Female Workforce Participation
- 24 Aug 2024
As outlined in Nudge Institute's Labour Force Participation Distillation Report released in August 2024; to become a USD 30 trillion economy by 2047, India needs a significant increase in female workforce participation.
Key Points
- Current Participation Gap: India currently projects 110 million women joining the workforce by 2047. To meet economic goals, an additional 145 million women must be integrated, raising the female labour force participation rate from 37% to 70%.
- Gender Disparity in Employment: The report highlights stark disparities in job security and recovery between men and women, with women being seven times more likely to lose their jobs and eleven times more likely to remain unemployed after job loss.
- Sectoral Challenges: Women are predominantly employed in low-productivity sectors like agriculture and manufacturing, facing limited opportunities for advancement.
- Impact of the Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges, with many rural women re-entering the workforce due to income loss or job loss by primary earners, further highlighting the vulnerability of female employment.
- Pathways to Increase Participation: The report suggests three key pathways to boost female workforce participation: redefining work through platform jobs and digital microwork, enhancing entrepreneurship opportunities via digital commerce infrastructure, and addressing bottlenecks such as mobility and digital access.
- Holistic Approach Needed: The report underscores the need for a holistic approach to address labour force participation, considering both the supply side—where women and men currently work—and the demand side, identifying sectors better suited for women's employment or entrepreneurial ventures.
