There is an urgent need to create more jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities to promote women empowerment thereby making them economically independent as female labor force participation (FLFP) rate in India has fallen significantly by 10 percent during the last decade, noted a recent ASSOCHAM-Thought Arbitrage Research study.
"Female Labor Force Participation in India, analyzing India's performance in female labor force participation (FLFP) in comparison with the rest of the world and identifying factors that determine FLFP in India along with barriers to its growth," stated the joint study.
Though there was a spurt in the number of working women in India during 2000-2005, increasing from 34 percent to 37 percent, the female labor force participation rate has reduced continuously thereafter and reached 27 percent in 2014, particularly during the period when economy was experiencing unprecedented growth according to World Bank's report on World Development Indicators.
More so given the turn in Indian economy in the 1990s, and the rates of growth that have been achieved, an obvious conclusion that is often drawn is that FLFP should be increasing due to increase in disposal incomes, job opportunities, education and healthcare.
There are certain primary reasons for low participation of women in the labor force like lack of access to higher education among women, dearth of opportunities to work and even lack of flexibility in working conditions tends to dissuade women from joining the labor force as they turn to their domestic duties.
It has also been highlighted that in India, marriage decreases the probability of FLFP by about eight per cent in rural areas and more than twice as much in urban areas.
As per the latest available data, the FLFP rate in India was about 36 percent as of 2011-12, with 31 out of 35 states and union territories scoring rates below national average, while only Andhra Pradesh (erstwhile), Chhattisgarh, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh faring better in this regard.
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Initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Make in India, Start-up India and others are positive steps in the direction to improve female labor force participation in India, however, more initiatives towards women's empowerment need to be taken to create an enabling environment for increasing female employment and entrepreneurship, noted the ASSOCHAM-TARI study.
The study suggested promoting skill training programmes for women, setting up child care centers in large numbers, ensuring women safety and security in every sphere through efforts by both the Central and state governments and other such measures are imperative to boost female labor force participation in India.
Considering that even a 10 percent increase in FLFP rate can boost gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.3 percent, according to The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), it is imperative that policy measures and programmes are introduced and implemented to increase the participation of women in the workforce in India.