Women In the Informal Economy: A Socio-Economic Analysis and Its Implications for Sustainable Development in Panipat City

This study examines the socio-economic conditions of women workers in the informal economy of Panipat City, Haryana, and analyses the implications for sustainable development. Employing a mixed-method research design, the study draws on primary data collected from 150 women engaged in diverse informal occupations, including home-based textile work, domestic labour, street vending, and construction. Findings reveal that women in Panipat's informal sector face multidimensional vulnerabilities encompassing income instability, absence of social protection, occupational hazards, and disproportionate unpaid care responsibilities. Educational attainment, household structure, and access to financial services emerge as significant determinants of economic outcomes. The research demonstrates that integrating women's informal labour into sustainable development frameworks requires targeted interventions addressing skill enhancement, social security extension, and policy recognition. Recommendations are offered for municipal and state-level initiatives that can transform informal employment into a pathway for inclusive growth rather than a trap of perpetual marginalisation.