A recent report indicates that women’s employment in urban India has increased by 10 percentage points over the past six years (2017-18 to 2023-24). Notably, urban women in their forties have the highest employment rate, reaching 38.3% in 2023-24.
Despite this progress, India’s female labor force participation rate remains relatively low, with women constituting just 23% of the workforce. This discrepancy is partly due to cultural biases and the significant number of women employed in the informal sector, which often goes unrecorded in official statistics.
Safety concerns continue to be a significant barrier to women’s workforce participation. Incidents of violence against women, such as the tragic case of a young doctor’s rape and murder in Kolkata, have sparked nationwide protests and highlight the urgent need for improved safety measures. These safety issues deter women from joining or remaining in the workforce, thereby hindering their economic contribution.
Addressing these challenges is crucial for India to fully harness its demographic dividend and achieve sustainable economic growth.
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