
Perspective
Towards a GREEN future: Conserving Meghalaya’s forests through PES
A government initiative to promote conservation and build climate resilience, the GREEN Meghalaya scheme is based on the payment for ecosystems model (PES). This article introduces the PES model and poses inquiries about its operation and implementation, especially against the changing landscape of forest conservation in India.
Perspective
Energy transition can only work if we deal with labour disruptions
In the wake of the ongoing climate crises, what would energy transition mean for economies and labour markets around the world? Sabina Dewan discusses how developing countries like India, with large and growing youth populations, are facing immense pressure to manage energy transition which will restructure labour markets and have significant economic, political and social ramifications. She presents the interlinkages and ripple effects of a transition to geener energy alternates on migration patterns, household income structures, skilling requirements and job creation.
Perspective
Embracing Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace: A Call for Action and Acceptance
The article highlights challenges transgender individuals encounter in workplaces and society. It emphasises holistic recognition by linking food, shelter, and employment for inclusive efforts in their livelihoods.
Perspective
Will Gender Quotas in India’s Legislatures Deliver Gender Equality?
The newly enacted law to reserve one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures could advance gender equality in India. Certain conditions however need to be met to ensure that numerical representation translates to substantive representation.
Perspective
Time for a National Urban Employment Guarantee Act? Lessons from Odisha’s Urban Wage Employment Initiative
The success of UWEI and MUKTA, Odisha’s initiatives to curb pandemic-induced urban employment could well be the blueprint for a National Urban Employment Guarantee Act that emphasizes worker security, community involvement and a gender-inclusive design.
Perspective
Constructing within planetary boundaries: Warnings from Mumbai’s coastal road project
The building and construction sector in India is marred with inherent contradictions – it is at once an employment generator and a highly polluting sector. It stresses the question: How do we balance human needs without compromising earth systems?