The 7^th meeting of the Task Force on “Improving Female Workforce Participation in India” was convened on 23^rd August 2024 at Ministry of Labour and Employment, New Delhi. The meeting was presided over by Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment (L&E).

In her opening remarks, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, underscored the indispensable role of women in the workforce, highlighting that their participation drives economic growth and also enriches workplace diversity across industries.

She emphasized that fostering active and meaningful female workforce participation is a matter of both social justice and an economic and strategic imperative essential for building a vibrant, innovative, and equitable society.

Ms. Dawra encouraged the Task Force to adopt a pragmatic approach in recommending interventions that both the Government and the private sector can implement to support women in joining the workforce. She also urged industry associations to establish a mechanism to recognize companies that excel in creating a conducive environment for women.

The meeting provided a platform for discussing the current status of female workforce participation in India, identifying key challenges, and exploring potential strategies for improvement. Among the notable discussions, the Task Force identified the care economy as a sector with significant potential for increasing female workforce participation. The adoption of a sectoral approach to support decent jobs for women was also deliberated upon.

The Industry Associations were urged by the Task Force to organise series of webinars and workshops to create awareness and encourage employers to improve female participation in economic activity. The CII also presented a compendium of best practices by employers aimed at enhancing female workforce participation.

Major strategies discussed by the Task Force related to enhancing mobility and improved public transportation; employability enhancement; communication campaigns; support to self-employed women and those in unorganized sector with respect to social security and health benefits, amongst others. Discussions covered women employed in manufacturing, domestic work, e-commerce, services, MSMEs, etc.

The strategies discussed during the meeting are expected to play a pivotal role in overcoming the challenges faced by women in the workforce and in promoting gender equality across sectors. The final report of the Task Force is expected within three months. 

The meeting was attended by representatives of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Department of Economic Affaris (DEA) and the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI). The Terms of Reference of the Task Force include analysis of Female Workforce Participation, identifying and providing strategic advice on removing barriers and challenges faced by women in accessing employment.

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Himanshu Pathak