What the Budget Can't Do for Enterprising Women

The Union budget for 2025-26 promises rural prosperity and resilience through greater participation of women in the workforce and a boost for their entrepreneurial opportunities.

- ELLINA SAMANTROY

This is a timely intervention, particularly during a period when self-employment by rural women has been rising.

The workforce participation of women has increased from 22 percent in 2017-18 to 40.3 percent in 2023-24, says the Periodic Labour Force Survey. This increase is mostly attributed to a 15.9 percent rise in self-employment, particularly in rural areas where self-employment jumped from 57.6 percent in 2017-18 to 73.5 percent during 2023-24. 'Self-employment' is precarious and remains an integral part of the informal economy. However, the challenge is to extend social security and legislative cover to this large chunk of the population. The other challenges include lack of skills and training, domestic and care-giving responsibilities, barriers in mobility, lack of access to finance and societal norms.

A study conducted by the International Labour Organization in 2019, titled 'Small Matters: Global evidence on the contribution to employment by self-employed, micro enterprises and SMEs', revealed that around two-thirds of total employment is provided by small enterprises or through self-employment. The share of self-employment to total employment is highest in South Asia, Africa and West Asia. But, the challenge lies with the quality of self-employment in countries like India.