This factsheet provides insights into Gujarat’s economic and social landscape in 2020. Despite its industrial strengths, the state faces challenges in gender inequality, with a low sex ratio (866 females per 1,000 males) and an FLFPR of 16.9%, below the national average. High anaemia rates among women and lagging education indicators further highlight the need for improved social development.
Publications
Publications
Category
Year
Factsheet
Women’s Workforce Participation in India: Statewise Trends
- October , 2020
- Nidhi Gyan Pandey, Sona Mitra
Despite being an industrial state, women’s participation in regular wage employment in Gujarat, particularly in its manufacturing sector, has been poor. This is regardless of the improvements in FWPRs witnessed by the state in recent times.
Despite being an industrial state, women’s participation in regular wage employment in Gujarat, particularly in its manufacturing sector, has been poor. This is regardless of the improvements in FWPRs witnessed by the state in recent times.
Learning note
Advancing gender equality in a post COVID context: Mitigating the impacts of COVID-19 on India’s women and girls through emergency cash transfers
- August , 2020
- Kanika Jha Kingra
COVID-19 is no longer a health crisis. The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have led to dire socio-economic challenges for India. Loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, wage cuts and financial insecurity are among the few challenges that the majority of Indians are grappling with, especially the poor. The lockdown and the halt of economic activities led to the reverse migration of millions of migrants. According to the Census of 2011, there are 139 million interstate migrants who are now among the worst hit by the pandemic and the lockdown. Little to no data exists on women migrant workers, mostly employed in construction and domestic work, who continue to be invisible in recent policy discourse and in the design of relief packages. The return of male migrant workers too can have unintended effects on women: fewer jobs being available to them in rural areas, thereby impacting overall levels of household income. All these uncertainties have led to the re-emergence of a demand for basic income in India. Convergence of existing schemes, fewer leakages and less corruption, as well as reduction in administrative costs, are some of the arguments in favour of a basic income, which were also cited in India’s Economic Survey (2017-18). An emergency basic income has the potential to mitigate the adverse impacts on the most vulnerable, including women and girls.
COVID-19 is no longer a health crisis. The pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have led to dire socio-economic challenges for India. Loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, wage cuts and financial insecurity are among the few challenges that the majority of Indians are grappling with, especially the poor. The lockdown and the halt of economic activities led to the reverse migration of millions of migrants. According to the Census of 2011, there are 139 million interstate migrants who are now among the worst hit by the pandemic and the lockdown. Little to no data exists on women migrant workers, mostly employed in construction and domestic work, who continue to be invisible in recent policy discourse and in the design of relief packages. The return of male migrant workers too can have unintended effects on women: fewer jobs being available to them in rural areas, thereby impacting overall levels of household income. All these uncertainties have led to the re-emergence of a demand for basic income in India. Convergence of existing schemes, fewer leakages and less corruption, as well as reduction in administrative costs, are some of the arguments in favour of a basic income, which were also cited in India’s Economic Survey (2017-18). An emergency basic income has the potential to mitigate the adverse impacts on the most vulnerable, including women and girls.
Learning note
Advancing gender equality in a post COVID context: Gender sensitive policies to enhance food security and expand wage employment
- August , 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all Indians, particularly vulnerable groups, including women and girls. If evidence from previous disasters and health crises is any indication, women will be disproportionately affected during this pandemic. Within homes, women and girls who already do more than six times unpaid work than men, now shoulder added responsibilities of feeding and caring for children who are not going to schools as well as care work for the elderly, sick or disabled family members. Outside their homes, shrinking employment opportunities and the resultant loss in bargaining power has compounded the problems faced by women. The decline in decent work opportunities and loss of income can, among other things, lead to a loss of independence, agency, and undo several years of progress achieved through gender-responsive policies. The disproportionate impact on women and girls calls for more gender-responsive interventions and relief measures. It is becoming increasingly important to expand opportunities for wage employment and enhance food security and nutrition. Evidence shows a clear co-relation between food and nutrition insecurity and gender inequalities, with mothers and daughters usually eating last as well as the least nutritious food in Indian households. Therefore, expanding social security benefits, improving access to and availability of employment and decent work opportunities, particularly for women, can help address nutritional and food security challenges during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all Indians, particularly vulnerable groups, including women and girls. If evidence from previous disasters and health crises is any indication, women will be disproportionately affected during this pandemic. Within homes, women and girls who already do more than six times unpaid work than men, now shoulder added responsibilities of feeding and caring for children who are not going to schools as well as care work for the elderly, sick or disabled family members. Outside their homes, shrinking employment opportunities and the resultant loss in bargaining power has compounded the problems faced by women. The decline in decent work opportunities and loss of income can, among other things, lead to a loss of independence, agency, and undo several years of progress achieved through gender-responsive policies. The disproportionate impact on women and girls calls for more gender-responsive interventions and relief measures. It is becoming increasingly important to expand opportunities for wage employment and enhance food security and nutrition. Evidence shows a clear co-relation between food and nutrition insecurity and gender inequalities, with mothers and daughters usually eating last as well as the least nutritious food in Indian households. Therefore, expanding social security benefits, improving access to and availability of employment and decent work opportunities, particularly for women, can help address nutritional and food security challenges during the pandemic.
