"Viksit Bharat in reach if female workers increase"

Franziska Ohnsorge, the World Bank's Chief Economist for South Asia, on trends in female labour force participation rate, policy measures, and more

- SURABHI

THE WORLD BANK'S 'South Asia Development Update October 2024: Women, Jobs and Growth' said that raising female labour force participation rates in the region to those of men would increase regional GDP by up to 51%. In an interview with BUSINESS TODAY, Franziska Ohnsorge, the World Bank's Chief Economist for South Asia, underscores that this is entirely possible through societal and economic support. Edited excerpts:

The report highlights the low female labour force participation rate (LFPR) in South Asian countries, partly due to societal norms. But even in other East Asian and African countries, it's largely women who perform household chores.

What is the difference between these regions? It is really striking how low the female LFPR is in South Asia compared to the rest of the world. All South Asian countries other than Bhutan rank in the bottom quarter of emerging markets and developing economies. It is such a source of untapped potential. If these women could enter the labour market and be productively employed, Viksit Bharat 2047 would be within reach. We estimate if South Asian women worked at the same rate as South Asian men, the GDP could be up to one half higher. Now you ask why? There is a whole range of reasons. One is societal norms. There are just not enough jobs, especially the type that women in most other