This factsheet provides an overview of Jharkhand’s economy, known for its rich mineral resources and industrial hubs like Jamshedpur and Bokaro. While mining is key, agriculture supports over half the population. In 2021-22, the state’s female Work Participation Rate (WPR) stood at 35.2%, largely driven by its tribal communities. Explore Jharkhand’s employment trends and the role of women in its workforce.
Publications
Publications
Category
Year
Factsheet
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- March , 2023
- Trisha Chandra, Sona Mitra
The female Work Participation Rate (WPR) is high in Jharkhand due to its tribal population.The WPR for rural women has increased significantly over the past few years; however, the WPR of women from ST social groups has stagnated at very low levels.
The female Work Participation Rate (WPR) is high in Jharkhand due to its tribal population.The WPR for rural women has increased significantly over the past few years; however, the WPR of women from ST social groups has stagnated at very low levels.
Report
Gender Modules
- February , 2023
- Moumita Sarkar | Soya Thomas | Seema Bhaskaran
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is a key initiative of the Government of India, led by the Ministry of Rural Development. It aims to collectivise women into institutions that empower them by addressing their needs and concerns, while ensuring their active participation in the development planning process. To advance gender equality, DAY-NRLM follows a two-pronged strategy: establishing functional institutional mechanisms that link communities to governance system and integrating gender-responsive approaches across all program areas. The goal is to foster an environment where women can actively participate in traditional and non-traditional livelihoods and overcome barriers in both public and private spheres. As part of this effort, DAY-NRLM has developed a comprehensive set of 17 training modules. These modules are designed to enhance understanding of key gender concepts and human behaviour, using experiential learning methods such as real-life stories, games, and participatory sessions. They will be used to train National Resource Persons, staff, and community cadres, with the aim of building a demand-driven system that recognises the intersectional challenges faced by women and girls. Developed in collaboration with IWWAGE, these modules cover a wide range of topics, including gender division of labour, asset ownership, and other core concepts, with additional content shaped by state-level needs and the gender operational strategy. This resource is instrumental in supporting DAY-NRLM’s mission to promote gender equality and ensure women’s visibility and empowerment in rural communities.
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is a key initiative of the Government of India, led by the Ministry of Rural Development. It aims to collectivise women into institutions that empower them by addressing their needs and concerns, while ensuring their active participation in the development planning process. To advance gender equality, DAY-NRLM follows a two-pronged strategy: establishing functional institutional mechanisms that link communities to governance system and integrating gender-responsive approaches across all program areas. The goal is to foster an environment where women can actively participate in traditional and non-traditional livelihoods and overcome barriers in both public and private spheres. As part of this effort, DAY-NRLM has developed a comprehensive set of 17 training modules. These modules are designed to enhance understanding of key gender concepts and human behaviour, using experiential learning methods such as real-life stories, games, and participatory sessions. They will be used to train National Resource Persons, staff, and community cadres, with the aim of building a demand-driven system that recognises the intersectional challenges faced by women and girls. Developed in collaboration with IWWAGE, these modules cover a wide range of topics, including gender division of labour, asset ownership, and other core concepts, with additional content shaped by state-level needs and the gender operational strategy. This resource is instrumental in supporting DAY-NRLM’s mission to promote gender equality and ensure women’s visibility and empowerment in rural communities.
Report
Women and Work, How India Fared in 2022
- February , 2023
- IWWAGE , TQH
2022 presented a landscape of change as the world aimed for greater resilience, recovery and growth as things began to open up post the COVID-19 pandemic. Spurred by changes in the overall outlook on work, women’s participation in the workforce also reflected a shift, with remote and hybrid work emerging strongly in certain sectors, in continuation of trends set during the height of the pandemic. Similarly, even in work that cannot be performed remotely, there has been a deepening in positive trends. As lockdowns lifted, women persondays in certain employment schemes also climbed. Against this backdrop, India has assumed the G20 presidency for 2023, and the year provides the nation with the opportunity to not only proactively set the agenda for women-led development, but also plan for the next phase of growth. There is thus a need to provide a roadmap for enablers of women-led development, whether through participation in leadership, reflection in policy mandates, or even addressing barriers to work. From the macro-political economic scenario to the specific challenges faced by women, this report situates women’s work against the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, particularly in light of India’s G20 presidency. Threaded through with insights from IWWAGE and LEAD’s research on the subject, the report covers trends across available data sources on scheme performances, policy changes, and political announcements, mapping the contours of women’s work in India and looking ahead to 2023.