Learning note
Business Readiness Scorecard for Women
- August , 2020
- Rigzom Wangchuk | Ria Dutta | M P Karthick
Women dominate India’s informal economy, especially in the handloom and handicrafts sectors, where they often operate as home-based entrepreneurs. Yet, they remain underrepresented in the formal business space. To better support these women-led enterprises, IWWAGE developed the Women’s Business Readiness Scorecard for Handloom and Handicrafts Sector (WBRS-HHS). This data-driven diagnostic tool was developed through surveys with 800 women entrepreneurs across Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu’s two states with distinct public and private sector dynamics. The scorecard evaluates business readiness across four dimensions: 1.Agency (decision-making, financial control, risk-taking) 2. Market Readiness (product portfolio, advance orders) 3. Production Readiness (worksite, inventory, personnel) 4. Legal and Regulatory Readiness (registration, scheme awareness) By measuring these indicators, the WBRS-HHS helps identify strengths, gaps, and policy opportunities to scale and sustain women’s enterprises. The tool also offers a replicable framework for stakeholders to design targeted interventions across sectors.
Women dominate India’s informal economy, especially in the handloom and handicrafts sectors, where they often operate as home-based entrepreneurs. Yet, they remain underrepresented in the formal business space. To better support these women-led enterprises, IWWAGE developed the Women’s Business Readiness Scorecard for Handloom and Handicrafts Sector (WBRS-HHS). This data-driven diagnostic tool was developed through surveys with 800 women entrepreneurs across Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu’s two states with distinct public and private sector dynamics. The scorecard evaluates business readiness across four dimensions: 1.Agency (decision-making, financial control, risk-taking) 2. Market Readiness (product portfolio, advance orders) 3. Production Readiness (worksite, inventory, personnel) 4. Legal and Regulatory Readiness (registration, scheme awareness) By measuring these indicators, the WBRS-HHS helps identify strengths, gaps, and policy opportunities to scale and sustain women’s enterprises. The tool also offers a replicable framework for stakeholders to design targeted interventions across sectors.
Report
The Future of Work for Women Workers
- August , 2020
- Ruchika Chaudhary , Sona Mitra , Soumya Kapoor Mehta
World over, the technology-driven gig economy has been expanding rapidly over the past decade, in which digital platforms connect workers with requesters to facilitate on demand work. While the gig economy has also become a buzzword in India, particularly in the last couple of years, and is attracting millennials by offering alternative employment opportunities. However, literature is scanty when it comes to measuring its impacts on the gendered experiences of gig work or on gig workers. This report aims to provide a comprehensive analytical overview of women’s engagement in platform work, and presents findings from an in-depth study of women’s work in one of India’s leading platform companies. It aims to understand the emerging forms of labour practices and the impact of platform engagement on workers experiences, challenges, and impact on women’s empowerment and agency. The findings are based on interviews with workers, platform managers, and other key informants, and comprehensive literature review. The study presents an in-depth and specialised analysis of the gig economy to explain some of the unique features of the labour practices and consequences of such practices on the overall labour relations. The study also makes specific recommendations and argue that policy makers and platforms have a key role in ensuring access to decent work and social protection for these workers.
