Women’s Economic Empowerment Index

India’s growth and women’s contribution

Women’s Economic Empowerment Index: India’s economic rise depends on greater participation of women in the workforce. At present, women contribute only 18% to India’s GDP, despite making up a significant share of the employable population. Nearly 196 million employable women remain outside the labour market. Female labour force participation has improved to 41.7%, but most women are engaged in informal work. This limits India’s ambition to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047.

Static GK fact: India’s GDP is the fifth largest in the world, yet its female workforce participation rate is among the lowest in G20 countries.

Importance of gender-disaggregated data

India collects large volumes of economic and social data, but much of it is not broken down by gender. This absence masks inequalities and slows reforms. The Women’s Economic Empowerment Index (WEE Index) addresses this by tracking women’s participation across five key areas – employment, education and skilling, entrepreneurship, livelihood and mobility, and safety and infrastructure. It identifies barriers where women drop out, enabling targeted interventions.

Uttar Pradesh’s initiative

The Uttar Pradesh WEE Index highlights gaps across multiple sectors. While women form more than half of skilling programme enrolments, they account for only a small portion of entrepreneurs. Access to credit for women entrepreneurs remains limited. In transport, the scarcity of women bus drivers and conductors led to recruitment drives and improved facilities such as women’s restrooms at bus terminals. These reforms show the power of gender-specific data in shaping actionable policies.

Static GK Tip: Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state and contributes nearly 9% to the national GDP.

Integrating gender data in governance

For gender equality to advance, all government departments must integrate gender-disaggregated data into planning and monitoring. Sectors like housing, MSMEs, and transport need to record women’s participation beyond enrolments to include retention, leadership roles, and quality of work. Female dropout rates after secondary and tertiary education highlight the urgency of this approach.

Rethinking gender budgeting

Gender budgeting in India has often been restricted to welfare schemes. A broader framework is required where every sectoral expenditure—from education and energy to infrastructure—is analysed through a gender lens. Proper budgeting depends on accurate data; without it, funds may not reach areas where women need support the most.

Static GK fact: India introduced Gender Budgeting formally in the Union Budget 2005–06, making it one of the first developing countries to adopt this practice.

Expanding the model to other states

The Uttar Pradesh WEE Index can serve as a model for replication. States like Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, aiming for trillion-dollar economies, can adopt similar frameworks. District-level action plans based on gender data can guide budget allocation, infrastructure creation, and skill-building programmes.

Women shaping India’s economic future

Closing India’s gender gap is central to achieving inclusive growth. Making women visible in data and policy ensures structural barriers are addressed. The WEE Index is not an end but a beginning—designed to shift women from the margins to the mainstream of India’s economy.

Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table

Women’s Economic Empowerment Index: