However, Modi’s ambitious aim to double India’s economy to US$6.7 trillion by 2030 can only be achieved by significantly boosting the number of working-age women in employment or actively seeking work. In 2023, only 33 per cent of eligible women in India were working or looking for employment – a 5 per cent increase from the previous year but still far too low.
This is in stark contrast with Vietnam, where the female labour force participation rate was 68 per cent in 2023. Furthermore, India’s rate remains well below the global rate of 49 per cent. If India wants to achieve an 8 per cent GDP growth rate, a recent report by Barclays says it must raise its female labour force participation rate to 43.4 per cent by 2030.
04:26
Women are disappearing from India’s workforce even as country’s population soars
Women are disappearing from India’s workforce even as country’s population soars
The availability of safe job opportunities for women outside the home is a critical issue that must be addressed. A study of about 1,300 villages in southern India revealed that more than half of the women were solely engaged in labour on family farms. This could stem from a lack of necessary skills or mobility for external employment, as well as the desire to be close to the security of home.
Safety concerns among women have been further highlighted by troubling crime statistics. In the last decade under Modi’s government, the rate of crimes against women rose. The most recent National Crime Records Bureau report showed a 43 per cent increase in crimes against women since the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party came to power.
Measures already implemented by the Indian government, such as curfews and restricted mobility for women, might seem protective but can inadvertently increase risks for women who are out during unusual hours. Rather than confining women indoors, enhancing their visibility and presence in public spaces is crucial.
Increased public engagement, such as women working or studying late, does not inherently increase the risk of violence compared to the dangers they actually face in domestic settings, including dowry-related violence or marital rape, which is still not criminalised in India.
10:23
Scarred survivors: India’s women rise up after acid attacks
Scarred survivors: India’s women rise up after acid attacks
To improve female participation in the workforce, there must be greater creation of jobs which favour gender equity. Societal perceptions and family constraints often restrict women’s participation in certain jobs, such as construction. It is often culturally acceptable for women to work at construction sites only if accompanied by a male family member, and issues such as a lack of childcare further complicate women’s ability to work.
India’s rapidly expanding green sector presents a promising opportunity to increase women’s employment, with projections suggesting it could generate about 35 million green jobs by 2047. However, there has been a slow integration of women. For instance, as India’s renewable energy capacity increased by 250 per cent between 2015 and 2021, women only made up 11 per cent of the workforce in the solar rooftop sector.
Addressing gender imbalance requires targeted policy reforms and dedicated schemes to promote the inclusion of women. Additionally, awareness and gender sensitisation training in renewable energy must be expanded, particularly in rural areas. Identifying a target village or cluster of villages and conducting sessions there could be pivotal, according to a study by the UNDP.
Security and connectivity in rural regions also pose significant barriers. Ensuring that training centres are accessible by road and secure for female participants is crucial. Empowering women from economically disadvantaged or rural backgrounds through eco-entrepreneurship models is also vital.
A worker at a sari factory in Rajasthan, India, dries textile in the open air. Many women would like to work outside the home but do not get the opportunity or cannot find the kind of work they are qualified to do. Photo: Getty Images
Solar Mamas, created by India’s Barefoot College, is a rare example of a women-centric initiative in the renewable energy sector. This programme trains rural women who are illiterate or semi-literate and typically middle-aged to become solar engineers. They learn to install, maintain and repair photovoltaic systems. Upon returning to their villages, they use these skills to electrify their communities with sustainable solar energy.
Although the compensation and benefits they receive can vary, the programme bolsters entrepreneurial opportunities and bridges the gender gap in STEM fields. It equips women who traditionally have limited access to such education with practical engineering skills, transforming them into role models within their communities. Their success challenges established gender roles and can inspire more women and girls to pursue technical education and careers, thereby promoting a shift towards greater gender equality.
While the Indian government has taken some steps to boost women in the workplace, they seem to be aimed at mitigating criticism ahead of the country’s recent election rather than effecting real change. Similar promises made during the 2014 campaign have yet to yield significant progress.
Additionally, the government’s recent interim budget, which announced supportive measures such as HPV vaccinations for girls and the promotion of self-help groups to aid women’s financial independence, still lacks concrete execution details. This lack of clarity leaves uncertainties over implementation, the extent of collaboration with the corporate sector, the real impact on hiring practices and creating a safer work environment for women.
Sonja Cheung is editorial director at the Asia Business Council
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