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Comprehensive Data on Status of Women in India
and Notable Government Initiatives
(Sourced from Economic Survey, Government websites, NITI Aayog, and International reports)
Financial Independence
➽ Credit to women doubled in the last
five years (14% in 2022 from 7% in
2017).
➽ 69% loans to women under PM Mudra
Yojana.
➽ Women borrowers increased at a
CAGR of 15% over the last 5 years.
➽ 79% of women-run enterprises are
self-financed.
➽ Only 4.4% borrowed money from a
financial institution or received assistance
from the government.
➽ Over 70% of women with operational
bank accounts (NFHS-5)
Women as Entrepreneurs
➽ Women-led startups increased from
8% in 2014 to 13% in 2019 (NASSCOM).
➽ Not more than 14% of business
establishments in India are run by female
entrepreneurs (NSSO).
➽ Google-Bain report estimated that
women owned 13.5-15.7 million or 20%
of all enterprises.
Women in Politics
17th Lok Sabha
● 716 women candidates
contested; 78 women MPs
elected (highest in history
of LS)
● Women MPs in Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha stand at
14.94% and 14.05%
respectively.
➽ Average number of women
MLAs in assemblies across nations
- only 8%.
➽ World Average: 24.6%
representation
➽ Rwanda (61%), South Africa
(43%), UK (32%), USA (24%),
Bangladesh (21%).
[Even If 50% of the voters are
women, but they are represented
just 14% in Lok sabha]
Women Contribution in GDP
➽ 22% (global average is 45%)
[World Bank Data, In 2018, this
contribution was 18% only]
➽ McKinsey Global Institute - India
could add $770 billion to its GDP
by 2025 by offering equal
opportunities to women.
➽ According to IMF, reaching
gender parity would boost India’s
GDP by as much as 27%.
IAS PCS Pathshala
Female Labour Force Participation
Rate (F-LFPR)
➽ Falling steeply in the last 2 decades –
from about 30.5% in 2000 to 21.1% in
2019 (pre pandemic) and 18.6% in 2020
(Post pandemic) (ILO)
➽ Female Labour Force Participation
Rate has gone up to 25.1% in 2020-21
from 18.6% in 2018-19. There is a notable
rise in Rural Female Labour Force
Participation Rate from 19.7 % in 2018-19
to 27.7% in 2020-21 [Economic Survey
2022-23]
➽ World Average (ILO): 49%(F); 75%(M)
➽ India ranks 121 out of 131 countries on
female LFPR (ILO).
➽ India can learn from South Korea
where female workforce participation rate
of 50% has been built.
Women and Education
➽ The 2011 Census reported a literacy
gap of 16.6 percentage points between
men (82.1%) and women (65.5%).
➽ India’s women literacy rate increased
by 68% since independence.
UNICEF Data
➽ Worldwide, 129 million girls are out of
school.
➽ Only 49% of countries have achieved
gender parity in primary education.
➽ At the secondary level, the gap widens:
42% of countries have achieved gender
parity in lower secondary education, and
24% in upper secondary education.
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Sex-Ratio in India
➽ Overall: 943
➽ Child Sex Ratio: 918 (Census 2011)
NFHS-5 data
➽ Sex ratio: 1,020 women for 1000 men
➽ Sex ratio at birth: 1,020 adult women
per 1,000 men.
➽ Institutional births have increased
substantially from 79% to 89% at all-India
Levels.
*Sex ratio expected to improve to 952
by 2036
Gender Pay Gap
➽ 2.4 bn women globally don’t have
same economic rights as men (World
Bank)
➽ Unpaid work: 66%
➽ Wage Gap: 34%
➽ Women composition at board member
level:11%
➽ Board Level: Only 11% of women
present at board level in companies
➽ Agri Census 2015 -16: 13.87% women
Fertility in Women
NFHS 5 Data
➽ TFR was 2 in 2019-2021, just
below the replacement fertility rate
of 2.1.
➽ In rural areas, the TFR is still
2.1.
➽ In urban areas, TFR had gone
below the replacement fertility rate
in the 2015-16 NFHS itself.
➽ Out of 17 states surveyed
except Bihar, Manipur and
Meghalaya have a TFR of 2.1 or
less.
Crimes against Women
Increase in Crime rates
➽ 30% increase in 2021 (National
Commission for Women data)
➽ Increased by 15.3% in 2021
[NCRB data]
Missing Women (UNFPA State of
World Population report)
➽ World- Doubled from 61 million
in 1970 to 142.6 million in 2020.
➽ India - 45.8 million
IAS PCS Pathshala
Women at Workplace
Agriculture (Oxfam Report)
➽ 80% of all economically active women
➽ 33% Agri Labour
➽ 48% self-employed farmers
➽ 20% in the secondary sector
➽ 18% in services
➽ More than 95% of India’s working
women are informal workers (ILO)
Manufacturing [Annual Survey of
Industries]
➽ 50% of women workers in
manufacturing in 2019-20 were in apparel,
textile and leather industries.
➽ 22% were employed in the food and
tobacco industry.
➽ More than 95% of India’s working
women are informal workers (ILO)
Services Industry
➽ IT sector - highest representation of
women in workforce @ 30%. (CFA
Institute study)
➽ Addition of 1.4 lakh Addition of 1.4 lakh
women employees in FY23 (NASSCOM).
Women in Agriculture:
➽ Though comprising nearly half the
agricultural workforce (around 48%),
women often face challenges in land
ownership, credit access, and recognition
for their contribution.
School Dropout Rates
➽ According to Right to Education data
(2018-19), the dropout rate for girls at the
secondary level (17.9%) is higher than
boys (14.5%).
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have land ownership Domestic Violence Participation in household

