Women from a perspective of the work market in Brazil

Abstract

Women´s inequality in the work perspective hás its roots in the social relations of domination, reinforcing prejudices and exploitation. Ag to Irede Cardoso, Marx and Engel understand that “at home, the moman is the proletariat and the man the bourgeoisie”, or also “the woman is the proletariat of the proletariat”. Nowadays, neo-liberal conceptions, globalization and the reorganization of the work processes, exclusion and proverty are on the increase. In Brasil, the right to work as a source of survival is guaranteed in the Federal Constitution of 1988. The present work has the objective to historically determine women insertion in the Brazilian work market. Thus, through a bilbiographical research abalysis based on the data collected by the IGBE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) on the relation women and work was carried out. The first Brazilian consus (1872) showed that women represented 45,5% of the effective work force population. In 1900, the feminine population in the work market corresponded to 45,3% of the economic active population. However, in 1920 and in 1940 there was a reduction in the number of women inserted in work market being 15,3% and 15,9%, respectively. It is know that in 1940, the law authorized 10% less pay to women compared to men. Women participation in the work market in 1950 and in 1970 was 14,6% and 16,5%, respectively. From 1970, there were greater opportunities in the market due to the supposed economic development process, and the deterioration of income among the poorer groups. Between 1991 and 1992, the female population employed rose from 38,85% to 43,9%, respectively. The better schooling among women did not represent better earnings. Data from 2001 show that with theree years of study, women earned 61,5% of the everage earnings of a man with the same schooling. Women with 11 years or more of schooling earned 57,1% of men in the same group. Around 71,3% of the frmale population employed is concentrated in earnings group of until two minimum wages, and only 9,2% of the female population earns more than five minimum wages. The number of women that are the head of their household decreased from 31,9% in 1992 to 26% in 1999. The proportion of people employed by gender and age with 30, 40 and 50 years showed women in a higher proportion than men: from 30 to 39 years, 62%; from 40 to 49 years, 60,5%. Work is becoming less of an inclusion factor, consolidating exclusion and inequality. The increase in women participation in the work force may have their better qualification, more schooling and fall in fecundity rates as some of their determinats. The share in the household chores has not changed. The double working shifts is part of women´s routine, which keeps the same exploitative behavior patterns. The implementation of social policies may turn the inclusion of the whole population in the work market in a fair way more viable.