{"id":146025,"date":"2024-12-07T19:43:17","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T14:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=146025"},"modified":"2025-02-13T15:58:40","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T10:28:40","slug":"female-labour-force-participation-in-india","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/female-labour-force-participation-in-india","title":{"rendered":"Female Labour Force Participation in India"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reports that<\/span><b> female labor force participation in rural India <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has risen significantly<\/span><b>, from 24.6% to 41.5% <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">between 2017\u201318 and 2022\u201323.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7979%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) is an independent body constituted to give advice on economic and related issues to the Government of India, specifically to the Prime Minister.<\/b><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Key Insights from EAC-PM Working Paper on Female Labour Force Participation<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Data Source and Analysis: The analysis is based on the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) from 2017\u201318 to 2022\u201323, encompassing employment and demographic data of over 2.5 million individuals.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Significant Growth in Female LFPR (2017\u201318 to 2022\u201323): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural female labour force participation rate (LFPR) increased from <\/span><b>24.6% to 41.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Urban female LFPR <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">saw a modest <\/span><b>rise<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from <\/span><b>20.4% to 25.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with notable interstate variations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>State-Level Highlights<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Rural States<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jharkhand recorded <\/span><b>233% growth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; Bihar saw a <\/span><b>6x increase<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Northeastern states like Nagaland observed a sharp rise from <\/span><b>15.7% to 71.1%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Urban Areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gujarat exhibited significant growth from <\/span><b>16.2% to 26.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tamil Nadu saw marginal changes, increasing from <\/span><b>27.6% to 28.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Role of Marital Status in LFPR<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Married women in rural areas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> showed <\/span><b>higher participation growth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> compared to unmarried women, particularly in states like Rajasthan and Jharkhand.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In urban areas, marriage was linked to reduced female LFPR, with<\/span><b> moderate increases noted in northeastern states.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>LFPR Growth in Western and Southern States<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Rural Areas: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The growth in labour force participation is primarily seen among rural women in western and southern states.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Urban Areas: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban regions in these states have experienced only modest increases in female LFPR.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Andhra Pradesh: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notably, <\/span><b>Andhra Pradesh has seen a significant decline in LFPR among urban women with children.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Female Labour Force Participation (LFPR) Trends: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Female LFPR follows a <\/span><b>bell-shaped curve<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>peaking between 30\u201340 years<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and declining sharply thereafter.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Male Labour Force Participation (LFPR) Trends: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Male LFPR remains consistently high (around <\/span><b>100%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) between <\/span><b>ages 30\u201350<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, gradually decreasing as age progresses.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Female Labour Force Participation In India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Female labour force participation<\/span><b> refers to the percentage of women engaged in the formal or informal workforce, either employed or actively seeking employment.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It serves as an indicator of women\u2019s economic empowerment and social equality.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Data Survey: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The National Household survey,<\/span><b> Periodic Labour Force Survey,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> conducted by <\/span><b>National Statistics Office (NSO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reveals the female employment status in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Global Labour Participation Rate For Women:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>global labor force participation rate for women<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is <\/span><b>just over 50% c<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ompared to 80% for men.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>India\u2019s Participation Rate: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though female participation rate is still not at par with global average, however, it is improving over the years.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As per the <\/span><b>Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, during <\/span><b>2022-23<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the women participation in the labour force has notably increased to <\/span><b>37.0%.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Factors Responsible for Low Female Participation in the Labour Force<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Unpaid Domestic Duties\/Unpaid Care Work: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a <\/span><b>disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic work and caregiving responsibilities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, including childcare and home-making on Women.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This results in <\/span><b>&#8216;time poverty,&#8217;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which hinders women from joining the workforce. <\/span><b>Example:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><b>PLFS 2021-22<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, around <\/span><b>44.5% of women were outside the labour force<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to child care and personal commitments at home<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><b>Time Use Survey of 2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> data, <\/span><b>women in the working age group spend<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> approximately <\/span><b>seven hours daily on unpaid household work alone.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Social and Cultural Norms: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social expectations often assign<\/span><b> women the role of caregivers and homemakers,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> leading to a lack of participation in economic activities.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Men are generally expected to be the primary earners,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reinforcing the idea that women should focus on household duties instead of contributing to the workforce.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Marriage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Marriage, particularly early marriage, often reduces the female LFPR,<\/span><b> as women are expected to take on household and child-rearing responsibilities.