Global Gap
➽ India rank 135th in WEF Global
Gender Gap Report 2022
➽ Globally Women paid 20% less (WEF)
➽ Women only make 77 cents for every
dollar earned by men (UN Women
Worldwide).
India’s Gender Gap
➽ 1/3rd crimes due to cruelty by
husband and their relatives
(MoSPI).
NFHS-5
➽ Karnataka ranks no.1
➽ 32% of ever-married Indian
women experienced spousal
physical, sexual, or emotional
violence. (Nearly 1/3rd)
decision-making
NFHS-5
Nearly 88.7 per cent of currently married
Indian women tend to participate in the
key household decision about healthcare
for themselves, make major household
purchases and visits to family or relatives.

➽ Women paid 34% less than men
(WEF)
➽ Income of women in India is only
one-fifth of men (ADP institute, 2021)
➽ Only 14% brought the issue up.
➽ UN raised concern about
increased cases and named it as
‘Hidden Pandemic’

➽ Women collectively lost Rs 59.11 lakh Rape Cases

crore in earnings in 2020 (OXFAM)
➽ Rape is the 4th most common
Wage Differentials crime against women in India.

➽ Women face Glass Ceiling effect in ➽ India recorded average of 86

jobs and business. rape cases daily in 2021 (NCRB).

➽ Women consist of 60% of the lowest

wage category

➽ Women consist of only 15% of top

wage earners.

Notable Government Initiatives:

➽ Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP): Launched in 2015, BBBP aims to improve the child sex ratio and
promote girl child education. It has shown some success, but challenges remain.

➽ Stand Up India: This scheme provides loans to women entrepreneurs from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled
Tribes, and Other Backward Classes. It has facilitated business creation and economic empowerment.

➽ Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana: This small savings scheme offers attractive interest rates and tax benefits to
encourage saving for girl child education and marriage.

➽ Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY): PMMVY provides cash incentives for pregnant women
to promote institutional deliveries and improve maternal health outcomes. Data on its impact on reducing MMR
can be helpful.

➽ Mahila Shakti Kendras (MSKs): Established at village level panchayats, MSKs offer one-stop support for
women entrepreneurs through skill development, financial assistance, and market linkages.