Rising Women's Economic Participation in India Yet Lacking at Leadership Levels
Women participation in economy rising, but presence at top dismal
The Indian Express
Image: The Indian Express
Despite an increase in women's participation in India's economy, their representation in leadership roles remains critically low. The Women's Reservation Act's stalled implementation highlights systemic barriers, while research indicates that enhanced female workforce involvement is essential for India's economic growth and development by 2047.
- 01The Women's Reservation Act's implementation is hindered by its connection to the delimitation bill.
- 02Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is projected to rise to 40% by 2025 but remains below the global average.
- 03Women in senior positions in educational institutions and businesses are significantly underrepresented.
- 04Research shows that constituencies with women legislators perform better economically.
- 05A critical mass of women in leadership roles is necessary for meaningful corporate governance.
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The Indian government's attempt to advance the implementation of the Women's Reservation Act has faced challenges, particularly due to its association with the delimitation bill. Although the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) is expected to rise from 33.9% in 2022 to 40% by 2025, it still lags behind the global average of 49%. A 2018 study revealed that constituencies with women legislators experienced an economic performance increase of 1.8 percentage points annually compared to those led by men. However, women's representation in senior positions across sectors remains dismal. In prestigious institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), female faculty representation stagnates at around 14%, with IIT-Jodhpur being an exception at 22%. In the business sector, only 27% of proprietary establishments are female-owned, and for every 100 male senior officials, only 13 females hold similar positions. The law firm Khaitan & Co highlights that while many firms have at least one woman on their boards, a significant number have only 1-2 women, indicating that their presence often lacks substantive impact. Achieving a critical mass of 30% female representation is essential for effective governance in India.
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The low representation of women in leadership roles may hinder India's economic growth and development. Enhancing women's participation in the workforce is crucial for achieving higher economic performance and addressing gender disparities.
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