Female Labour Force Participation in India: Challenges and Opportunities
The report "India Womenomics: A Step Forward in a Long Journey Ahead," published by Goldman Sachs Research, highlights the challenges and potential opportunities related to female labour force participation in India.
Key Findings
- Disproportionate Domestic Responsibilities: Women in India are burdened with domestic and caregiving tasks up to eight times more than men.
- Labour Force Participation Disparity: India's female labour force participation rate (LFPR) is significantly lower than that of men and also compared to other major economies.
- Demographic Dividend: India is poised to benefit from favourable demographics over the next two decades with a large population entering working age and a low age-dependency ratio.
Barriers to Higher Female LFPR
- Horizontal inequalities such as early marriage and restrictive social norms.
- Crime incidents and lack of robust public transport that hinder women's ability to work away from home.
- Limited role models and occupational choices for women.
Government and Institutional Initiatives
- Efforts to promote education, well-being, and access to basic amenities for women.
- Development of childcare centers and elder care ecosystems to facilitate women's entry into the workforce.
- Public investment in the 'care economy,' potentially creating over 11 million jobs, with a significant proportion for women.
Trends in Women's Employment
- Self-Employment Increase: From 2017-18 to 2023-24, the share of self-employed women increased by 11 percentage points, and those engaged without remuneration rose by 5 percentage points.
- Contributing factors include:
- Financial inclusion initiatives.
- Greater digitization.
- Infrastructure improvements and skills development.