2022 presented a landscape of change as the world aimed for greater resilience, recovery and growth as things began to open up post the COVID-19 pandemic. Spurred by changes in the overall outlook on work, women’s participation in the workforce also reflected a shift, with remote and hybrid work emerging strongly in certain sectors, in continuation of trends set during the height of the pandemic. Similarly, even in work that cannot be performed remotely, there has been a deepening in positive trends. As lockdowns lifted, women persondays in certain employment schemes also climbed. Against this backdrop, India has assumed the G20 presidency for 2023, and the year provides the nation with the opportunity to not only proactively set the agenda for women-led development, but also plan for the next phase of growth. There is thus a need to provide a roadmap for enablers of women-led development, whether through participation in leadership, reflection in policy mandates, or even addressing barriers to work. From the macro-political economic scenario to the specific challenges faced by women, this report situates women’s work against the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, particularly in light of India’s G20 presidency. Threaded through with insights from IWWAGE and LEAD’s research on the subject, the report covers trends across available data sources on scheme performances, policy changes, and political announcements, mapping the contours of women’s work in India and looking ahead to 2023.
Factsheet
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- January , 2023
- Suchika Gupta, Bidisha Mondal
This factsheet provides an overview of Punjab’s socio-economic landscape, highlighting its strong per capita GSDP but ongoing gender challenges. Despite a high literacy rate of 75.8%, the state’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) remains below national averages, with 19.4% in rural areas and 17.1% in urban areas. Explore the key gender disparities and socio-economic trends shaping Punjab’s development.
This factsheet provides an overview of Punjab’s socio-economic landscape, highlighting its strong per capita GSDP but ongoing gender challenges. Despite a high literacy rate of 75.8%, the state’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) remains below national averages, with 19.4% in rural areas and 17.1% in urban areas. Explore the key gender disparities and socio-economic trends shaping Punjab’s development.
Factsheet
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- January , 2023
- Prakriti Sharma, Sona Mitra
This factsheet highlights Telangana’s rapid economic growth since its formation in 2014, with a per capita income nearly double the national average. While agriculture employs 38% of its population, the services sector drives the state’s economy. Promising progress in education and government initiatives like job reservations and support for Self-Help Groups aim to boost women’s economic empowerment. Explore key socio-economic trends and women’s workforce participation in Telangana.
Telangana demonstrates interesting trends for working rural women – though the PLFS data showcase a significant rise in the share of employed rural women, the proportion of self-employed rural women working as domestic workers, dominantly in agriculture and allied services has increased. There is also a simultaneous decline in women employed in casual work.
Telangana demonstrates interesting trends for working rural women – though the PLFS data showcase a significant rise in the share of employed rural women, the proportion of self-employed rural women working as domestic workers, dominantly in agriculture and allied services has increased. There is also a simultaneous decline in women employed in casual work.
Learning note
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- January , 2023
- Prakriti Sharma , Sona Mitra , Bidisha Mondal
Telangana, India’s newest state, formed in 2014, has quickly emerged as a growing economy with a per capita income nearly double the national average. While agriculture employs 38% of its population, the services sector is the largest contributor to the state’s economy. Telangana shows promising progress in education, with a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for higher education at 35 and a Gender Parity Index (GPI) of 1.05, favoring women. Government initiatives, such as 33.3% reservation for women in state jobs and support for Self-Help Groups, aim to further women’s economic empowerment. This factsheet explores the state’s socio-economic trends and women’s participation in the workforce.
Telangana, India’s newest state, formed in 2014, has quickly emerged as a growing economy with a per capita income nearly double the national average. While agriculture employs 38% of its population, the services sector is the largest contributor to the state’s economy. Telangana shows promising progress in education, with a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for higher education at 35 and a Gender Parity Index (GPI) of 1.05, favoring women. Government initiatives, such as 33.3% reservation for women in state jobs and support for Self-Help Groups, aim to further women’s economic empowerment. This factsheet explores the state’s socio-economic trends and women’s participation in the workforce.
Learning note
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- January , 2023
- Suchika Gupta , Sona Mitra , Bidisha Mondal
Punjab, a northern state known for its agricultural economy, has a per capita Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of INR 1,88,015, higher than the national average. Despite its economic strengths, the state faces challenges in gender equity, with a sex ratio of 891, lower than the national average. Punjab’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) is also below the national figures, at 19.4% in rural areas and 17.1% in urban areas. However, the state boasts a literacy rate of 75.8%, with minimal gender disparity. This factsheet explores Punjab’s key socio-economic indicators and gender disparities.
