Women’s Workforce Participation Rises to 40%; Enterprise and Skilling Initiatives Expand
- IBEF
- October 16, 2026
Women’s economic participation in India is expanding across employment, entrepreneurship, manufacturing and emerging technology sectors. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey, the Female Labour Force Participation Rate increased from 23.3% in 2017–18 to 40% in 2025, while the female Worker Population Ratio rose from 22% to 38.8%. An estimated 20 crore women aged 15 years and above were employed in 2025. Women’s participation in enterprise development has also increased, with around 3.69 crore women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises registered as of October 2026, accounting for approximately 38% of registrations. More than 1.07 lakh recognized startups had at least one-woman director or partner as of March 2026. Women are also contributing to technology-intensive industries, accounting for nearly 70% of the direct workforce in mobile phone manufacturing as of July 2026. Government initiatives are focusing on improving access to credit, markets, entrepreneurship training and future-ready skills to strengthen women’s economic opportunities.
Several programmes are supporting women-led enterprises and workforce development. Under the Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana, more than 57.79 crore loans had been sanctioned by April 2026, with women entrepreneurs accounting for two-thirds of the total. The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Micro and Small Enterprises had approved around 30.75 lakh guarantees worth Rs. 2.07 lakh crore (US$ 23.42 billion) for women-owned enterprises by February 2026. Through the Government e-Marketplace, women-owned micro and small enterprises received contracts exceeding Rs. 28,000 crore (US$ 3.17 billion) in FY2025–26, registering growth of 27.6% over the previous year. Skilling initiatives such as NAVYA and AI Careers for Women aim to prepare women for emerging occupations, including artificial intelligence and other technology-driven fields. The four Labour Codes also provide for maternity benefits, workplace safety, non-discrimination and safeguards for women working night shifts. Together, these measures aim to improve employment opportunities, expand women’s entrepreneurship and support women-led development as part of the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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