Women & World of Work
Women’s work is most often rendered invisible, unpaid and
undervalued.
India has witnessed a significant rise in the Female Labour Force
Participation Rate (FLFPR) in recent years. According to the Periodic
Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the FLFPR for women aged 15 and
above increased from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 37.0% in 2022-23.
While rural women are driving this increase, urban women's
participation has shown little improvement. And despite this
upward trend, India’s FLFPR remains lower than the global average.
The rise in FLFPR has not translated into significant economic
independence for women. Inadequate education and skill
development make women struggle to access formal jobs. They
remain largely in the informal sector or as own account workers.
The burden of care work within the family continues to fall upon
women and girls.
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Women in Different Sectors
Over 90% of women in India are employed in the informal sector,
which is marked by insecurity, without rights or protections. While gig
and platform work offer new opportunities, they continue the trend
of unstable employment with limited social security benefits.
Agriculture remains a major employer for women, with their
contributions spanning crop production, post-harvest work, and
animal husbandry. However, mechanization and digitalization are
shrinking women’s roles, even as the feminization of agriculture rises
due to male migration.
Despite their growing presence in agriculture, most agricultural land
is owned by men, leaving women with little control over resources
and economic benefits.
The shift towards manufacturing and services has increased women’s
employment in these sectors, but not enough to offset job losses in
agriculture.
Self-employment remains a major avenue for women, yet most run
small, home-based businesses with limited financial access. A
significant credit gap, gender-blind banking policies, and inadequate
business support continue to restrict women’s economic potential.
Challenges to Women’s Economic
Empowerment
Despite a rise in Female Labour Force Participation (FLFP),
economic empowerment remains elusive for many women,
especially in rural areas and self-employment.
The gender pay gap persists and even self-employed women earn
about 53% less than their male counterparts.
Deep-rooted socio-cultural norms limit women’s engagement in
formal employment, creating systematic exclusion from better-
paying and emerging sectors.
Unequal land ownership and limited financial autonomy within
families makes it difficult to leverage existing assets for self-owned
and operated enterprise.
While school enrolment rates have improved, this doesn’t always
translate to learning achievements.
Early marriage also limits access to higher education and
professional growth. Restricted access to medical services, lack of
sexual and reproductive health and rights, inadequate provision
for creches and child care service further limit women’s rights in
the world of work.
Women often balance paid work with care work and household
responsibilities. In rural areas, time-consuming tasks like water
collection further reduce their earning potential
The Way Forward - I
We need to ensure the reduction of the burden on care
work through public provisioning of free and accessible
childcare, including creches for informal sector workers,
palliative care for the elderly and the setting up of
community kitchens.
This has to be layered on the provision of adequate
housing, health care and education for all.
We need a national campaign promoting a culture that
ensures that boys and men take up their equal share of care
work and housework.
We need a national campaign to ensure that women’s role
in the world of work is celebrated and their rights protected
and advanced.
The Way Forward - II
The protection of the rights of women workers calls for the
strict implementation of the provisions of the Labour Codes
that provide for equal remuneration, security and creche
facilities, maternity benefits and dispute resolution and set
up rules and procedures to ensure that these rights are
accessible by women workers in the informal sector.
Similarly, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act)
needs strict implementation with all workplaces setting up
Internal Complaints Committees and the provision of Local
Complaints Committees (LCC) to serve informal workers be
set up, not just at the district level but at the Block and
perhaps Panchayat levels and relevant levels in urban areas.
The Way Forward - III
Women-owned businesses tend to have lower loan default
rates, yet gender-biased financial policies hinder their access
to credit. Removing male signature requirements and easing
collateral demands can bridge this gap.
Expanding self-employment programs, along with financial
literacy, digital skills, and STEM training, can economically
empower women and increase their workforce participation.
Women’s underrepresentation in leadership must be
addressed through mandatory quotas, equal decision-making
roles, and leadership development programs to ensure
greater gender equity.
Government subsidies, such as tax breaks and reduced
insurance costs, can encourage women to own and operate
vehicles, enhancing their mobility and independence.
