Women’s Labour Force Participation in India

Why in the News?

1. The Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in India has jumped from about 23% in 2017-18 to 42% in 2023-24.
2. However, most women still work in low-paid or unpaid roles, raising concerns about the quality of employment and the need to rethink how work is defined and measured, especially for rural women.

Key Highlights

1. Understanding FLFPR
   1. FLFPR refers to the share of women who are employed or actively seeking work.
   2. Higher FLFPR is usually seen as a sign of gender equality and a dynamic labour market.
   3. But India presents a paradox: more women are working, yet in insecure and low-paying jobs.
2. Trends in Participation
   1. FLFPR declined from 31% (2011-12) to 23% (2017-18), reflecting women’s withdrawal from the labour force.
   2. It then rose sharply to 42% in 2023-24, largely due to rural women’s participation.
   3. Most of this increase is in self-employment and unpaid work, not in secure wage jobs.
3. Evidence of Low-Paid/Unpaid Employment
   1. Workers are classified as self-employed, regular salaried, and casual workers (NSSO).
   2. While FLFPR rose, real earnings declined for all groups except casual workers.
   3. This shows women are entering the workforce but are stuck in insecure, informal, or low-paying jobs, not in stable and well-remunerated employment.
4. Sectoral Distribution of Women Workers
   1. Instead of shifting to industry and services, women’s work has moved back into agriculture.
   2. Share in agriculture rose from 1% (2018-19) to 76.9% (2023-24).
   3. Share in secondary and tertiary sectors has fallen, showing absence of structural transformation.
5. Nature of Women’s Work in Rural India
   57. The share of women reporting domestic duties fell from 8% (2017-18) to 35.7% (2023-24).
   58. This was offset by a rise in:
       1. Helpers in household enterprises (often unpaid family work).
       2. Own-account workers (self-employed without regular wages).
   59. These roles are blurred with household responsibilities, and remain unpaid or underpaid.

Implications

1. Illusion of Progress: Rising FLFPR hides poor job quality, low earnings, and unpaid labour.
2. Gendered Vulnerabilities: Women concentrated in agriculture and unpaid family work, leading to insecurity.
3. Economic Impact: Lack of shift to high-productivity sectors limits growth and demographic dividend.
4. Social Dimensions: Care burden and domestic roles restrict women’s real empowerment.
5. Policy Concern: Participation growth is distress-driven; focus needed on decent, secure jobs.

Challenges and Way Forward

Conclusion

The recent rise in India’s FLFPR is not a sign of empowerment, but of distress- driven participation in unpaid and insecure work. For genuine progress, India must create secure, well-paying jobs, recognise unpaid labour, and ensure women’s work leads to economic autonomy and dignity.