Too few women work in India. To change this, GOI & states should take lead and fix a women’s quota for all public employment, with the policy running for two decades

Women make up slightly less than half (48.4%) of India’s population but contribute less than a fifth (18%) of GDP, per World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2024 Global Gender Gap Report, which also shows that purely in terms of gender gap in economic participation, India ranks 142nd among 146 countries. In terms of overall gender gap – which also includes education, political participation and health and survival – we are 129th out of 146 countries.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that, as a nation, we could do so much better by improving women’s participation in the workforce. India ranks fifth globally in terms of GDP, but third-placed Germany is less than $1tn ahead. So, where do we begin? Recognising the urgent need for seeking gender equality as a facet of constitutional morality could be the first step. There is a strong case for ensuring 50% representation for women in all employment and appointments in central and state govts through a progressive reservation policy.