Enhancing Work Participation for Women in Urban India: Insights from a Public Perception Survey

Balwant Singh Mehta ()
Additional contact information
Balwant Singh Mehta: Institute for Human Development (IHD)

Chapter 4 in Women and Work in India: Challenges, Opportunities and Perspectives for Policy, 2026, pp 57-70 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Women’s participation in the labour market remains significantly low in developing countries like India, especially in urban areas. Research points to a mix of supply- and demand-side factors behind this pattern. Social norms, domestic and care duties, income and education effects, limited suitable job options, unsafe or unfriendly work environments, all play a role. Measurement issues and underreporting of women’s work in official statistics add to the challenge. This Chapter examines these factors using a large primary survey carried out by IHD in Delhi in 2021–22, covering 10,173 households. The survey found a much higher female participation rate than Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), suggesting substantial undercounting. Many women engaged in home-based or part-time work were excluded due to narrow definitions. Around one-fifth of non-working women expressed a willingness to work. The findings underline the need for improved survey methods, supportive policies, and inclusive job opportunities.

Keywords: Female labour force participation; Urban employment; Gender and work; Social norms and work barriers; Delhi labour market (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:isbchp:978-981-95-6103-2_4

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/9789819561032

DOI: 10.1007/978-981-95-6103-2_4

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in India Studies in Business and Economics from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().