Analyzing the Role of the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 in Enhancing Women’s Economic Contribution in Rajasthan

This study looks at how the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 is being implemented and how it affects women's economic engagement in Rajasthan, especially in the unorganized and rural sectors. It seeks to evaluate the Act's efficacy, pinpoint roadblocks, and examine its socioeconomic effects. The results, which are based on secondary data from reports, publications, and surveys, show that although maternity benefits are more widely known and used in urban areas, they are still scarce in rural areas because of societal hurdles, employer resistance, and lax enforcement. Even though longer paid parental leave has increased employee retention, women's job advancement is still constrained by traditional gender norms. The study concludes that there are still large implementation gaps even if women's rights have been protected. Increasing awareness, enhancing employer compliance, tackling sociocultural issues, and bolstering enforcement are some of the recommendations in unorganized sectors. To better comprehend and improve the Act's results, future studies should concentrate on employer viewpoints and geographical comparisons.