General Studies Paper -3
Context: As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), The Worker Population Ratio for women has increased from 22% in 2017-18 to 40.3% in 2023-24.
About
- The Labour Force Participation Rate for women has risen from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24.
- It indicates that 39.6% of women with post-graduate education and above are employed in 2023-24, up from 34.5% in 2017-18.
- 9% of women with a higher secondary education are part of the workforce in 2023-24, compared to 11.4 per cent in 2017-18.
Recent Trends as per the State of Working India Report 2023
- Older women with lower levels of education are exiting the workforce and younger women with higher levels of education are entering it.
- The number of women in salaried employment is increasing, while women in informal wage work are decreasing.
- The share of women working in agriculture is decreasing. The proportion of women entering the services sector is increasing.
- Impact:
- As the number of women in salaried employment increases, it has a positive impact on the gender gap in earnings, which decreases with more women leaving casual wage work.
- These shifts in the female workforce imply a longer-term impact on women’s economic participation in the country.
Significance of Women Participation
- India is seeking to harness its demographic dividend, with the largest working-age population in the world—expected to touch nearly 70 percent by 2030.
- India is poised to become the biggest contributor to global growth.
- A recent report has forecast that the next five years are crucial for the country to achieve a GDP growth rate of 8 percent.
- To ensure that growth, women must account for more than half of the new workforce which will be created by 2030.
Challenges
- Pay Gap: Despite entering the workforce in larger numbers, women often face a significant gender pay gap.
- Sexual Harassment: Women in the workplace, particularly in male-dominated sectors, face a high risk of sexual harassment.
- Unpaid Domestic Work: Even though women are increasingly participating in the workforce, they still bear the primary responsibility for unpaid domestic labor, such as cooking, cleaning, and childcare.
- Lack of Supportive Infrastructure: There is insufficient support infrastructure such as childcare facilities, flexible working hours, and work-from-home options that could ease the burden of balancing work and family duties.
- Resistance from Family: Families often resist the idea of women working, especially in rural areas or conservative households.
Government Initiatives to Increase women Participation in Labour Force
- Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY): Under PMMY, women can avail of micro-credit loans without collateral to set up small enterprises, helping women overcome barriers related to accessing capital.
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme: The scheme works to prevent gender-based discrimination and violence, focusing on changing societal attitudes towards girls.
- It promotes education, health, and empowerment, which indirectly increases women’s participation in the labor force.
- Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017: The Act extended the maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for women working in establishments with more than 10 employees.
- Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) by NITI Aayog: The platform offers mentorship, networking, funding, and skill development opportunities for women in business.
- Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM): The NRLM, through its SHG component, encourages women in rural areas to form collectives that can access credit, entrepreneurship training, and marketing opportunities.
- National Creche Scheme: This scheme supports working mothers, especially those in the unorganized sector, by setting up daycares in nearby locations where they can leave their children while they work.
- Mission Shakti is a women empowerment programme launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) for the period 2021-2025.
- It aims to strengthen interventions for women’s welfare, safety, and empowerment, making women equal partners in nation-building.
- The Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE KIRAN) program has supported nearly 1,962 women scientists from 2018 to 2023.
Way Ahead
- Women-led development remains at the core of announcements made by the Finance Minister (FM) in this year’s Budget.
- There has been a remarkable 218.8 percent rise in the budget allocation for women’s welfare from FY14 to FY25.
- Shifting societal norms about women’s roles through awareness campaigns can encourage more women to join the workforce.
- Encouraging women’s entrepreneurship through easier access to credit, business training, and financial support will foster economic independence.
Ensuring safe work environments, addressing workplace harassment, and offering flexible work options will help women balance work and family responsibilities.