From Caregiving To Career: Building Flexible Livelihoods For Single Mothers
- IJLLR Journal
- Jan 4
- 2 min read
Anusha Vinayak Kulkarni, Ramaiah College of Law, Bengaluru, India
Aakarsh, Ramaiah College of Law, Bengaluru, India
ABSTRACT
Single mothers are perceived to be strong and determined, whereas their daily survival is a non-stop balancing act between various responsibilities, social ostracism, and lack of supporting infrastructure. The paper discusses the structural labour market disadvantages faced by single mothers within the context of India and calls for workplace reforms that ensure empathy, inclusivity, and practical support through flexible schedules, accessible childcare, and mental health resources. The central problem tackled is the structural misalignment of India's livelihood ecosystem with the caregiving burdens placed on single mothers, showing how the absence of care-sensitive labour policies has limited their access to flexible work, skill development, and income stability. Empowering single mothers by addressing systemic barriers and amplifying their voices helps foster a more inclusive and supportive environment.
This is a descriptive and analytical study based on secondary data analysis. Data has been drawn from nationally representative surveys, government programme evaluations, labour market reports, and international policy instruments that permit synthesis of demographic patterns, employment constraints, and institutional gaps affecting single mothers. Legal frameworks, including the Maternity Benefit Act, labour codes, and childcare mandates, are reviewed to assess Indian regulations in care-related constraints.
The analysis identifies clear institutional gaps, which range from the lack of enforceable flexible work rights, exclusion of informal and gig workers from creche provisions to inaccessible skill development systems due to rigid scheduling and lack of childcare integration. The paper uses international instruments and policy models to illustrate that it is feasible to set a care- responsive labour market design. It therefore develops a Livelihood Care Convergence Framework that integrates flexible skilling pathways, care- sensitive employment norms, and portable social protection, thereby offering a coherent institutional response to the structural constraints faced by single mothers. Instead of expanding the welfare architecture, the paper shows how existing systems can have coordinated reforms for single mothers. A preliminary set of monitoring indicators, focused on aspects such as earnings stability, childcare utilisation, time-poverty reduction, and job placements, is included to guide implementation. The analysis shows that integrating care into the logic of labour policy is central to building resilient livelihood futures for single-mother households.
Keywords: Flexibility, Single Mothers, Policy, Inclusion, Caregiving burdens, Skill development, Institutional barriers.
