The participation of women in the workforce plays a key role in the economic growth of a country. The Indian government has been pushing for the cause to increase women’s participation in the overall economy. In terms of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), there has been an increase in women’s workforce participation by 13.9%, i.e., from 22 % in 2017-18 to 35.9% in 2022-23. The Interim Budget of 2024 continued to focus on Nari Shakti. While promoting self-reliance and financial inclusion of women in the economy through implementation of schemes like Lakhpati Didi and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojna, focus is also on maternal and natal healthcare. The State is also taking additional measures which are not enshrined in law to further the cause. For instance, recently, the Ministry of Labour and Employment issued an advisory for employers to promote women workforce participation to foster gender equality and promote women’s economic empowerment.
Please click here to read the full article by Minu Dwivedi and Shreya Chowdhury, published in Lexology.
Minu Dwivedi is a Partner with over 20 years of experience in general corporate and commercial work, specialising in labour & employment, white-collar crime investigations, POSH, governance, FCPA and anti‑corruption matters. She advises leading domestic and international clients across diverse sectors and is recognised as a Notable Practitioner by multiple global legal directories.