Best of Both Sides: Cities still don’t work for women

Why in news

A report highlights the paradox of urban India where large cities offer higher-paying jobs for women but suffer from low female labor force participation due to safety and childcare barriers.

Background

In India's largest cities, 65.1% of employed women are in regular salaried work, significantly higher than the overall urban rate of 50.9%. Despite this, the female labor force participation rate (LFPR) remains low at 25.5%.

Facts for Prelims

• FactFemale labor force participation rate in urban India is reported at 25.5%.
• Fact65.1% of employed women in large Indian cities are in regular salaried work.

For Mains

Q. Analyze the structural and socio-cultural barriers that hinder the full integration of women into the urban workforce despite the availability of high-paying employment opportunities.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

• Safety-mobility nexus: Lack of secure public transport and last-mile connectivity restricting women's mobility in metropolitan hubs.
• Urban-rural disparity: Higher female labor participation in rural areas due to less formal job requirements and different social structures.

Keywords: Gender parity · Labor Force Participation Rate · Urban infrastructure · Care economy · Structural barriers

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