Women

Missing half in India's growth puzzle: Female labour participation just 42%

Over 125 million women in India with secondary or higher education are outside the labour force

Uber's women-only option goes nationwide in the US amid safety concerns

Uber launched a feature Monday to allow both women riders and drivers across the US to be matched with other women for trips, expanding a pilot program aimed at addressing concerns about the safety of its hail-riding platform. The new feature is being rolled out nationwide despite an ongoing class action lawsuit against the policy in California, filed by Uber drivers who argue that it is discriminatory against men. Rival ride-hailing company Lyft is also facing a discrimination lawsuit over a similar offering that it introduced nationwide in 2024. The feature, announced in a blog post, allows women to request a female driver through an option on the app called "Women Drivers." Passengers can opt for another ride if the wait for a woman is too long, and they can also reserve a trip with a woman driver in advance. A third option allows female users to set a preference for a woman driver in their app settings, which would increase the chances of being matched with a female driver, thou

Public sector banks lag private banks in women board seats, shows data

Women CEO in three insurers, zero in banks

Women buying homes priced above ₹90 lakh jumps to 61%, says Anarock

Share of women seeking homes priced above Rs 90 lakh rose to 61 per cent in 2025 from 25 per cent in 2019, signalling stronger participation in India's high-value property market

Datanomics: Women's participation rate in India's workforce remains low

India's female labour force participation rate stood at 32 per cent in 2024, significantly lower than several peer economies

Elusive inclusivity: Why gender diversity on boards needs a fillip

Many organisations suffer a "missing middle" in terms of gender diversity, with women dropping out at demanding mid-management levels because of non-conducive social ecosystems

Allocations for women, children jump 11.55% to ₹5.01 trn in Budget 2026

Allocation for women and girls under various schemes has increased by 11.55 per cent to Rs 5.01 lakh crore in 2026-27, up from Rs 4.49 lakh crore in the previous financial year as per the Gender Budget Statement (GBS) released by the government. Gender budget statement includes allocations for schemes exclusively for women and girls, as well as proportion of spending in broader schemes that benefit them, bringing together total allocations across ministries aimed at promoting gender equality. The share of allocation of gender budget in the Union Budget has also risen to 9.37 per cent 2026-27 from 8.86 per cent, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said in a statement on Wednesday. The allocations were announced as part of the Union Budget 2026-27, which was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. A total of 53 ministries/departments and five Union territories have reported allocations in the gender budget this year -- compared to 49 ...

India to host global conference on women in agriculture in March

Over 500 researchers, policymakers, women farmers, industry leaders and others will take part in the event, aimed at in-depth discussions and shaping a clear policy-backed roadmap for action

Retailers ramp up women hiring as sector reshapes frontline teams

The gender gap is widest in FMCG feet-on-street sales, where demanding travel, tough targets, low pay and poor facilities keep women below 5 per cent

Women lawyers to take on leadership roles, but barriers persist: Survey

An SCBA survey shows women lawyers keen to lead, yet gender bias, pay gaps, limited mentorship and motherhood pressures continue to restrict equal access to leadership roles

PM Modi meets, congratulates Indian women's cricket team on World Cup win

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met the triumphant Indian women's cricket team at his residence and lauded the players for their remarkable resilience and comeback in the World Cup after enduring a tough phase marked by three consecutive defeats. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur recalled meeting the Prime Minister in 2017 without the trophy. She said now that they have met him with the trophy, they would wish to meet him more often. Vice Captain Smriti Mandhana said the PM had motivated them and has been an inspiration for all of them. The victorious Indian women's cricket team led by Harmanpreet Kaur had arrived in the national capital on Tuesday evening for the meeting. The team won its first global trophy -- the 50-over World Cup -- after beating South Africa by 52 runs in the final in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, marking a defining moment for the women's game in the cricket-obsessed country.

12 states to spend ₹1.68 trillion on women's cash schemes: Report

A total of 12 states across India will collectively spend Rs 1.68 lakh crore on unconditional cash transfer schemes for women in 2025-26, up from just two states implementing such programmes three years ago, according to a new report by think tank PRS Legislative Research. The report said six of these 12 states have projected a revenue deficit this year, highlighting growing fiscal pressure linked to the rapid expansion of women-centric welfare payouts. "Among the 12 states implementing UCT schemes, six have estimated a revenue deficit in 2025-26. However, adjusting the revenue balance to exclude spending on UCT schemes shows an improvement in fiscal indicators of these states," the report said. Unconditional cash transfer (UCT) schemes, which aim to empower women from economically weaker households through monthly direct benefit payments, have become a key welfare feature in several states. The number of states providing largely unconditional cash transfers (UCT) to women has ...

