Centre Working On Framework To Increase Women Participation In Workforce: Report

In order to address key concerns and extend social security benefits to women in the unorganised sector, the Centre is planning to introduce a new framework to ensure greater participation of women in the workforce, as per the media reports. The framework is aimed at introducing a series of work arrangements that are flexible.

The media reports state the task force concerning the same is being led by Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra. The task force is working on examining strategies to ensure an enhancement of female workforce participation. The framework is expected to be introduced after the recommendations for implementation by both state governments and industries.

As far as the framework is concerned, it may not have a legally binding clause and could possibly be a guidelines for the states and companies, as per the media reports which cited sources. The framework is expected to be different across sectors and is likely to fit within the existing work hours.

The industries with a higher concentration of women workforce are expected to be the focus of the framework which is considering various models that are in place globally. The media reports state that models include the options for part-time work and work hour reductions across day or week.

The female participation rate in the country’s workforce increased to 26.8 per cent in 2024 from 23.9 per cent in 2016. However, the representation of women in managerial positions remains low at 18.59 per cent.

A recent study has highlighted the decline in female representation in the top-tier roles. A joint study by LinkedIn and The Quantum Hub noted that women in senior leadership roles rose to 18.7 per cent in 2023 from 16.6 per cent in 2016.