Publications
Publications
Category
Year
IWWAGE-ISI-BRIEFS
Land Access, Productivity and Female Labour Force Participation
- December , 2021
- Ayushi Gupta
Authored by Ayushi Gupta (Research Associate, IWWAGE). ISST is a New Delhi–registered public charitable trust (Reg. No. 923; 25 Feb 1980), based at India Habitat Centre, permitted to receive foreign contributions (FCRA: 231650070); donations are eligible for 80G tax exemption. IWWAGE is an initiative of LEAD (IFMR Society), with strategic oversight and brand support from Krea University, and is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the views in this brief are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the Foundation’s.
Authored by Ayushi Gupta (Research Associate, IWWAGE). ISST is a New Delhi–registered public charitable trust (Reg. No. 923; 25 Feb 1980), based at India Habitat Centre, permitted to receive foreign contributions (FCRA: 231650070); donations are eligible for 80G tax exemption. IWWAGE is an initiative of LEAD (IFMR Society), with strategic oversight and brand support from Krea University, and is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the views in this brief are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect the Foundation’s.
Learning note
Towards a Gender-Responsive and Inclusive Economic Recovery for India in the COVID-19 Context
- November , 2021
- Kanika Jha Kingra , Soumya Kapoor Mehta
The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted India’s most vulnerable populations, with women and girls bearing the brunt of job losses, heightened unpaid care responsibilities, and reduced economic participation. At the peak of the first lockdown in April–June 2020, India’s female labour force participation rate plummeted to just 16%, and nearly half of all working women faced permanent job losses-compared to just 7% of men. Women-owned and women-led micro-enterprises also experienced severe income declines and closures. Despite government relief measures, many failed to reach the most marginalised women and girls. As India moves toward economic recovery, there is an urgent need for a just, equitable, and gender-responsive recovery plan that puts women at the centre. This brief by IWWAGE outlines key short-, medium-, and long-term macroeconomic strategies-across monetary, fiscal, and innovative financing domains-to ensure women and girls are not left behind. It calls for investments in the care economy, the creation of equitable jobs and livelihoods, and the adoption of sustainable, climate-just, and rights-based economic models that support long-term resilience.
The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted India’s most vulnerable populations, with women and girls bearing the brunt of job losses, heightened unpaid care responsibilities, and reduced economic participation. At the peak of the first lockdown in April–June 2020, India’s female labour force participation rate plummeted to just 16%, and nearly half of all working women faced permanent job losses-compared to just 7% of men. Women-owned and women-led micro-enterprises also experienced severe income declines and closures. Despite government relief measures, many failed to reach the most marginalised women and girls. As India moves toward economic recovery, there is an urgent need for a just, equitable, and gender-responsive recovery plan that puts women at the centre. This brief by IWWAGE outlines key short-, medium-, and long-term macroeconomic strategies-across monetary, fiscal, and innovative financing domains-to ensure women and girls are not left behind. It calls for investments in the care economy, the creation of equitable jobs and livelihoods, and the adoption of sustainable, climate-just, and rights-based economic models that support long-term resilience.
Newsletter (Gender In Focus)
Gender in Focus
- November , 2021
- IWWAGE
The current edition focuses on our latest study on how the lack of safety, attributed to increasing rate of crime against women and girls, acts as a barrier to women’s participation in the workforce. This edition also showcases recommendations for a macroeconomic recovery for India in a COVID and post COVID context with a specific focus on women as a key constituent of this recovery; the impact of sexual harassment on labour market outcomes; and the impact of the COVID crisis on the gendered dimensions of employment and mental health among urban informal-sector workers.
The current edition focuses on our latest study on how the lack of safety, attributed to increasing rate of crime against women and girls, acts as a barrier to women’s participation in the workforce. This edition also showcases recommendations for a macroeconomic recovery for India in a COVID and post COVID context with a specific focus on women as a key constituent of this recovery; the impact of sexual harassment on labour market outcomes; and the impact of the COVID crisis on the gendered dimensions of employment and mental health among urban informal-sector workers.
Working Paper
Understanding violence & female labour supply
- November , 2021
- Neelanjana Gupta
The paper, What is keeping women from going to work: Understanding violence and female labour supply is an output of the research vertical of the Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE), an initiative of LEAD at Krea University. This document is not a priced publication
The paper, What is keeping women from going to work: Understanding violence and female labour supply is an output of the research vertical of the Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE), an initiative of LEAD at Krea University. This document is not a priced publication
IWWAGE-ISI-BRIEFS
Social Identities and Female Labour Force Participation in India
- November , 2021
- Rhitabrita Mukherjee
This brief compiles evidence and data to assess whether caste-based discrimination in India reinforces women’s already disadvantaged position in the labour force. It examines trends in women’s labour force participation by caste, using the official administrative definitions of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) from major government datasets.