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the<\/span><b> World Bank Report,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it is<\/span><b> estimated that i<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n India<\/span><b>, after marriage, women&#8217;s employment rates decrease by 12 percentage points, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which is about one-third of their employment rate before marriage, even if they don&#8217;t have children.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Rising Household Income: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As <\/span><b>household income rises<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the<\/span><b> financial necessity for women to work diminishes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which can discourage them from seeking employment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Salary\/Wage Disparity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gender-based wage gaps and the <\/span><b>undervaluation of women&#8217;s work <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">discourage female participation in the labour force.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a report by DBS Bank India, in collaboration with CRISIL, <\/span><b>23% of salaried women in India perceive a gender pay gap.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Educational Barriers: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Educational attainment plays a crucial role in influencing female participation in the labour force.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many <\/span><b>women are unable to access or complete quality education<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which limits their employment opportunities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the<\/span><b> 2011 census<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>only 63 percent of women<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the total population are<\/span><b> literate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, significantly lower than the male literacy rate of 80 percent.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Training and Qualification Gaps: Lack of required training, qualifications, or age restrictions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can prevent women from accessing job opportunities, contributing to lower participation rates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Continued Study Preference: Around 33.6% <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prefer to <\/span><b>continue their studies instead of entering the workforce,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which keeps them outside the labour force.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Limited Avenues In Rural Areas: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are limited opportunities in rural India because of which women don\u2019t find jobs matching their preference.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Low skill levels and non-farm jobs have also been found to be\u00a0 limited, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0leading\u00a0 to\u00a0 the\u00a0 withdrawal\u00a0 of\u00a0 women\u00a0 from the\u00a0 labour\u00a0 force.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Crime as a Hindrance: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crime against women is one of the major hindrances to their productive contribution to the economy.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The\u00a0 issues\u00a0 are\u00a0 majorly\u00a0 concerned\u00a0 with\u00a0 the\u00a0 <\/span><b>commute\u00a0 to\u00a0 work<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 and\u00a0 the\u00a0 <\/span><b>resulting\u00a0 cost\u00a0 of\u00a0 traveling <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0that deters women from joining the labour force.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A report by <\/span><b>National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">revealed that crimes against women have been on the rise, with<\/span><b> 4,45,256 cases reported in 2022, which means 51 cases every hour<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Significance of Increasing Female Labour Force Participation in India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Economic Growth: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A higher Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) means <\/span><b>more women are contributing to the workforce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which can lead to <\/span><b>increased productivity and overall economic growth.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women bring<\/span><b> diverse skills and perspectives<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which fosters innovation and efficiency in workplaces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, a <\/span><b>McKinsey Global Institute report<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> estimates that by offering equal opportunities to women, <\/span><b>India could potentially add US$ 770 billion to its GDP by 2025\u200b.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Maximizing Demographic Dividend: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India, with its young population, can benefit from its demographic dividend <\/span><b>if women are equally integrated into the workforce.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encouraging women to participate in productive activities ensures that a <\/span><b>larger segment of the population contributes to the economy.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Economic Empowerment of Women<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Employment offers women financial independence, reducing their dependency on male family members.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This enables them to<\/span><b> make decisions in their personal, family, and social lives, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">leading to overall <\/span><b>improvements in well-being.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Social Transformation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As women join the labor force, traditional gender norms and societal perceptions gradually shift, fostering greater gender equality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Attainment of SDG Goals: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Improving female LFPR directly contributes to achieving key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>SDG 5: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gender equality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>SDG 8: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decent work and economic growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>SDG 10: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced inequalities\u200b.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6989%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Good Practices from Private and Public Sector for increasing female labour participation in India:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Extended paid maternity leave from 12 to<\/span><b> 26 weeks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, ensuring women have adequate time for childcare.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Provides cash incentives to pregnant women for proper nutrition and health.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Free Laptop Scheme of Tamil Nadu: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Government of Tamil Nadu is implementing the scheme of distribution of laptop computers to the students studying in Government and Government-aided schools and colleges in the state to<\/span><b> facilitate them in acquiring better skills and to incentivise them to continue their education.\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Re Entry Programmes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Many Companies offer a re entry programme for women to address the issue of talent shortage.<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infosys promotes mentorship opportunities for women returning from career breaks.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Dedicated Offices for Gender Sensitivity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Many Multinational Corporations have set up dedicated offices where women employees can avail <\/span><b>counselling facilities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and<\/span><b> nursing stations <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that would be available round the clock.