Publications
Publications
Category
Year
Report
Stepping Out of Vulnerability
- November , 2022
- Alpaxee Kashyap
This learning practice document examines how Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Odisha, and Tripura have utilised VRFs to support vulnerable households. The case studies highlight diverse applications, including Odisha’s use of VRFs to develop nutrition gardens (Mo Upakari Bagicha), supported by trained women Krishi Mitras who provide agricultural guidance and handholding. The case of Soni illustrates how VRF-supported nutrition gardens helped women sustain livelihoods and earn income during the COVID-19 lockdown.
This learning practice document examines how Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Odisha, and Tripura have utilised VRFs to support vulnerable households. The case studies highlight diverse applications, including Odisha’s use of VRFs to develop nutrition gardens (Mo Upakari Bagicha), supported by trained women Krishi Mitras who provide agricultural guidance and handholding. The case of Soni illustrates how VRF-supported nutrition gardens helped women sustain livelihoods and earn income during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Factsheet
National Family Health Survey
- October , 2022
- Aparna G | Bidisha Mondal
Discover comprehensive data on women’s socio-economic conditions through our annual factsheets. These factsheets, drawn from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), provide insights into critical areas such as education, health, work participation, decision-making, and access to resources. By analysing trends across various indicators, these factsheets offer a valuable snapshot of women’s lives in India, highlighting progress and ongoing challenges. Explore the factsheets for the latest data and understand the evolving landscape of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Discover comprehensive data on women’s socio-economic conditions through our annual factsheets. These factsheets, drawn from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), provide insights into critical areas such as education, health, work participation, decision-making, and access to resources. By analysing trends across various indicators, these factsheets offer a valuable snapshot of women’s lives in India, highlighting progress and ongoing challenges. Explore the factsheets for the latest data and understand the evolving landscape of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Learning note
Insights from a Survey of Common Service Centres (CSCs) in Chhattisgarh
- August , 2022
The CSC survey was conducted as part of an impact evaluation of the Haqdarshak program in Chhattisgarh.Haqdarshikas seem to play an important role in generating demand for less popular schemes especially state-specific schemes, which, nevertheless, bring important benefits to families across all major welfare dimensions, including education, health, shelter, and livelihoods.
The CSC survey was conducted as part of an impact evaluation of the Haqdarshak program in Chhattisgarh.Haqdarshikas seem to play an important role in generating demand for less popular schemes especially state-specific schemes, which, nevertheless, bring important benefits to families across all major welfare dimensions, including education, health, shelter, and livelihoods.
Newsletter (Gender In Focus)
Gender in Focus
- April , 2022
- IWWAGE
This issue of **Gender in Focus** offers a snapshot of IWWAGE’s ongoing work to address key challenges and document best practices. It features insights from a field study on information flows and the role of technology within Self-Help Groups in Chhattisgarh, along with excerpts from research on barriers to women’s career advancement in manufacturing. The issue also highlights a February 2022 report—developed with The Quantum Hub—summarising major trends in women’s work and livelihoods observed in 2021 and the pandemic’s impact on women’s lives. In addition, it includes webinar highlights on COVID-19’s effects across domains, along with updates and recent media coverage.
This issue of **Gender in Focus** offers a snapshot of IWWAGE’s ongoing work to address key challenges and document best practices. It features insights from a field study on information flows and the role of technology within Self-Help Groups in Chhattisgarh, along with excerpts from research on barriers to women’s career advancement in manufacturing. The issue also highlights a February 2022 report—developed with The Quantum Hub—summarising major trends in women’s work and livelihoods observed in 2021 and the pandemic’s impact on women’s lives. In addition, it includes webinar highlights on COVID-19’s effects across domains, along with updates and recent media coverage.
ICRW-GJP-IWWAGE Research Process Documentation
- April , 2020
- Radhika Uppal, Nilanjana Sengupta, Sunandita Banerjee, Somjita Laha
Report
Handbook on institutional mechanisms for addressing gender issues
- March , 2022
- Moumita Sarkar | Soya Thomas | Alpaxee Kashyap
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) recognises poverty as multidimensional and addresses the intersectional vulnerabilities women face due to gender, caste, class, and ethnicity. Believing in empowering women through specialised institutions, DAY-NRLM has developed a gender architecture to tackle these challenges. This structure includes platforms such as Gender Forums (GF), Social Action Committees (SAC), Village Organisations (VO), and Cluster-Level Federations (CLF), which raise awareness about women’s rights and connect them to public institutions. Gender Point Persons (GPP) help raise gender issues within Self-Help Groups (SHGs). While progress varies across states, many have successfully used these platforms to secure rights and entitlements for women. This handbook offers guidance on establishing and maintaining these institutions at all levels. It highlights their transformative role in addressing gender inequality, improving access to rights, and fostering stronger state-citizen relationships. The handbook aims to motivate state partners to invest in these models, demonstrating the positive impact they can have on women’s lives.
