Focus on Female Workforce Participation:
- Women’s groups stress the need for policies to increase female workforce participation.
- Key strategies include employment-linked incentives, flexible work hours, and supportive infrastructure (e.g., work site crèches).
Relevance : GS 2(Social Justice) ,GS 3(Economic Development)
Praise for Increased Gender Budget:
- Previous budget’s increase in the gender budget (₹3 lakh crore for FY25) was appreciated.
- Special schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Namo Drone Didi aimed at women’s financial empowerment were recognized.
Addressing Unique Needs of Women:
- Organizations emphasize the importance of addressing the unique needs of women and girls, especially in skilling and livelihoods.
- A strong focus on investments in the care economy is highlighted.
Call for Better Support Infrastructure:
- Proposals include developing workplace crèches, improving public transport, and ensuring equal pay initiatives to help women thrive in the workforce.
Female Labour Force Participation Rate:
- As of 2023, India’s female labour force participation rate stands at 32.7% (percentage of women aged 15+ who are economically active).
Quality of Jobs for Women:
- Experts urge the 2025-26 budget to focus on job quality, ensuring women have access to decent, dignified employment.
- There’s a call for investments in the care economy to boost job opportunities for women.
Optimism for Policy Changes:
- Neera Nundy (Dasra India) expresses hope for favorable policies and enhanced tax incentives to unlock more capital for women-led initiatives from families, individuals, and corporates.
