Women’s participation in the workforce, which was on a downswing for over 35 years, has finally started to rise. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (LFPR) 2022-23 has shown a significant rise in labor force participation among both rural and urban women. However, the highlight of the report is that the LFPR or labor force participation rate for rural women shot up to 41.5 percent in 2022-23. But the level is still below the 2004-05 level of 49.4 percent. The survey also reveals a decline in unemployment rates among rural women. Unemployment fell from 3.8 percent to 1.8 percent between the financial years 2018 and 2023.
There are some interesting reasons for the same.
Over the years as the agrarian economy started to shrink, men shifted to industrial sectors for occupation. However, women stayed behind due to factors like lack of education, and the burden of household responsibilities and child care. Women are joining the workforce by improving their education and the household’s financial conditions.
Reports in newspapers about the rise in their workforce participation said that with an increase in family income and improvement in the education level of females, more and more females started entering the labor force, especially in non-manual or service-oriented jobs. That is why the participation of females in the labor force in comparison with the economic growth is U-shaped, the paper added.
Another reason is the conducive environment for women workforce. With service sector jobs requiring less physical labor, it is more appropriate for women workers, added the reports.
The GDP of India is estimated to increase by 43 percent if women had the same work participation rate as men, said reports quoting the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