The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) recognises poverty as multidimensional and addresses the intersectional vulnerabilities women face due to gender, caste, class, and ethnicity. Believing in empowering women through specialised institutions, DAY-NRLM has developed a gender architecture to tackle these challenges. This structure includes platforms such as Gender Forums (GF), Social Action Committees (SAC), Village Organisations (VO), and Cluster-Level Federations (CLF), which raise awareness about women’s rights and connect them to public institutions. Gender Point Persons (GPP) help raise gender issues within Self-Help Groups (SHGs). While progress varies across states, many have successfully used these platforms to secure rights and entitlements for women. This handbook offers guidance on establishing and maintaining these institutions at all levels. It highlights their transformative role in addressing gender inequality, improving access to rights, and fostering stronger state-citizen relationships. The handbook aims to motivate state partners to invest in these models, demonstrating the positive impact they can have on women’s lives.
Report
Women and Work: How India Fared in 2021
- January , 2022
- IWWAGE , TQH
The year 2021 continued to challenge global recovery efforts, with the second wave of COVID-19 presenting new hurdles. Women and girls were disproportionately impacted, with structural barriers exacerbating the health crisis. As this report is compiled, the Omicron variant remains a threat, highlighting the need for a gender-responsive and equitable recovery. To achieve this, we must design inclusive social safety nets, bridge the gender gap in access to technology, create hybrid work solutions, reduce and redistribute care work, and invest in the care economy. Collecting robust, sex-disaggregated data is crucial to ensure effective, scalable policies and solutions. This report maps the ongoing efforts to bring women back into the workforce and prepare them for the future of work. It highlights key policy and programmatic developments that shaped women’s work in India in 2021. Additionally, the report looks ahead, emphasising new-age skills, entrepreneurship, and non-traditional livelihoods for a self-reliant India. It also sheds light on social indicators influencing women’s workforce participation, including access to resources, health, well-being, and security.
The year 2021 continued to challenge global recovery efforts, with the second wave of COVID-19 presenting new hurdles. Women and girls were disproportionately impacted, with structural barriers exacerbating the health crisis. As this report is compiled, the Omicron variant remains a threat, highlighting the need for a gender-responsive and equitable recovery. To achieve this, we must design inclusive social safety nets, bridge the gender gap in access to technology, create hybrid work solutions, reduce and redistribute care work, and invest in the care economy. Collecting robust, sex-disaggregated data is crucial to ensure effective, scalable policies and solutions. This report maps the ongoing efforts to bring women back into the workforce and prepare them for the future of work. It highlights key policy and programmatic developments that shaped women’s work in India in 2021. Additionally, the report looks ahead, emphasising new-age skills, entrepreneurship, and non-traditional livelihoods for a self-reliant India. It also sheds light on social indicators influencing women’s workforce participation, including access to resources, health, well-being, and security.
Learning note
Innovations for Women’s Empowerment Collectives in Chhattisgarh
- December , 2021
IWWAGE and LEAD at Krea University, in partnership with Bihan and with support from the Gates Foundation, are testing digital and assisted models to strengthen Women’s Empowerment Collectives (WECs) in Chhattisgarh. These pilots include: Haqdarshak: Training SHG women as digital agents (Haqdarshikas) to help communities access government entitlements, with over 2.9 lakh applications processed and income generated for agents. Mor Awaaz: Encouraging mobile phone use among women in SKY villages through weekly information calls, aiming to shift gender norms and improve digital engagement. Information Sharing in SHGs: Exploring how digital tools and social networks influence knowledge sharing and economic resilience, with planned training on soap-making and business skills for SHG women. These initiatives aim to build digital capacity, promote economic inclusion, and strengthen community-based support systems for rural women.
IWWAGE and LEAD at Krea University, in partnership with Bihan and with support from the Gates Foundation, are testing digital and assisted models to strengthen Women’s Empowerment Collectives (WECs) in Chhattisgarh. These pilots include: Haqdarshak: Training SHG women as digital agents (Haqdarshikas) to help communities access government entitlements, with over 2.9 lakh applications processed and income generated for agents. Mor Awaaz: Encouraging mobile phone use among women in SKY villages through weekly information calls, aiming to shift gender norms and improve digital engagement. Information Sharing in SHGs: Exploring how digital tools and social networks influence knowledge sharing and economic resilience, with planned training on soap-making and business skills for SHG women. These initiatives aim to build digital capacity, promote economic inclusion, and strengthen community-based support systems for rural women.
Working Paper
Understanding the barriers to women’s career advancement in the manufacturing sector
- December , 2021
- Swati Sharma
This paper, Understanding the barriers to women’s career advancement in manufacturing sector: diagnostic study of Indian garment factories, is part of the working paper series and has been produced with the help of IWWAGE research fellowship to young researchers in 2019
This paper, Understanding the barriers to women’s career advancement in manufacturing sector: diagnostic study of Indian garment factories, is part of the working paper series and has been produced with the help of IWWAGE research fellowship to young researchers in 2019
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.
Brief
Impact of Social Norms on Women’s Economic Empowerment in India
- November , 2025
- Mridusmita Bordoloi, Surabhi Awasthi, Sharati Roy
Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) refers to women’s access to economic opportunities, resources, decent work, and the ability to make independent economic choices. It is both a process and an outcome that strengthens individual agency and supports inclusive growth. In countries like India, WEE is constrained not only by structural gaps—such as inadequate care infrastructure, poor connectivity, and limited skills access—but also by deeply rooted gender norms that shape women’s roles in society.
Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) refers to women’s access to economic opportunities, resources, decent work, and the ability to make independent economic choices. It is both a process and an outcome that strengthens individual agency and supports inclusive growth. In countries like India, WEE is constrained not only by structural gaps—such as inadequate care infrastructure, poor connectivity, and limited skills access—but also by deeply rooted gender norms that shape women’s roles in society.
Report
Exploring linkages between womens empowerment workforce participation and population dynamics in the Indian context: A comprehensive macro micro analysis
- November , 2025
Gender equality and reproductive autonomy are central to India’s ability to navigate ongoing demographic transitions effectively. The study, a collaboration between the Population Foundation of India and the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality (IWWAGE), presents new evidence on these critical interconnections. By integrating macro-level demographic and human development data with micro-level insights from women’s lived experiences, the study offers one of the most comprehensive analyses of its kind in India, bridging quantitative data with qualitative narratives to illuminate how women’s empowerment shapes the country’s demographic and developmental trajectory.
Gender equality and reproductive autonomy are central to India’s ability to navigate ongoing demographic transitions effectively. The study, a collaboration between the Population Foundation of India and the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality (IWWAGE), presents new evidence on these critical interconnections. By integrating macro-level demographic and human development data with micro-level insights from women’s lived experiences, the study offers one of the most comprehensive analyses of its kind in India, bridging quantitative data with qualitative narratives to illuminate how women’s empowerment shapes the country’s demographic and developmental trajectory.
Factsheet
Trends in Female Labour Force Participation in West Bengal
- October , 2025
- Vidhi and Bidisha Mondal
West Bengal has seen strong economic growth driven by manufacturing, MSMEs and investment, with GSDP projected to grow 12 per cent in 2025–26. However, per capita income remains below the national average. The state has lost around 3 million informal jobs in recent years, disproportionately affecting women, while high outmigration, especially of skilled workers, continues to reshape the labour market. Women remain concentrated in low-productivity informal sectors such as agriculture and domestic work, resulting in low female labour force participation and underscoring the need for targeted employment policies.
West Bengal has seen strong economic growth driven by manufacturing, MSMEs and investment, with GSDP projected to grow 12 per cent in 2025–26. However, per capita income remains below the national average. The state has lost around 3 million informal jobs in recent years, disproportionately affecting women, while high outmigration, especially of skilled workers, continues to reshape the labour market. Women remain concentrated in low-productivity informal sectors such as agriculture and domestic work, resulting in low female labour force participation and underscoring the need for targeted employment policies.
West Bengal has seen strong economic growth driven by manufacturing, MSMEs and investment, with GSDP projected to grow 12 per cent in 2025–26. However, per capita income remains below the national average. The state has lost around 3 million informal jobs in recent years, disproportionately affecting women, while high outmigration, especially of skilled workers, continues to reshape the labour market. Women remain concentrated in low-productivity informal sectors such as agriculture and domestic work, resulting in low female labour force participation and underscoring the need for targeted employment policies.
Working Paper
Working or Not: What Determines Women’s Labour Force Participation in India?
- May , 2021
- Ruchika Chaudhary
This paper delves into the persistent gender gaps in India’s labour market, highlighting the alarming decline in women’s labour force participation despite socio-economic progress. Using data from the Periodic Labour Force Surveys (PLFS) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), it examines the key factors contributing to this trend, including the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work. The paper underscores the need for targeted policies, such as vocational training and gender-responsive initiatives, to empower women and break down barriers to their economic participation.
This paper delves into the persistent gender gaps in India’s labour market, highlighting the alarming decline in women’s labour force participation despite socio-economic progress. Using data from the Periodic Labour Force Surveys (PLFS) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), it examines the key factors contributing to this trend, including the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work. The paper underscores the need for targeted policies, such as vocational training and gender-responsive initiatives, to empower women and break down barriers to their economic participation.
This paper delves into the persistent gender gaps in India’s labour market, highlighting the alarming decline in women’s labour force participation despite socio-economic progress. Using data from the Periodic Labour Force Surveys (PLFS) and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), it examines the key factors contributing to this trend, including the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work. The paper underscores the need for targeted policies, such as vocational training and gender-responsive initiatives, to empower women and break down barriers to their economic participation.
Brief
A Crisis in Care India’s Ageing Population and the Need for Strengthened Eldercare – Hindi
- September , 2025
The global population is ageing, presenting complex challenges and new opportunities.The policy brief draws on insights from a roundtable discussion that brought together sectoral experts, practitioners, and academics, along with secondary research.The discussion served as a platform to examine the current state of eldercare in India, identify critical gaps, and explore actionable solutions to increase women’s participation in the formal eldercare workforce.
The global population is ageing, presenting complex challenges and new opportunities.The policy brief draws on insights from a roundtable discussion that brought together sectoral experts, practitioners, and academics, along with secondary research.The discussion served as a platform to examine the current state of eldercare in India, identify critical gaps, and explore actionable solutions to increase women’s participation in the formal eldercare workforce.