Why do manufacturing floors lack women?

• Women’s participation in India’s manufacturing sector has decreased from 20.9% in 2015-16 to 18.9% in 2022-23.

• Tamil Nadu alone employs 41% of women in manufacturing, indicating a lack of better jobs.

• Women form 43% of the workforce in informal manufacturing, indicating low pay and informalisation.

• Manufacturing contributes almost one-fifth of India’s GDP and is a key growth driver for India.

• Five states, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, contribute almost three-quarters of India’s total.

• Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana have the highest gender gap in the formal manufacturing workforce, with women making up less than 6% of the workforce.

• Women are mostly concentrated in the informal sector, which is low paying and offers a poor working standard.

• Transitioning women from the informal to the formal sector is crucial to ensure decent pay and work environment.

• Steps to boost participation include skill training, completing higher education, sectoral diversification, and creating safe work environments.