Datanomics: More women seek jobs, but stiff labour market a challenge

Despite a sharp rise in women's labour force participation, India has seen little improvement in female employment rates or women's share in labour income

The labour force participation rate (LFPR) for women in India has increased in recent years — this is frequently cited as a positive signal for woman empowerment in the country. However, latest data from the World Inequality Lab shows that these gains have not translated into a significant rise in employment rate for women or higher relative earnings vis-à-vis men.

 

Indian women’s share in labour income stagnant

 

The share of labour income earned by women in India has remained unchanged at around 15.7 per cent between 2017 and 2023. It is also significantly lower than countries like Bangladesh, South Africa