This brief compiles evidence and data to assess whether caste-based discrimination in India reinforces women’s already disadvantaged position in the labour force. It examines trends in women’s labour force participation by caste, using the official administrative definitions of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) from major government datasets.
SWAYAM
Case study on addressing COVID-19 challenges_Meghalaya
- September , 2021
- Krestina Shylla
Compendium of best practices
From aspiration to empowerment: Impact of women’s collectives
- July , 2021
- Moumita Sarkar | Kanika Jha Kingra | Seema Bhaskaran
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY NRLM) has adopted a focussed approach towards gender mainstreaming in its programme architecture. This includes establishing institutional mechanisms like Social Action Committees at the village organisation (VO SAC) and cluster federation levels to serve as response mechanisms to various issues that women and girls face, and that continue to act as barriers for them in accessing their rights and entitlements to lead a decent living. These Social Action Committees have shown exemplary leadership in strengthening the gender responsiveness of the programme at the grassroots level, especially during COVID-19. The compendium on best practices titled, From aspiration to empowerment: Impact of women’s collectives, was launched in the presence of Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State, Rural Development, officials from the Ministry of Rural Development and all State Governments through an online event, national webinar on sharing of best practices adopted for addressing gender issues by VO SACs held on June 29, 2021. The compendium of case studies from 23 States highlights the processes, mechanisms, strategies and plans for replicating and scaling gender interventions to advance gender equality and end all forms of discrimination against women and girls. This volume contains inspiring stories of VO-SACs in increasing women’s access to rights and entitlements, and other economic issues like addressing wage disparities between men and women in the village through collective action; addressing issues of drudgery; the labour rights of migrants, prevention of child marriage, increasing girls retention in schools, preventing child abuse, alcoholism, domestic violence, witch hunting, human trafficking, and COVID-related gender issues. Broadly, the case studies highlight how VO-SACs have used multiple strategies including restorative justice, collective action, offering support to women (including psycho-social support) and sometimes even engaging with men to address issues that matter to women.
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY NRLM) has adopted a focussed approach towards gender mainstreaming in its programme architecture. This includes establishing institutional mechanisms like Social Action Committees at the village organisation (VO SAC) and cluster federation levels to serve as response mechanisms to various issues that women and girls face, and that continue to act as barriers for them in accessing their rights and entitlements to lead a decent living. These Social Action Committees have shown exemplary leadership in strengthening the gender responsiveness of the programme at the grassroots level, especially during COVID-19. The compendium on best practices titled, From aspiration to empowerment: Impact of women’s collectives, was launched in the presence of Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Minister of State, Rural Development, officials from the Ministry of Rural Development and all State Governments through an online event, national webinar on sharing of best practices adopted for addressing gender issues by VO SACs held on June 29, 2021. The compendium of case studies from 23 States highlights the processes, mechanisms, strategies and plans for replicating and scaling gender interventions to advance gender equality and end all forms of discrimination against women and girls. This volume contains inspiring stories of VO-SACs in increasing women’s access to rights and entitlements, and other economic issues like addressing wage disparities between men and women in the village through collective action; addressing issues of drudgery; the labour rights of migrants, prevention of child marriage, increasing girls retention in schools, preventing child abuse, alcoholism, domestic violence, witch hunting, human trafficking, and COVID-related gender issues. Broadly, the case studies highlight how VO-SACs have used multiple strategies including restorative justice, collective action, offering support to women (including psycho-social support) and sometimes even engaging with men to address issues that matter to women.
Factsheet
Trend in Female Labour Force Participation in India
- June , 2026
- Vidhi Singh | Bidisha Mondal
India’s labour market continues to show a marked structural imbalance in female workforce participation, even amid sustained economic growth since liberalisation. This factsheet examines recent trends in women’s labour market participation in India, focusing on sectoral distribution, employment status, occupational patterns, and the quality of employment.
India’s labour market continues to show a marked structural imbalance in female workforce participation, even amid sustained economic growth since liberalisation. This factsheet examines recent trends in women’s labour market participation in India, focusing on sectoral distribution, employment status, occupational patterns, and the quality of employment.