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Government Initiatives To Improve the Female Labour Force Participation In India<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>New Initiatives in Budget 2024-25: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0The <\/span><b>Prime Minister\u2019s Package<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> announced in the Budget 2024-25 includes five key schemes aimed at empowering youth, including 4.1 crore women, over the next five years with a central outlay of \u20b92 lakh crore. The initiatives include:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on <\/span><b>employment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>skilling<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>opportunities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting up <\/span><b>working women hostels<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in collaboration with the industry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establishing <\/span><b>creches<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to support women\u2019s participation in the workforce.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional <\/span><b>policy interventions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to foster a conducive environment for women in the workforce.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>\u2018Palna\u2019 scheme: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>Ministry of Women and Child Development<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> runs the \u2018Palna\u2019 scheme, or the <\/span><b>National Programme on Anganwadi-cum-Cr\u00e8che<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which provides day-care facilities for children of working parents.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The scheme aims to<\/span><b> increase the participation of women<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the workforce by providing a safe and secure environment for children\u2019s health, nutrition, and cognitive development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A total of<\/span><b> 1,000 Anganwadi creches<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have been made operational till now as part of this scheme<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PMMY provides financial support to micro and small enterprises, particularly focusing on women entrepreneurs.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under this scheme, <\/span><b>loans up to \u20b910 lakh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are provided for income-generating activities in the non-corporate, non-farm small\/micro enterprise sector.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>&#8216;Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE-KIRAN)&#8217;: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The WISE-KIRAN scheme is a <\/span><b>holistic approach <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to address various challenges faced by women in their scientific journey through different kinds of programmes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>SERB-POWER (Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The initiative promotes women in<\/span><b> exploratory research<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by funding women scientists and researchers to pursue pioneering projects<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DDU-GKY provides skill development training to youth from rural areas, including women, to enhance their employability.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It focuses on poverty alleviation by offering training in market-driven sectors, aiming to empower rural women with skills and economic opportunities.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Namo Drone Didi: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a <\/span><b>central sector scheme<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> aiming to empower <\/span><b>women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by equipping them with drone technology to provide agricultural services<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Skill India Mission: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to enhance the <\/span><b>employability of female workers,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the Government is providing training to them through a network of <\/span><b>Women Industrial Training Institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes and Regional Vocational Training Institutes.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It was enacted to ensure safe working spaces for women, provide protection against sexual harassment of women at workplace and for the prevention and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>National Education Policy (NEP), 2020: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The policy prioritises<\/span><b> gender equity <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and envisions ensuring equitable access to <\/span><b>quality education to all students<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with a special emphasis on Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Challenging Social and Cultural Norms: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a need to destigmatize unpaid care work, which will help break down gender stereotypes and redefine caregiving roles.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Public campaigns, educational programs, and media<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can promote the <\/span><b>active involvement of men in caregiving<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, creating a more <\/span><b>balanced division of labor.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This shift will <\/span><b>allow women to participate more fully <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the formal workforce, improving their labor force participation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Flexible Working Arrangements:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Flexible working arrangements, such as <\/span><b>remote work<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>flexible hours<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, allow women to <\/span><b>balance professional and personal responsibilities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making it <\/span><b>easier for them to join and remain in the workforce.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Promoting Vocational Training:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Enhancing women with skills <\/span><b>increases their employability <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and equips them to contribute to the economy.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) can enhance digital literacy in rural areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Formalisation of Jobs: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Formalization of jobs provides women with<\/span><b> job security, equal pay, and legal protections<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making employment more attractive and can help boost female labour force participation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While female labour force participation in India is steadily improving, <\/span><b>targeted policy interventions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are essential to ensure gender equality, economic empowerment, and inclusive growth, all crucial in realising the <\/span><b>vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.<\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) reports that female labor force participation in rural India has risen significantly, from 24.6% to 41.5% between 2017\u201318 and 2022\u201323.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":145975,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[2100],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/146025"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146025"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/146025\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":146027,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/146025\/revisions\/146027"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146025"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146025"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=146025"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=146025"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}