Takshashila Discussion Document - Women’s Labour Force Participation in India
| AUTHOR | Sudisha Mishra, Sridhar Krishna |
| DATE | October 12, 2022 |
| DOCUMENT | Takshashila Discussion Document 2022-07. |
| VERSION | Version 1.0, 27 September 2022. |
| CATEGORIES | Public Policy |
Executive Summary
Women’s labour force participation in India has declined considerably in the last two decades. Some of the causes include occupational segregation, an increase in women’s participation in education, lack of access to technology, and automation of agricultural jobs – intertwining to become a complex problem.
This decline is detrimental to India’s economic health as nearly half of the total labour force (constituting women) is either voluntarily dropping out or not able to work due to a lack of jobs in the country.
A policy revolution is needed which challenges the social, economic, and financial state of women – freeing them from the shackles of these issues. Inspiration in this document is drawn from Bangladesh, a neighbouring country that has succeeded in emancipating a considerable number of women from similar socioeconomic issues.