India needs women in workforce to fully tap economic potential

This is in stark contrast with Vietnam, where the female labour force participation rate was 68 per cent in 2023. Furthermore, India’s rate remains well below the global rate of 49 per cent. If India wants to achieve an 8 per cent GDP growth rate, a recent report by Barclays says it must raise its female labour force participation rate to 43.4 per cent by 2030.

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Addressing gender imbalance requires targeted policy reforms and dedicated schemes to promote the inclusion of women. Additionally, awareness and gender sensitisation training in renewable energy must be expanded, particularly in rural areas. Identifying a target village or cluster of villages and conducting sessions there could be pivotal, according to a study by the UNDP.

Security and connectivity in rural regions also pose significant barriers. Ensuring that training centres are accessible by road and secure for female participants is crucial. Empowering women from economically disadvantaged or rural backgrounds through eco-entrepreneurship models is also vital.

While the Indian government has taken some steps to boost women in the workplace, they seem to be aimed at mitigating criticism ahead of the country’s recent election rather than effecting real change. Similar promises made during the 2014 campaign have yet to yield significant progress.

Additionally, the government’s recent interim budget, which announced supportive measures such as HPV vaccinations for girls and the promotion of self-help groups to aid women’s financial independence, still lacks concrete execution details. This lack of clarity leaves