World over, the technology-driven gig economy has been expanding rapidly over the past decade, in which digital platforms connect workers with requesters to facilitate on demand work. While the gig economy has also become a buzzword in India, particularly in the last couple of years, and is attracting millennials by offering alternative employment opportunities. However, literature is scanty when it comes to measuring its impacts on the gendered experiences of gig work or on gig workers. This report aims to provide a comprehensive analytical overview of women’s engagement in platform work, and presents findings from an in-depth study of women’s work in one of India’s leading platform companies. It aims to understand the emerging forms of labour practices and the impact of platform engagement on workers experiences, challenges, and impact on women’s empowerment and agency. The findings are based on interviews with workers, platform managers, and other key informants, and comprehensive literature review. The study presents an in-depth and specialised analysis of the gig economy to explain some of the unique features of the labour practices and consequences of such practices on the overall labour relations. The study also makes specific recommendations and argue that policy makers and platforms have a key role in ensuring access to decent work and social protection for these workers.
Learning note
Impact Of Covid-19 On Working Women
- August , 2020
- Soumya Kapoor Mehta
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only deepened economic uncertainty in India but also intensified the challenges faced by working women across urban and rural areas. Even before the crisis, concerns around women’s workforce participation, pay parity, and career progression were prominent. The pandemic has further exposed vulnerabilities-especially in sectors where women are overrepresented and increasingly seen as dispensable. Now, urgent questions arise: Will the situation worsen for working women? How has the pandemic affected women in both urban and rural areas? Which sectors have made women dispensable? How can we ensure women are not further marginalised during these unprecedented times? This analysis explores the gendered impact of the pandemic on employment, examines key data trends, and raises critical questions about ensuring women are not further marginalised. It also outlines measures to foster recovery and resilience, with a focus on sustaining women’s livelihoods and advancing gender equality in the post-pandemic economy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only deepened economic uncertainty in India but also intensified the challenges faced by working women across urban and rural areas. Even before the crisis, concerns around women’s workforce participation, pay parity, and career progression were prominent. The pandemic has further exposed vulnerabilities-especially in sectors where women are overrepresented and increasingly seen as dispensable. Now, urgent questions arise: Will the situation worsen for working women? How has the pandemic affected women in both urban and rural areas? Which sectors have made women dispensable? How can we ensure women are not further marginalised during these unprecedented times? This analysis explores the gendered impact of the pandemic on employment, examines key data trends, and raises critical questions about ensuring women are not further marginalised. It also outlines measures to foster recovery and resilience, with a focus on sustaining women’s livelihoods and advancing gender equality in the post-pandemic economy.
Learning note
Gig Study: Summary and Recommendations
- August , 2020
- Ruchika Chaudhary | Soumya Kapoor Mehta
The rise of India’s gig economy, driven by the proliferation of over 300 digital platforms in the last five years, is transforming the concept of work. With one of the lowest female labour force participation rates in South Asia (24.5%), digital labour platforms offer a potential solution, providing flexible work opportunities for women. However, gig workers face challenges such as income instability, lack of social protection, and safety concerns. This factsheet explores the opportunities and challenges of India’s growing gig economy, particularly its potential to increase women’s participation in the workforce.
The rise of India’s gig economy, driven by the proliferation of over 300 digital platforms in the last five years, is transforming the concept of work. With one of the lowest female labour force participation rates in South Asia (24.5%), digital labour platforms offer a potential solution, providing flexible work opportunities for women. However, gig workers face challenges such as income instability, lack of social protection, and safety concerns. This factsheet explores the opportunities and challenges of India’s growing gig economy, particularly its potential to increase women’s participation in the workforce.
Learning note
Food Security and Wage Employment
- August , 2020
- Sona Mitra | Deepro Guha | Kanika Jha Kingra
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women and girls in India, exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities. Within households, women now face added responsibilities, including unpaid care work for children, the elderly, and sick family members. Outside the home, shrinking employment opportunities and reduced bargaining power have led to a loss of independence and agency for many women, threatening years of progress made through gender-responsive policies. Women, particularly those in informal sectors, have been hit hardest by job losses and wage reductions. With 90% of the female workforce in informal employment, the economic fallout from the pandemic has severely affected their livelihoods. The crisis has also increased the risk of food insecurity, as women and girls often bear the brunt of inadequate nutrition in households. Additionally, women frontline workers face heightened health risks. To mitigate these challenges, gender-responsive interventions are crucial. Expanding opportunities for women’s wage employment, improving access to decent work, and enhancing social security benefits are essential to addressing the long-term impacts of the pandemic and ensuring a more equitable recovery.