Punjab, a northern state known for its agricultural economy, has a per capita Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of INR 1,88,015, higher than the national average. Despite its economic strengths, the state faces challenges in gender equity, with a sex ratio of 891, lower than the national average. Punjab’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) is also below the national figures, at 19.4% in rural areas and 17.1% in urban areas. However, the state boasts a literacy rate of 75.8%, with minimal gender disparity. This factsheet explores Punjab’s key socio-economic indicators and gender disparities.
Learning note
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- January , 2023
- Suchika Gupta , Sona Mitra , Bidisha Mondal
Kerala, a high-income Indian state with a per capita GSDP of INR 1,46,910, boasts impressive socio-economic indicators. It has one of the highest literacy rates in India, with minimal gender disparity-96% for men and 92% for women-and an outstanding sex ratio of 1,084. Despite these achievements, Kerala’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) remains low, at 29.5% in rural areas and 25.2% in urban areas. This factsheet explores key aspects of Kerala’s economy, gender wage gap, and human development, offering insights into the state’s progress and ongoing challenges.
Kerala, a high-income Indian state with a per capita GSDP of INR 1,46,910, boasts impressive socio-economic indicators. It has one of the highest literacy rates in India, with minimal gender disparity-96% for men and 92% for women-and an outstanding sex ratio of 1,084. Despite these achievements, Kerala’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) remains low, at 29.5% in rural areas and 25.2% in urban areas. This factsheet explores key aspects of Kerala’s economy, gender wage gap, and human development, offering insights into the state’s progress and ongoing challenges.
Learning note
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- January , 2023
- Prakriti Sharma , Sona Mitra , Bidisha Mondal
Chhattisgarh, located in east-central India, is the ninth largest state, with about 75% of its population residing in rural areas. Known as the ‘rice bowl of India,’ 70% of the state’s workforce depends on agriculture. Chhattisgarh has made significant strides in reducing multi-dimensional poverty, and its Female Work Participation Rate (FWPR) consistently surpasses the national average. In 2020-21, the state’s FWPR was 17 percentage points higher than the national figure. This factsheet explores Chhattisgarh’s socio-economic trends, focusing on women’s employment and the agricultural sector.
Chhattisgarh, located in east-central India, is the ninth largest state, with about 75% of its population residing in rural areas. Known as the ‘rice bowl of India,’ 70% of the state’s workforce depends on agriculture. Chhattisgarh has made significant strides in reducing multi-dimensional poverty, and its Female Work Participation Rate (FWPR) consistently surpasses the national average. In 2020-21, the state’s FWPR was 17 percentage points higher than the national figure. This factsheet explores Chhattisgarh’s socio-economic trends, focusing on women’s employment and the agricultural sector.
Factsheet
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- January , 2023
- Nidhi Gyan Pandey
This factsheet offers insights into Karnataka’s diverse economy, from its agricultural roots to its status as India’s leading tech hub. With a strong female workforce, the state’s Work Participation Rate (WPR) for women is 31.5%, according to the 2021-22 PLFS. Women are primarily engaged in agriculture in rural areas and manufacturing and services in urban regions. Explore Karnataka’s socio-economic landscape and workforce trends.
This factsheet offers insights into Karnataka’s diverse economy, from its agricultural roots to its status as India’s leading tech hub. With a strong female workforce, the state’s Work Participation Rate (WPR) for women is 31.5%, according to the 2021-22 PLFS. Women are primarily engaged in agriculture in rural areas and manufacturing and services in urban regions. Explore Karnataka’s socio-economic landscape and workforce trends.
SWAYAM
Practice Guide for Gender Integration in Livelihoods under DAY-NRLM
- September , 2025
- Shilpa Vasavada | Seema Bhaskaran
This booklet is intended for the livelihoods vertical and serves as a practical, field-focused Guide for teams on integrating gender into livelihoods interventions. Since these interventions include both farm-based and nonfarm- based activities, the booklet addresses each type separately, following a gender-responsive and progressively gender-transformative approach.
This booklet is intended for the livelihoods vertical and serves as a practical, field-focused Guide for teams on integrating gender into livelihoods interventions. Since these interventions include both farm-based and nonfarm- based activities, the booklet addresses each type separately, following a gender-responsive and progressively gender-transformative approach.
Report
Women and Work: How India fared in 2024
- September , 2025
- Aishwarya Bhuta, Harshita Kumari, Sohinee Thakurta, and Teesta Shukla.
The year 2024 marked a key moment for women and work in India, shaped by economic shifts, policy action, and technological change. Since 2021–22, new challenges and opportunities have influenced women’s workforce participation, alongside renewed efforts to advance women’s economic empowerment. Building on the vision of women-led development highlighted during India’s 2023 G20 presidency, momentum continued across multiple initiatives. This report examines key trends, policy developments, and emerging challenges shaping women’s work in 2024. Drawing on secondary data and research from IWWAGE and LEAD, it maps the evolving landscape of women’s work in India and identifies pathways to greater inclusion and economic agency.
