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An economist has highlighted that India cannot achieve its goal of becoming a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047 without significantly increasing women's workforce participation.

Key Highlights

Women's Work Participation Rate (WPR) refers to the proportion of the working-age female population engaged in economic activities across the formal and informal sectors.

Despite recent improvements, India's female employment remains low by global standards. The post-2020 increase in female participation has largely been driven by rural distress, with many women entering unpaid family labour (UFL) in agriculture rather than formal employment.

The article notes that a 10-percentage-point increase in female WPR could directly add around 2 percentage points to India's GDP growth.

Tamil Nadu has emerged as a successful example, accounting for over 40% of India's female factory workforce, supported by labour-intensive industries such as garments and electronics, along with better social infrastructure.

Reasons for Low Female Workforce Participation

Economic growth has been concentrated in capital-intensive sectors such as finance and IT, which generate relatively fewer jobs for women.

Employment in labour-intensive sectors like textiles, garments, and food processing has declined, reducing opportunities for female workers.

Mechanisation in agriculture has reduced demand for manual labour, while limited non-farm employment has restricted women's transition to other sectors.

Social norms, safety concerns, limited mobility, and inadequate hostel and transport facilities continue to discourage women's participation in the formal workforce.