CPI(M) Leader U. Vasuki Warns of Automation’s Disproportionate Impact on Women at EMS Smrithi Seminar
At the recent EMS Smrithi National Seminar, an annual platform dedicated to labour, social justice, and progressive politics, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member U. Vasuki delivered a compelling address titled “Technological Changes and Labour: Gender Dimensions.” Joined by fellow party members and labour activists, Vasuki spotlighted the urgent need for gender-sensitive labour policies in the face of rapid technological disruption.
Core Message: Automation’s Gendered Impact
Vasuki underscored the transformative effects of automation, digitization, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) on labour markets, particularly their disproportionate impact on women. She highlighted:
- Displacement Risks: Sectors with high female employment—such as garment manufacturing, clerical work, and call centers—are among the most vulnerable to automation, threatening significant job losses.
- Widening Gender Gaps: Without proactive measures, technological advancements risk exacerbating existing inequalities in employment, wages, and career opportunities for women.
Digital Divide & Skills Mismatch
A critical issue raised was the digital skills gap. Vasuki noted that women, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, have limited access to upskilling, retraining, and digital education. This gap risks excluding women from emerging job sectors like AI, data analytics, and platform-based services, further entrenching gender disparities.
Urgent Policy Remedies
To address these challenges, Vasuki proposed a multi-pronged approach:
- Gender-Responsive Digital Literacy Programs: Targeted initiatives, especially in rural areas and small towns, to equip women with digital skills.
- Women-Centered Skill Development: Integrating gender-focused training into existing labour policies and welfare schemes.
- Strengthening Female Labour Unions: Enhancing collective bargaining power in tech-driven workplaces and the gig economy.
- Labour Law Reforms: Establishing minimum digital skill standards for new roles and enforcing inclusive hiring practices.
Broader Socio-Economic Lens
Vasuki framed automation as a double-edged sword, amplifying job insecurity, wage stagnation, and casualisation, particularly for women. She urged policymakers to harness technology as an opportunity to advance gender equality rather than deepen inequities, emphasizing the need for structural safeguards.
Reactions & Significance
Participants lauded Vasuki’s focus on gendered labour rights within the automation debate. Analysts noted that her speech reframes the conversation, moving beyond productivity and product mixes to prioritize systemic support—education, training, and legal protections. This approach underscores the need for inclusive policies as India navigates an AI-driven economic transformation.
Why It Matters
As India stands at the cusp of a technological revolution, Vasuki’s call for gender-sensitive labour policies is a timely intervention. Without such measures, women risk being sidelined in the digital economy, perpetuating social and economic inequities. Her address challenges both government and industry to ensure tech-driven growth is inclusive.
What’s Next?
The seminar’s outcomes may influence CPI(M) and state-level Left governments to push for concrete policy proposals. Keep an eye on upcoming budgets and labour law revisions for potential digital upskilling allowances, training grants, or inclusivity clauses. Further developments from women’s collectives, think tanks, or trade unions could also shape the discourse.