The year 2024 marked a key moment for women and work in India, shaped by economic shifts, policy action, and technological change. Since 2021–22, new challenges and opportunities have influenced women’s workforce participation, alongside renewed efforts to advance women’s economic empowerment. Building on the vision of women-led development highlighted during India’s 2023 G20 presidency, momentum continued across multiple initiatives. This report examines key trends, policy developments, and emerging challenges shaping women’s work in 2024. Drawing on secondary data and research from IWWAGE and LEAD, it maps the evolving landscape of women’s work in India and identifies pathways to greater inclusion and economic agency.
Knowledge series
Migration Climate Change and Gender
- July , 2025
- Divya Singh (IWWAGE), Aiman Akhtar (PDAG)
Climate change is altering everyday life and livelihoods across India, and its impacts are not felt equally. Women, particularly those from marginalised and low-income communities, are often the first to absorb the effects of climate shocks, whether through disrupted livelihoods, migration, or the pressures of extreme weather. These experiences are shaped by long-standing social and economic inequalities, making it essential to look beyond sectoral solutions. One of the least visible but most affected areas is the care economy. As climate risks intensify, women’s unpaid and poorly paid care work expands, especially during displacement, crises, and recovery. Care work plays a critical role in helping families and communities cope with climate stress, yet it remains largely invisible within climate policy and planning. Looking at climate change through the lens of care helps reveal two connected dynamics: how climate risks reshape care responsibilities, and how the way care is organised influences resilience and adaptation. Recognising care, valuing women’s unpaid labour, and strengthening care systems are therefore not add-ons, but central to effective climate responses. This series of policy briefs, jointly developed by IWWAGE and PDAG, explores these connections in detail. It examines how care work is shaped by climate-related vulnerabilities, labour transitions, and forced mobility, with close attention to gendered outcomes. The series is part of a broader climate–gender conversation that includes work, migration, governance, and energy transitions, while centring experiences from India and the Global South. Through this initiative, we aim to deepen understanding, inform policy choices, and contribute meaningfully to ongoing discussions on climate change, care, and gender equality.
Climate change is altering everyday life and livelihoods across India, and its impacts are not felt equally. Women, particularly those from marginalised and low-income communities, are often the first to absorb the effects of climate shocks, whether through disrupted livelihoods, migration, or the pressures of extreme weather. These experiences are shaped by long-standing social and economic inequalities, making it essential to look beyond sectoral solutions. One of the least visible but most affected areas is the care economy. As climate risks intensify, women’s unpaid and poorly paid care work expands, especially during displacement, crises, and recovery. Care work plays a critical role in helping families and communities cope with climate stress, yet it remains largely invisible within climate policy and planning. Looking at climate change through the lens of care helps reveal two connected dynamics: how climate risks reshape care responsibilities, and how the way care is organised influences resilience and adaptation. Recognising care, valuing women’s unpaid labour, and strengthening care systems are therefore not add-ons, but central to effective climate responses. This series of policy briefs, jointly developed by IWWAGE and PDAG, explores these connections in detail. It examines how care work is shaped by climate-related vulnerabilities, labour transitions, and forced mobility, with close attention to gendered outcomes. The series is part of a broader climate–gender conversation that includes work, migration, governance, and energy transitions, while centring experiences from India and the Global South. Through this initiative, we aim to deepen understanding, inform policy choices, and contribute meaningfully to ongoing discussions on climate change, care, and gender equality.
Knowledge series
Migration Climate Change and Gender
- July , 2025
- Divya Singh (IWWAGE), Aiman Akhtar (PDAG)
Climate change is altering everyday life and livelihoods across India, and its impacts are not felt equally. Women, particularly those from marginalised and low-income communities, are often the first to absorb the effects of climate shocks, whether through disrupted livelihoods, migration, or the pressures of extreme weather. These experiences are shaped by long-standing social and economic inequalities, making it essential to look beyond sectoral solutions. One of the least visible but most affected areas is the care economy. As climate risks intensify, women’s unpaid and poorly paid care work expands, especially during displacement, crises, and recovery. Care work plays a critical role in helping families and communities cope with climate stress, yet it remains largely invisible within climate policy and planning. Looking at climate change through the lens of care helps reveal two connected dynamics: how climate risks reshape care responsibilities, and how the way care is organised influences resilience and adaptation. Recognising care, valuing women’s unpaid labour, and strengthening care systems are therefore not add-ons, but central to effective climate responses. This series of policy briefs, jointly developed by IWWAGE and PDAG, explores these connections in detail. It examines how care work is shaped by climate-related vulnerabilities, labour transitions, and forced mobility, with close attention to gendered outcomes. The series is part of a broader climate–gender conversation that includes work, migration, governance, and energy transitions, while centring experiences from India and the Global South. Through this initiative, we aim to deepen understanding, inform policy choices, and contribute meaningfully to ongoing discussions on climate change, care, and gender equality.