Gender diversity: Women to join all shifts of Tata Steel's Jamshedpur plant

Inclusion of women in all three shifts at Tata Steel's Jamshedpur plant from February 1 next year follows its 'Udaan: Wings of Change' initiative to its advance diversity, equity, and inclusion goals

Bengal has become safe haven for criminals, not safe for women: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) on Sunday claimed that West Bengal has become a safe haven for criminals, maintaining that the state is not anymore safe for women. "In West Bengal, criminals are safe and not women," CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said that female boarders, especially those from outside the state, should follow hostel rules and not venture out late at night. Banerjee made the averment after a student of a private medical college in Durgapur, hailing from Odisha, was allegedly gang-raped on Friday night when she went out with a friend for dinner. Chakraborty said Banerjee, by asking female students not to venture out at night, has made it apparent that West Bengal is "not safe for women". "By asking women students not to venture out at night, the chief minister has made it clear that the propaganda that Kolkata is the safest city, or Durgapur is a safe city, is not true," Chakraborty, a former CPI(M) Lok Sabha

Tata Power ropes in 100 women as solar energy ambassadors in villages

Women volunteers are encouraging people to adopt clean energy solutions in villages under power discom Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited's Solar Sakhi Abhiyan. The initiative, launched recently from the Pooth Khurd Village, is in alignment with the central government's PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. At the heart of the initiative are 100 Solar Sakhi members women volunteers trained to serve as ambassadors of solar energy in villages. They will spread awareness on rooftop solar benefits, educate households on clean energy solutions, and act as a bridge between government policies and communities in more than 75 villages of Tata Power-DDL, the statement added. Each Solar Sakhi has been provided with a distinctive jacket, symbolising pride, leadership, and recognition, it said. Neeraj Semwal, Secretary (Power) in the Delhi government, said: "The Delhi government is committed to promoting renewable energy and inclusive growth. Initiatives like Solar Sakhi Abhiyan strengthen thi

Telangana govt reimburses ₹7,400 cr to RTC towards women free travel: Dy CM

Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka on Saturday said the Telangana government has reimbursed over Rs 7,400 crore to the State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) towards women's free travel. Speaking at a programme organised to distribute interest-free loans to Women's Self-Help Groups, Vikramarka said that despite doubts raised by opposition parties and others over the feasibility of providing Rs 20,000 crore in annual interest-free loans, the government had already disbursed Rs 21,632 crore in the first year, setting a record and proving its commitment. "Women have availed 222.50 crore free bus journeys, with the state government reimbursing Rs 7,422 crore to TGSRTC on their behalf, saving them nearly Rs 7,000 crore in travel expenses," he said. Listing the welfare measures implemented by the Congress government, the Deputy CM said 96 lakh families are being provided six kg of fine rice per person free of cost every month. The rice, priced at Rs 50 a kg in the open market, is

Shift in dependency as 83% of sole-earning women gig workers married: Study

Of the total women surveyed in Delhi NCR region, 16. 3 per cent responded as being sole earners

Minority affairs ministry adds UMEED portal module to aid women, orphans

In a significant step toward strengthening inclusive welfare mechanisms, the Ministry of Minority Affairs on Wednesday launched an additional module on the UMEED Portal, which enables widows, divorced women, and orphans to apply for maintenance support from certain Waqf properties. The new functionality enables widows, divorced women, and orphans to apply for maintenance support from Waqf-alal-aulad properties, in accordance with Rule 8(2) of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Rules, 2025, framed under a section of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995. In a significant stride toward strengthening inclusive welfare mechanisms, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched the additional module on the UMEED Portal, an official statement said. The launch of this module marks a forward-looking step in making Waqf administration more people-centric, transparent and digitally enabled, the Ministry of Minority ...

Women just 9% of FMCD workforce despite 30% hiring surge in two years

Even as India's fast-moving consumer durables (FMCD) sector has posted a 30 per cent hiring growth over the past two years, women remain starkly underrepresented, making up just 9 per cent of the workforce, said a report. India's FMCD sector has demonstrated consistent hiring momentum, with a cumulative 30 per cent increase from May 2023 to May 2025, according to a report by CIEL HR titled 'FMCD Sector: Talent Trends and Insights'. The report is based on quantitative analysis, drawing on data from 1,00,000 executives working in India's FMCD sector and 1,005 job postings. It also includes insights from the career sections of FMCD companies operating in India. Despite the sector's strong growth trajectory, the report revealed a huge gender gap, with women making up only 9 per cent of the FMCD workforce, one of the lowest among major sectors. Their representation remains especially low in manufacturing, sales, and technical roles due to long-standing structural barriers, it added. "T

Sebi to offer extra incentives for first-time women investors in MFs

To encourage greater participation of women in mutual funds, markets regulator Sebi is planning to introduce additional incentives for investments by first-time female investors, its chief Tuhin Kanta Pandey said on Friday. "Financial inclusion will remain incomplete unless women are equally represented," Pandey said at an event organised by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi). "...We are thus also envisaging to introduce an additional distribution incentive for investments from first-time women investors," he added. He said that Sebi is taking a series of measures to facilitate and encourage the industry, and one such recent proposal is to incentivise distributors for investments from first-time individual investors in B30 cities (tier 2 and tier 3 cities). The move will not only bring new participants into the fold but also extend the reach of mutual funds into underrepresented regions, contributing to deeper financial inclusion. Also, to provide greater flexibility