Content
- Building Inclusive Workplaces
Building Inclusive Workplaces
Basic Context
- Theme: Women’s economic empowerment and inclusive workplaces as a pillar of Viksit Bharat@2047.
- Objective: Integrating Nari Shakti in the workforce by ensuring safety, skill development, and equality in pay, benefits, and opportunity.
- Policy Backdrop: National focus on inclusive growth through labour reforms, Mission Shakti, and women-led entrepreneurship.
Current Trends in Women’s Workforce Participation
Rising Participation
- Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR):
- 2017–18: 23.3%
- 2023–24: 41.7% (Source: MoLE)
- Growth: +18.4 percentage points (nearly doubled).
- Worker Population Ratio (WPR) – Women (15+ years):
- 2017–18: 22% → 2023–24: 40.3%.
- Short-term data (PLFS 2025):
- June 2025: LFPR 32.0% → August 2025: 33.7%.
- WPR 30.2% → 32.0% (continuous month-on-month rise).
Formalisation of Employment
- EPFO 2024–25:
- 26.9 lakh net female subscribers added.
- July 2025 alone: 2.8 lakh new, 4.42 lakh net additions.
- Reflects formalisation and greater access to social security.
Global Context: BRICS Comparison (World Bank, 2024–25)
- India: +23% growth in female LFPR (2015–2024) — highest in BRICS.
- Brazil, China, Russia: stagnation/slight decline.
- South Africa: modest improvement.
- India now an emerging model for inclusive growth.
Legal and Institutional Framework for Women at Work
Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (Amend. 2017)
- Leave extended 12 → 26 weeks; applies to ≥50 employees.
- Mandates crèche facilities, covers surrogate mothers.
- Global comparison (BRICS Women’s Development Report 2025):
- India: 182 days leave — 2nd longest globally after Iran (270 days).
- Others: Brazil/South Africa/Ethiopia – 120 days; UAE – 60 days.
- Significance: Enhances family-friendly workplaces and retention.
Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 (POSH)
- Mandates Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) and Local Committees (LCCs).
- Enforces time-bound redressal; ensures dignity and safety.
- Institutional Innovation:
- SHe-Box Portal – online complaint monitoring and real-time tracking.
Equal Remuneration Act, 1976
- Enforces “Equal pay for equal work” principle.
- Global Gender Pay Equity (2024):
- India: Rank 120, comparable to Brazil (118), Iran (114), South Africa (113).
- China (14) and UAE (10) rank higher → scope for wage parity reforms.
Code on Social Security, 2020
- Universalises maternity, health, and insurance benefits to unorganised and gig workers.
- Extends ESI benefits to plantation workers — vital for women in tea/coffee sectors.
Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code, 2020
- Allows night shifts for women with consent and safety measures.
- Mandates transport facilities, annual health check-ups, crèches for establishments with ≥50 workers.
Governmental Initiatives: Women’s Economic Empowerment
Employment & Skill Development
| Scheme (Full Form) | Ministry / Department | Objective & Key Features | Achievement / Data (as of 2025) |
| PMKVY – Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana | Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) | Flagship skill training programme enabling youth to take up industry-relevant, job-ready skills under short-term training and RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). | 45% of trained candidates are women, reflecting gender-balanced skilling. |
| PMMY – Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (Mudra: Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) | Ministry of Finance | Provides collateral-free loans up to ₹10 lakh to micro and small enterprises, promoting women-led entrepreneurship in the informal sector. | 68% of all Mudra loan accounts belong to women — the highest proportion since inception (2015). |
| Stand–Up India Scheme | Ministry of Finance | Facilitates loans between ₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore for women, SC, and ST entrepreneurs to establish greenfield enterprises. | As of March 2025, over 2.01 lakh women-owned accounts sanctioned — fostering inclusivity in enterprise creation. |
| Startup India Initiative | Ministry of Commerce and Industry | Promotes innovation, entrepreneurship, and ease of doing business via funding, incubation, and policy support. | Over 75,000 women-led startups registered under the Startup India ecosystem. |
| WISE–KIRAN – Women in Science and Engineering: Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing | Department of Science and Technology (DST) | Encourages and supports women scientists and technologists in STEM through research grants, re-entry fellowships, and entrepreneurship facilitation. | Strengthened women’s participation across academic, industrial, and R&D ecosystems. |
| NAVYA – Nurturing Aspirations through Vocational Training for Young Adolescent Girls | Jointly by Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) & Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) | Targets girls aged 16–18 years, providing training in emerging sectors (digital marketing, cybersecurity, IT services) along with soft skills, hygiene, workplace safety, and financial literacy. | Created a pipeline of digitally skilled young women ready for modern workforce integration. |
Enabling Ecosystem for Working Women
| Initiative | Implementing Body | Key Features |
| SHe-Box | MWCD | Centralised online platform for POSH complaints & IC monitoring. |
| Mission Shakti (2024) | MWCD | Integrated safety and empowerment mission — Sambal + Samarthya components. |
Mission Shakti: Two-Pillar Framework
Sambal (Safety & Security)
- One Stop Centres (OSC): Integrated medical, legal, and counselling support.
- Women Helpline (181): Emergency linkage (police, ambulance, OSC).
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP): Focus on education and survival of girl child.
- Nari Adalat: Panchayat-level grievance redressal for minor disputes and harassment.
Samarthya (Empowerment & Rehabilitation)
- Shakti Sadan: Relief & rehabilitation homes for women in distress.
- PMMVY (Revised): Maternity benefits now extended to 2nd girl child – promoting gender equity.
- Sakhi Niwas: Affordable hostels/day-care for working women.
- Palna: Crèche network via Anganwadis.
- SANKALP – Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW): Scheme information bridge + monitoring Mission Shakti progress.
Overview
Structural Transformation
- The shift from informal to formal female employment (EPFO, gig regulation under Social Security Code) signals institutionalisation of gender inclusion.
Economic Impact
- World Bank (2024): Increasing women’s LFPR to 50% could add $770 billion to India’s GDP by 2030.
- ILO (2025 projection): India could achieve 70% female workforce participation by 2047 with continued policy momentum.
Policy Convergence
- Cross-sectoral integration — linking education (Beti Bachao, NAVYA) → skills (PMKVY) → credit (PMMY, Stand-Up) → protection (POSH, Maternity Act) → entrepreneurship (Startup India) ensures a 360° empowerment cycle.
Challenges Ahead
- Wage gap persistence (India rank 120 in pay equity).
- Unpaid care work limits labour mobility.
- Low representation in leadership: only 18% of board positions held by women (NASSCOM, 2024).
- Need for gender budgeting integration at state levels and data-driven monitoring.
Way Forward
- Institutionalise Gender Mainstreaming: Integrate gender audit into HR and CSR frameworks.
- Strengthen Skill–Job Linkages: Focus on emerging sectors (EV, green energy, AI, cybersecurity).
- Reform Labour Codes Implementation: State-level uniformity and accountability.
- Expand Social Protection: Extend ESI, maternity, and pension benefits to gig and platform workers.
- Measure Progress: Annual Gender Equality Index for all ministries aligned with SDG 5 and Vision 2047.
Conclusion
India’s women-led transformation reflects a new growth narrative — one of inclusion, productivity, and social equity.
By integrating gender sensitivity into laws, workplaces, and policy missions, India is turning Nari Shakti into an engine of Viksit Bharat@2047.
With sustained commitment to skills, safety, and social security, India is positioning itself as a global leader in inclusive development — ensuring that the journey to a developed nation is powered equally by its women.
