Women Empowerment and Pandemic Lockdown - A S...

Women Empowerment and Pandemic Lockdown - A Study on Home Baking Business

Author Name : Dr. T. Shameerdas, Sujith.C

ABSTRACT

Women Empowerment is the process that creates power upon women to live a happy and respectable life in a society. The term 'Women Empowerment' refers to empowering the women with education, employment, decision making and better health in view of an equal and just society. Women empowerment is the process to make the women financially independent, educated and progressive, enjoying a good social status. Women since ages have been struggling to be socially and professionally recognised as equivalent to men.

Home baking business helps women in general to improve their standard of living. It also contributes to the welfare of society by providing better quality and large variety of goods and services and effective utilisation of scarce resource. Home baking business makes goods more useful to satisfy human wants especially during pandemic time as there is no access to any restaurant. It adds to product the utilities of person, time, place, form, knowledge, etc. thus people are able to satisfy their wants effectively and economically. The bakery and baked goods business in India has witnessed massive growth over the last few years backed by strong demand for processed foods. In addition, to the increase in a number of stores of established bakery chains and individual bakeries, the bakery business has been taken up as a home-based business by many a number of women entrepreneurs. Establishing a bakery business requires very minimal capital investment and manpower, making it very affordablefor homemakers.

When the recent pandemic Corona 19 confined people to their homes, baking emerged as a popular means to overcome anxiety and stress and even as a source of income and empowerment, this was confirmed when traders reported increased sales of all-purpose flour, baking powder, coco powder, yeast and other raw materials required for the process. Cakes, cookies and pastries seem to have emerged as the most popular baking products. From the simple teacake to the elaborate birthday and wedding cakes, and the enthusiasts are experimenting with all types of items.

The present study will throw light on the socio economic status of women engaged in home baking business during the lockdown period. Women have been taking up variety of careers and sources to earn income, days have gone when they were confined to four walls doing only household works. Women in addition to the stereotyped ones have readily accepted these days challenging careers. One such work is home baking business, many women have engaged in home baking business by using their skills in baking. The home baking business have been found to be great success, they have obtained a great acceptance among the general masses. Most of the women have parallel household responsibilities. Thus, they adopt unique approachability and attitude towards their own work. The study will help us to understand this approach and will throw light on their knowledge, attitude, practices and problems.