The participation of women in regular wage work in India has seen a significant decline, dropping to 15.9% in 2022-23 from 21.9% in 2018-19, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) by the National Statistical Office. Concurrently, self-employment among women has risen from 53.4% to 65.3%.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently highlighted increased female workforce participation, attributed to government initiatives. However, experts suggest that wage employment levels have yet to recover to pre-pandemic standards, leading to higher self-employment rates, especially for women, who are increasingly engaged in agriculture. This trend reflects economic challenges and the need for more quality employment opportunities for women in India.