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women and girls in India, exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities. Within households, women now face added responsibilities, including unpaid care work for children, the elderly, and sick family members. Outside the home, shrinking employment opportunities and reduced bargaining power have led to a loss of independence and agency for many women, threatening years of progress made through gender-responsive policies. Women, particularly those in informal sectors, have been hit hardest by job losses and wage reductions. With 90% of the female workforce in informal employment, the economic fallout from the pandemic has severely affected their livelihoods. The crisis has also increased the risk of food insecurity, as women and girls often bear the brunt of inadequate nutrition in households. Additionally, women frontline workers face heightened health risks. To mitigate these challenges, gender-responsive interventions are crucial. Expanding opportunities for women’s wage employment, improving access to decent work, and enhancing social security benefits are essential to addressing the long-term impacts of the pandemic and ensuring a more equitable recovery.
Learning note
Emergency Cash Transfers
- August , 2020
- Soumya Kapoor Mehta | Sona Mitra | Kanika Jha Kingra
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified socio-economic challenges across India, with women and girls disproportionately affected. Job losses, food insecurity, wage cuts, and financial instability have all hit vulnerable groups the hardest, exacerbating existing gender inequalities. Women, particularly those in informal sectors such as domestic work and construction, have seen their livelihoods decimated, while the rise in unpaid care work has further burdened them within households. Evidence from past crises shows that women are more vulnerable to job losses, food insecurity, and violence, all of which have worsened during the pandemic. Additionally, women face exclusion from relief packages and farm support schemes, leaving them without crucial safety nets. In light of this, there is a growing call for emergency cash transfers to support the most vulnerable, particularly women and girls. Such transfers, tied to the duration of the pandemic, can help mitigate financial uncertainties, reduce poverty, and promote food security. When complemented by investments in public infrastructure and basic services, an emergency basic income can provide much-needed relief and pave the way for a more inclusive recovery.
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified socio-economic challenges across India, with women and girls disproportionately affected. Job losses, food insecurity, wage cuts, and financial instability have all hit vulnerable groups the hardest, exacerbating existing gender inequalities. Women, particularly those in informal sectors such as domestic work and construction, have seen their livelihoods decimated, while the rise in unpaid care work has further burdened them within households. Evidence from past crises shows that women are more vulnerable to job losses, food insecurity, and violence, all of which have worsened during the pandemic. Additionally, women face exclusion from relief packages and farm support schemes, leaving them without crucial safety nets. In light of this, there is a growing call for emergency cash transfers to support the most vulnerable, particularly women and girls. Such transfers, tied to the duration of the pandemic, can help mitigate financial uncertainties, reduce poverty, and promote food security. When complemented by investments in public infrastructure and basic services, an emergency basic income can provide much-needed relief and pave the way for a more inclusive recovery.
Newsletter (Gender In Focus)
Gender in Focus
- August , 2020
- IWWAGE
This issue offers a preview of IWWAGE’s work during the pandemic—field voices from discussions with civil society partners in four states, reflections on how physical distancing may affect SHG functioning, and analysis on how recovery strategies must account for women’s employment and labour participation. It also captures highlights from webinars and introduces a new series of policy notes with timely recommendations to support a more resilient and gender-responsive post-COVID world.
This issue offers a preview of IWWAGE’s work during the pandemic—field voices from discussions with civil society partners in four states, reflections on how physical distancing may affect SHG functioning, and analysis on how recovery strategies must account for women’s employment and labour participation. It also captures highlights from webinars and introduces a new series of policy notes with timely recommendations to support a more resilient and gender-responsive post-COVID world.
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.
Report
Swayam Process Evaluation: A Year-Long Ethnography Study, Madhya Pradesh & Odisha
- June , 2025
- Surabhi Awasthi, Moumita Sarkar and 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.
Factsheet
Trends in Female Labour and Workforce Participation-Bihar
- April , 2025
- Aneek Choudhary and Bidisha Mondal
Bihar, despite being one of India’s fastest-growing states, has the lowest female labour force participation rate, alongside a widening gender gap. Policy focus on girls’ education, skills, entrepreneurship, and social support through schemes such as the Balika Cycle Yojana, Akshar Anchal Yojana, and Kanya Suraksha Yojana have contributed to recent improvements in female participation. Using PLFS data, this factsheet examines trends and key characteristics of women’s employment in Bihar.
