harnessing the potential of the female workforce

The mass adoption of digital and smartphone technologies and the growing need for personalized care for the sick, elderly and children have opened up employment opportunities especially for women. Why is it like this? The gig and platform economy offers flexibility and freelancing jobs. Those engaged in providing health and personal care have always been an integral part of the economy and have been on the front lines during pandemics. Women constitute a major part of this class. The COVID-19 pandemic has further increased the need for health and personal care, thus opening up more job opportunities.

For women to take advantage of these new labor market opportunities, we need concerted efforts and targeted strategies along with a change in attitude. Higher education, skill training and access to digital technology are three great enablers of helping India realize the potential of its female labor force.

India’s demographic dividend

The participation of women in the workforce in India has been low. In 2019, 21% of women were either working or looking for work, compared to 32% in 2005. India’s female labor force participation (FLFP) rate is among the lowest among BRICS countries and even lower than some of its neighbors in South Asia. Like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Increasing FLFP in India is important not only to achieve economic growth but also to promote inclusive growth and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The population of India is among the youngest in the world. In 2020, the average age in India was around 29. Women and girls form a significant part of India’s demographic dividend. However, their inability to remain employed or occasionally seek employment has been a challenge to the labor market and economy due to economic and social factors, both domestically and at the macro level. Countries such as China, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea are examples of how demographic dividends can be leveraged to achieve rapid economic growth.

potential area

According to UN Women’s estimates, women make up a significant proportion of all healthcare workers and over 80% of nurses and midwives. In the education sector in India, especially in primary education and early childhood care, women also make up a significant proportion of the workforce. The care services sector, which includes health, education and other personal care services, is more labor-intensive than sectors such as manufacturing, construction or other service sectors, where employability is affected by factors such as the introduction of equipment, technology, and technology. and increased mechanization.

More investments in better health and care facilities will not only improve the well-being of India’s people and hence their economic productivity, global evidence documented by the International Labor Organization (ILO) also suggests that it will create more employment opportunities for women . Key findings (2018) in the ILO Report on Care Work and Care Jobs for the Future of Decent Work: Asia and the Pacific indicated that increasing investment in the care economy has the potential to create a total of 69 million jobs in India by 2030. Investment in health and care sector can go a long way in boosting India’s economy. Investments are significant for setting up child care services through a collaborative model in office premises and with industry associations in industrial corridors. Such initiatives can significantly assist women in managing their caregiving responsibilities, allowing them adequate time off for paid employment.

The gig economy consists of platforms that provide innovative solutions in various sectors such as transportation, retail, personal and home care. India has emerged as one of the largest countries for gig and platform work. Digital platforms in India have flourished as a result of increased use of smartphones, low cost of internet and other initiatives under the Digital India campaign. The gig economy has demonstrated resilience even during the pandemic, with platform workers playing an essential role in urban India. Platform jobs have low-entry barriers and meet the needs and aspirations of workers with a variety of skill sets. Studies indicate that women appreciate the income-generating potential of the gig economy. The ILO Global Survey (2021) noted that working from home or job flexibility is particularly important for women.

Digital platforms that allow remote work are, in theory, accessible to men and women in any location. However, access to the Internet and smartphones can be a restricting factor. Statistics show that women in India have significantly less access to the Internet and smartphones than men. According to the GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report, only 25% of women had smartphones in India in 2020 compared to 41% of men. Closing this gap can be instrumental in boosting the employment of women in the gig and platform sector.

policies and measures

Women and girls’ access to higher education (beyond secondary education) and skill training is critical to improving their employment outcomes. There is a need to motivate women and their families to take up higher education through scholarships as well as incentives like transport and hostel facilities.

It is important for them to enable women to acquire both material assets (through credit facilities, revolving funds etc.) and employable skills to take up employment opportunities in new and emerging sectors. There is a need to encourage skill training of women in job roles such as gig, platform and care sectors as well as other emerging sectors covered under production linked incentive scheme.

Online skills training can also be beneficial for women who face barriers to physical mobility due to social norms, domestic responsibilities or safety-related concerns. We need training programs with well defined outcomes for digital outreach of women and mentoring them to take up employment opportunities in emerging sectors.

Under cooperative federalism, for India to leverage the potential of its FLFPs, there will be a need for continued dialogue and engagement with states on action strategies. There is a need for inter-ministerial coordination. Governments, skill training partners, private firms, corporates and industry associations as well as civil society organizations need to come together to create enabling solutions for women. Policies that support the expansion of care services alongside the gig and platform sectors can serve as an effective strategy to bolster aggregate demand, as well as improve long-term economic growth, gender equality and social well-being. can.

Of. Rajeshwar Rao is Special Secretary, NITI Aayog, and Sakshi Khurana is Advisor, Skill Development, Labor and Employment in NITI Aayog. views expressed are personal