Women’s workforce participation in India has dropped from 45% to 27% from 2005 to 2019.1 Loss of jobs in agriculture (approximately 80% of the net 46 million jobs lost in agriculture over the last 13 years have been lost by women) and low participation in new and high-growth industries (e.g., logistics, warehousing, field sales) are the key reasons for the drop. Agriculture is unlikely to recover the lost jobs, but increasing women’s participation in high-growth industries can contribute to greater agency for women, delayed age of marriage, higher investment in children’s health and education, and faster gross domestic product (GDP) growth.
We interviewed 6,600 women from households with low income in 16 cities in 14 states of India, and our research approach was reviewed and approved by an institutional review board. 83% of women in urban India come from households with low income. 85% of women from households with low income have not gone to college, and over 50% have not completed 10th grade. To increase women’s participation meaningfully, women from low-income and low-education backgrounds have to be gainfully employed.
Barriers to the supply of women’s talent: Families and society restrict women by limiting their choice to certain roles (e.g., teacher, nurse), or certain locations (e.g., office, work from home). 84% of women need to secure their families’ permission to work. Key decision-makers of families believe that women in society should work, but prefer if women in their homes did not work, or work primarily from home. The burden of household chores and child care falls disproportionately on women. Women and key decision-makers are unwilling to consider paid child care.
Read it here : Creating a Gender-Equitable Workforce in India
Jobs
About Us
Employer Sign In
