The Worker Population Ratio for Women has Increased

Syllabus: GS2/Social Issues; GS3/Economy

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. 
• 23.9% 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.

Source: PIB