Women’s Self-Employment in India: Exploring the Significance of Demand-Side Opportunities

Bidisha Mondal (), Sona Mitra, Prakriti Sharma and Aneek Chowdhury
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Bidisha Mondal: IWWAGE-An initiative of LEAD at Krea University
Sona Mitra: IWWAGE-An initiative of LEAD at Krea University
Prakriti Sharma: IWWAGE-An initiative of LEAD at Krea University
Aneek Chowdhury: IWWAGE-An initiative of LEAD at Krea University

Chapter 10 in Women and Work in India: Challenges, Opportunities and Perspectives for Policy, 2026, pp 209-249 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Based on PLFS data, this chapter examines patterns in women’s self-employment in India amid rising female labour force participation and role of demand-side opportunities in deciding the nature of women’s self-employment. Findings show a decline in real earnings for self-employed women between 2020–21 and 2023–24. A comparison of the national scenario with a small pocket of regions where self-employed women’s earnings are above the national average (ANAE) reveals significant disparities. The ANAE region shows more non-farm work, a higher share of own-account workers, (a relatively better form of employment compared to unpaid family workers since the latter is non-remunerative in nature) among self-employed women, and stronger demand-side conditions, such as greater economic prosperity and non-agricultural employment. It also exhibits more favourable supply-side factors like higher socio-economic backgrounds and educational attainments among self-employed women. However, multivariate analysis confirms that regional opportunities significantly influence earnings, even after controlling for the supply-side characteristics.

Keywords: Female labour force participation; Self-employment; Rural-Urban disparities; Regional variation; Policy interventions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.1007/978-981-95-6103-2_10

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