Bihar, despite being one of India’s fastest-growing states, has the lowest female labour force participation rate, alongside a widening gender gap. Policy focus on girls’ education, skills, entrepreneurship, and social support through schemes such as the Balika Cycle Yojana, Akshar Anchal Yojana, and Kanya Suraksha Yojana have contributed to recent improvements in female participation. Using PLFS data, this factsheet examines trends and key characteristics of women’s employment in Bihar.
Factsheet
Trends in Female Labour Force Participation in Uttar Pradesh
- April , 2025
- Aneek Choudhary and Bidisha Mondal
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has a large working-age female population but a female labor force participation rate that is well below the national average. Regional disparities, weak infrastructure in eastern UP, restrictive socio-cultural norms, and limited economic opportunities contribute to low participation. Female workforce participation has improved since 2017–18, supported by schemes such as the Mudra Yojana and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, which have expanded women’s access to credit, strengthened self-help groups, and promoted women’s economic empowerment across the state.
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has a large working-age female population but a female labor force participation rate that is well below the national average. Regional disparities, weak infrastructure in eastern UP, restrictive socio-cultural norms, and limited economic opportunities contribute to low participation. Female workforce participation has improved since 2017–18, supported by schemes such as the Mudra Yojana and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, which have expanded women’s access to credit, strengthened self-help groups, and promoted women’s economic empowerment across the state.
Factsheet
Trends in Female Labour Force and Workforce Participation- Haryana
- April , 2025
- Vidhi, Aneek Choudhary and Bidisha Mondal
Haryana has transitioned from an agrarian to a more industrial economy, characterized by strong agricultural output and growing sectors such as automotive and IT. Despite economic growth, unemployment remains high, particularly among youth and women, due to limited formal job opportunities and structural challenges. This factsheet analyses female labour force participation in Haryana from 2017–18 to 2023–24, highlighting sectoral trends, occupational segregation, and barriers to workforce entry.
Haryana has transitioned from an agrarian to a more industrial economy, characterized by strong agricultural output and growing sectors such as automotive and IT. Despite economic growth, unemployment remains high, particularly among youth and women, due to limited formal job opportunities and structural challenges. This factsheet analyses female labour force participation in Haryana from 2017–18 to 2023–24, highlighting sectoral trends, occupational segregation, and barriers to workforce entry.
Haryana has transitioned from an agrarian to a more industrial economy, characterized by strong agricultural output and growing sectors such as automotive and IT. Despite economic growth, unemployment remains high, particularly among youth and women, due to limited formal job opportunities and structural challenges. This factsheet analyses female labour force participation in Haryana from 2017–18 to 2023–24, highlighting sectoral trends, occupational segregation, and barriers to workforce entry.
Factsheet
Trends in Female Labour Force Participation in Gujrat
- April , 2025
- Aneek Choudhary and Bidisha Mondal
Gujarat records a female labour force participation rate above the national average, supported by government policies promoting women’s economic empowerment. Schemes such as Mukhyamantri Mahila Utkars Yojana and Mahila Swavalamban Scheme strengthen financial inclusion, self-help groups, and access to credit for women, especially those below the poverty line. The state also promotes women’s entrepreneurship through targeted training and awareness programmes. Using PLFS 2023–24 data, this factsheet examines women’s employment in Gujarat, focusing on job types, sectoral distribution, and key indicators shaping female workforce participation.
Gujarat records a female labour force participation rate above the national average, supported by government policies promoting women’s economic empowerment. Schemes such as Mukhyamantri Mahila Utkars Yojana and Mahila Swavalamban Scheme strengthen financial inclusion, self-help groups, and access to credit for women, especially those below the poverty line. The state also promotes women’s entrepreneurship through targeted training and awareness programmes. Using PLFS 2023–24 data, this factsheet examines women’s employment in Gujarat, focusing on job types, sectoral distribution, and key indicators shaping female workforce participation.
Gujarat records a female labour force participation rate above the national average, supported by government policies promoting women’s economic empowerment. Schemes such as Mukhyamantri Mahila Utkars Yojana and Mahila Swavalamban Scheme strengthen financial inclusion, self-help groups, and access to credit for women, especially those below the poverty line. The state also promotes women’s entrepreneurship through targeted training and awareness programmes. Using PLFS 2023–24 data, this factsheet examines women’s employment in Gujarat, focusing on job types, sectoral distribution, and key indicators shaping female workforce participation.