Climate change is altering everyday life and livelihoods across India, and its impacts are not felt equally. Women, particularly those from marginalised and low-income communities, are often the first to absorb the effects of climate shocks, whether through disrupted livelihoods, migration, or the pressures of extreme weather. These experiences are shaped by long-standing social and economic inequalities, making it essential to look beyond sectoral solutions. One of the least visible but most affected areas is the care economy. As climate risks intensify, women’s unpaid and poorly paid care work expands, especially during displacement, crises, and recovery. Care work plays a critical role in helping families and communities cope with climate stress, yet it remains largely invisible within climate policy and planning. Looking at climate change through the lens of care helps reveal two connected dynamics: how climate risks reshape care responsibilities, and how the way care is organised influences resilience and adaptation. Recognising care, valuing women’s unpaid labour, and strengthening care systems are therefore not add-ons, but central to effective climate responses. This series of policy briefs, jointly developed by IWWAGE and PDAG, explores these connections in detail. It examines how care work is shaped by climate-related vulnerabilities, labour transitions, and forced mobility, with close attention to gendered outcomes. The series is part of a broader climate–gender conversation that includes work, migration, governance, and energy transitions, while centring experiences from India and the Global South. Through this initiative, we aim to deepen understanding, inform policy choices, and contribute meaningfully to ongoing discussions on climate change, care, and gender equality.
Factsheet
Trends in Female Labour and Workforce Participation – Assam
- July , 2025
- Aneek Choudhary and Vidhi
Assam has seen a sharp rise in female labour force participation since 2021–22, now above the national average (50% vs 42% in PLFS 2023–24). However, the 2022–23 gender gap appears distorted due to an NSSO weighting error in a few villages, which led to underreporting of female participation at district, state, and national levels. In parallel, pro-women initiatives such as Sarothi (interest-subsidised loans) and PMKVY 2.0 (industry-relevant skilling) are believed to have supported this improvement. Future analysis will use corrected PLFS data to better track trends and understand the drivers of rising female employment in Assam.
Assam has seen a sharp rise in female labour force participation since 2021–22, now above the national average (50% vs 42% in PLFS 2023–24). However, the 2022–23 gender gap appears distorted due to an NSSO weighting error in a few villages, which led to underreporting of female participation at district, state, and national levels. In parallel, pro-women initiatives such as Sarothi (interest-subsidised loans) and PMKVY 2.0 (industry-relevant skilling) are believed to have supported this improvement. Future analysis will use corrected PLFS data to better track trends and understand the drivers of rising female employment in Assam.
Assam has seen a sharp rise in female labour force participation since 2021–22, now above the national average (50% vs 42% in PLFS 2023–24). However, the 2022–23 gender gap appears distorted due to an NSSO weighting error in a few villages, which led to underreporting of female participation at district, state, and national levels. In parallel, pro-women initiatives such as Sarothi (interest-subsidised loans) and PMKVY 2.0 (industry-relevant skilling) are believed to have supported this improvement. Future analysis will use corrected PLFS data to better track trends and understand the drivers of rising female employment in Assam.
Report Snapshot
Swayam Process Evaluation: A Year-Long Ethnography Study, Madhya Pradesh & Odisha
- June , 2025
- Anushree Goenka, Lopamudra Nayak, Moumita Mandal, Shaheen Kauser, Sudhir Kumar Kori, Anubha Dixit, Mallika Mitra Biswas, Garvi Dhar, Pratyusha Barua, Surabhi Awasthi, Gayathri Sreedharan
This study assesses the impact of training programmes on community change and empowerment among leaders of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Village Organisations (VOs), and Cluster-Level Federations (CLFs). It also includes interviews with district- and block-level officials from MPSRLM and OLM to examine how line departments collaborate with community institutions to address and resolve complaints.
This study assesses the impact of training programmes on community change and empowerment among leaders of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Village Organisations (VOs), and Cluster-Level Federations (CLFs). It also includes interviews with district- and block-level officials from MPSRLM and OLM to examine how line departments collaborate with community institutions to address and resolve complaints.