India could get a $2.9 trillion boost to its GDP by 2025, if its female workforce participation rate is increased by 10 per cent. This means bringing 68 million more women into the non-agriculture force, says Ajay Chhangani
From the increasing media reports on sexual assaults to alarming statistics highlighting the fact that 33 per cent of women population is illiterate, women’s empowerment in India is a crucial national issue. Considering its neighbouring countries in South Asia, female working population rate (WPR) is one area in which India is lagging. Women participation in the Indian labour force is 31.8 per cent, whereas male WPR stands at 73.2 per cent. While North-eastern India has performed well on female WPR, the situation is worrisome in states such as Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, with WPR as low as 9 per cent.
According to a Mckinsey Global Institute study, India could boost its GDP by $2.9 trillion by 2025, if female workforce participation rate is increased by 10 per cent, which is equivalent to bringing 68 million more women into the non-agriculture labour force.
Recognising India’s massive need to skill millions of formal and informal workers in the next coming years, the Government has developed an ambitious plan of increasing the ratio of formal and informal skilled workers in its total workforce by 2022 from a mere 2 per cent now to 50 per cent, thus creating a strong resource pool of 500 million. Women form a significant proportion of this work force; however, they are largely concentrated in the informal sector, engaged in vocations characterised by low earning, poor working conditions, low productivity and lack of social protection.
Taking serious note of this dire situation, there are various campaigns initiated by Government, who has joined hands with private organisations, declaring it as a national priority.
Here, provision of modern skill training programmes and increasing their accessibility and availability may substantially help in enhancing the productivity of the women workforce.
girl education & skilling
There are gender specific roles for women in our country. One of the main reasons for this divide is the low social value which is attached to girl’s education. In our traditional patriarch society, women are considered secondary income earners, and hence lower importance is given to skilling and training of girls for employment.
Gender sensitive training
Women face complex ground realities, including discriminatory social customs and traditions, low levels of literacy, limited hours available for training and work, and limited exposure to new technology. Hence, institutes need to make the skill development process flexible and accommodating to encourage women to enroll. The training should incorporate teaching of basic skills such as communication, English, mathematical aptitude, critical thinking, learning agility, interpersonal skills, adaptability, problem-solving and other deeply impacting skill like behavioural skills, building self-esteem, team work, self-organisational and negotiating capacity for employment purposes.
Issues pertaining to identity, autonomy, leadership, rights and responsibilities, entrepreneurial and business management skills, increasing awareness on gender are relevant for women as well, and should be given equal emphasis as to men. Moreover, to make training programmes truly accessible to women, it is crucial to provide additional basic amenities and facilities such as safe and secure transport, toilets, etc. These trainings are important for rural women because they provide options for better livelihoods.
learning a new skill will help women to not only become financially independent, but also significantly develop their confidence and build their esteem, especially in the eyes of their families and society. Furthermore, sectors that women can seek training include Retail, Garment and Apparel, IT, Banking, Teaching and Counselling and also as Fork lift operators and drivers.
Investing in skill and education for women and men leads economies to achieve dynamic growth with a strong skilled workforce. These are basic facilities and services, which should form an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of skill training and development at institutes. The key strategy for women’s empowerment and promote gender equality is to combine policies and skill development institutions at the local level. Education and skill development is the most significant instrument of individual self-realisation, and is an absolute necessity to boost women empowerment today.
(The writer is director and CEO of Rise India)