Review examines globalization's dual impact on rural women's livelihoods and participation, suggesting policies for equity and gender inclusion.
Globalization is often contemplated as a tool for social and economic transformation, creating opportunities for growth and development while also enforcing social inequalities and cultural homogenization. However, its impact on those positioned at the intersection of caste, class, gender and geography at local levels, particularly among rural women, remains collectively underexplored. This review study aims to expound the domains onto which globalization reshapes the social, livelihood and labour participation of rural women in a way which continues to reinforce the existing socio-economic hierarchies. This study critically examines these dualities using a systematic literature review guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) as well as thematic and bibliometric analysis to bring into focus the important contributions in this domain. Findings reveal that globalization has created opportunities for income generation, skill enhancement and participation in global value chains for rural women. However, its neoliberal hold-ups have deepened systematic inequalities that are embedded with traditional caste and gender hierarchies and have accelerated the feminization of labour. This calls for a shift in India’s development approach by highlighting the need to prioritize gender-sensitive macroeconomic policies that address intersectionality in the experiences of marginalized groups, particularly women. We must seek sustainable livelihoods, prioritizing equity and inclusivity, which can lead to gender inclusion, particularly in the rural social structure.
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Kumar et al. (2025) studied this question.