Author(s): Jayeeta Saha

Abstract: Women participation in the labour force has economic and social impact. Women empowerment is necessary for a nation’s development. Women employment is a way through which women empowerment can be achieved. Status of women employment in a country is measured by Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR).FLFPR in India has showed a gradual declining trend over past three decades. The decline in female labour force participation rate (LFPR) in India in the phase of consistent economic growth is a puzzling phenomenon. Sharp fertility decline, expansion in female education, and high economic growth should increase female labour force participation in developing countries. The FLFPR varies considerably across developing countries. In the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, less than one-third of women of working-age participate in work force, while it is around two-thirds in East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. This variation is due to various economic and social factors like economic growth, increasing educational attainment, decreasing fertility rates and other social norms. Gender gaps in labour market are more prominent in developing countries, and gap is highest in South Asian countries. Female Labour Force Participation Rate actually depends on initial conditions of any country, economic structure and structural transformation of the economy and gender norms. This paper tries to find out the trend of female labour force participation rate in India over the period 1993 to 2012 and also tries to find out the reasons behind this declining FLFPR.

Keywords: Female Labour Force Participation Rate, Economic Empowerment, Gender gap

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.2.5.22