Role of Women in Indian Economy: A New Beginning

India is in many ways at a crossroads in mid-2014. It will have a new government, it will need ignition to restart the growth engine and make it more inclusive. But if this is to happen, then Indian women will have to be given the chance and the incentives to participate more in the economic sector. Indian women already show signs of starting gradually to assert themselves more. Understanding the nature and causes of female labour force participation in India is important to identify these policies. Women tend to work in less productive jobs than men, as in other countries. More than a third are unpaid self-employed helpers, compared to 11% of working men Women also have higher than average labour shares in low-productivity agriculture, traditional small-scale manufacturing, and in services such as education and household employment. Only about 6% of women employed are in the formal sector with social benefits, such as pensions or maternity leave that can influence participation. This is not necessarily gender-specific as most jobs in India are in the informal sector, as many companies stay informal to avoid stringent regulations on labour or business establishment.