In response to a question about the rising suicide rates among middle-aged, jobless housewives in India, Acharya Prashant states that a more shocking fact is that India has one of the lowest female labor force participation rates in the world. He explains that this rate has nearly halved in the last 30 years. He defines the labor force participation rate as the percentage of people over 15 who are working for an income. In 1990, this rate for women was around 32-35%, but by 2020, it had fallen to less than 20%. Acharya Prashant highlights the paradox that this decline has occurred while women's education levels, the country's per capita income, and the industrial sector have all more than doubled since 1990. He also notes that the fertility rate has almost halved from four children per woman in 1990 to about 2.1-2.2 now, meaning women have fewer childcare responsibilities. Despite these advancements and increased economic opportunities, more women are becoming housewives rather than joining the workforce. He finds it strange that when the economy was smaller and women were less educated, more of them worked. He directly links this trend to the high suicide rates, pointing out that housewives are the single largest group committing suicide in India, with approximately 70 deaths per day—more than double the rate of farmer suicides. He emphasizes that this number is likely under-reported as families often conceal such incidents. He argues that the issue of the plight of housewives is not given enough attention. The core problem, he explains, is that as women become more educated, their confinement to the home becomes a source of immense suffering and a feeling of a wasted life, which can lead to suicide. Acharya Prashant attributes this situation to a deeply ingrained patriarchal mindset that affects both men and women. He describes patriarchy as an 'agreement' where both parties have vested interests. Women may perceive staying at home as an 'easy and secure life,' a false benefit that ultimately leads to suffering. He criticizes the two prevalent media portrayals of women—the traditional, home-bound 'goddess of the house' and the superficially 'liberated' woman who smokes and drinks—arguing that neither represents a truly creative and free individual. He asserts that work is a fundamental psychological and spiritual need for freedom and self-expression, not merely a means to earn money. The tragedy, he concludes, is a result of economic progress occurring without corresponding mental and spiritual progress.