SWAYAM
Nayi Chetna 3.0 Assessment Report
- April , 2026
- Surabhi Awasthi | Arpita Paul | Alpaxee Kashyap | Moumita Sarkar
The National Gender Campaign – Nayi Chetna 3.0, implemented under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), represents effort to institutionalise gender equality and address gender-based violence (GBV) through a community-driven, convergent approach. The report highlights the campaign’s scale and innovation- over 13 lakh activities reaching crores of people nationwide alongside new pathways of engagement with adolescents, youth and men and stronger convergence across departments and community institutions.
The National Gender Campaign – Nayi Chetna 3.0, implemented under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), represents effort to institutionalise gender equality and address gender-based violence (GBV) through a community-driven, convergent approach. The report highlights the campaign’s scale and innovation- over 13 lakh activities reaching crores of people nationwide alongside new pathways of engagement with adolescents, youth and men and stronger convergence across departments and community institutions.
Brief
Menstrual and Menopausal Health at Work in India
- February , 2026
- Arundati Muralidharan, Aditi Vyas, Sharati Roy, Vidhi Singh
This policy brief highlights that menstrual and menopausal health are not temporary issues but lifelong realities that significantly affect women’s dignity, wellbeing, and participation in the workforce. Despite rising female labour force participation, workplace support for menstrual and menopausal health remains limited, particularly for women in the informal sector. The brief calls for inclusive workplace policies, stronger social protection, and greater awareness to ensure women can work with dignity and access the support they need throughout their lives.
This policy brief highlights that menstrual and menopausal health are not temporary issues but lifelong realities that significantly affect women’s dignity, wellbeing, and participation in the workforce. Despite rising female labour force participation, workplace support for menstrual and menopausal health remains limited, particularly for women in the informal sector. The brief calls for inclusive workplace policies, stronger social protection, and greater awareness to ensure women can work with dignity and access the support they need throughout their lives.
Brief
Union Budget: 2026-27 What It Means for Women’s Economic Empowerment
- February , 2026
This brief examines the Union Budget 2026–27 in the context of the government’s renewed focus on Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE). The Economic Survey (2025–26) highlights persistent structural barriers that limit women’s entry, retention, and advancement in the labour market, including unpaid care responsibilities, skill gaps, limited infrastructure, and barriers to entrepreneurship. The Gender Budget, the government’s key fiscal tool for addressing these challenges, has increased from ₹3.9 lakh crore in 2025–26 (Revised Estimates) to ₹5 lakh crore in 2026–27 (Budget Estimates). The brief analyses how these allocations align with the policy priorities identified in the Economic Survey and assesses whether current spending effectively addresses the demand- and supply-side barriers shaping women’s economic participation.
This brief examines the Union Budget 2026–27 in the context of the government’s renewed focus on Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE). The Economic Survey (2025–26) highlights persistent structural barriers that limit women’s entry, retention, and advancement in the labour market, including unpaid care responsibilities, skill gaps, limited infrastructure, and barriers to entrepreneurship. The Gender Budget, the government’s key fiscal tool for addressing these challenges, has increased from ₹3.9 lakh crore in 2025–26 (Revised Estimates) to ₹5 lakh crore in 2026–27 (Budget Estimates). The brief analyses how these allocations align with the policy priorities identified in the Economic Survey and assesses whether current spending effectively addresses the demand- and supply-side barriers shaping women’s economic participation.
Brief
Care and Climate Change
- January , 2026
The brief focuses on bridging feminist economics and climate policy, highlighting gendered care burdens, structural undervaluation of reproductive labour, and the need for transformative interventions like care-responsive adaptation and finance.
The brief focuses on bridging feminist economics and climate policy, highlighting gendered care burdens, structural undervaluation of reproductive labour, and the need for transformative interventions like care-responsive adaptation and finance.
Brief
Measuring Women’s Work: Innovations and Obstacles in the Global South
- January , 2026
The brief examined challenges and innovations in capturing women’s paid and unpaid work in labour statistics. Drawing on experiences from India, South Africa, Latin America, and global systems, panelists highlighted how survey design, classifications, and institutional limits determine what is counted, and what remains invisible
The brief examined challenges and innovations in capturing women’s paid and unpaid work in labour statistics. Drawing on experiences from India, South Africa, Latin America, and global systems, panelists highlighted how survey design, classifications, and institutional limits determine what is counted, and what remains invisible