HYDERABAD: The world’s population has surpassed the 8-billion mark. India's total fertility rate (TFR) stands at 2 while the world’s TFR is at 2.31. Thailand and China are at a risk of growing old before they grow rich! These three facts that were in news recently should help India strategize for a better future.
A UN report said that India will overtake China as the most populous nation in July 2023. Our country will have 1.428 billion people with women constituting half of that population. As India aspires to become a five trillion USD economy, studies on the subject say that if women contribute in a ‘full-potential’ scenario – that is if women participate in equal numbers as men ,India would add $2.9 trillion to its annual GDP in 2025.
It seems like a great idea but is it achievable?
India’s Paradox – Case of Missing women
The Global Gender Gap report 2021 shows that only 22.3% of women in India participate in the labour market, leading to a gender gap of a whopping 72%! This alarming statistic should be juxtaposed against women talent present in the country – to understand the complex issues confronting women of contemporary India.
When most world countries lament that their women are not trained in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) studies, 43% of STEM graduates in India are women! As a country we have out performed USA, UK, France & Germany. Year on year more girls than boys come out with flying colors in both University and competitive exams. But armed with these higher degrees are they entering the formal workforce?
Comparing patterns of women’s employment in four major Asian economies: using sociocultural, politico-economic and institutional perspectives, a recent study highlights that unlike China, Japan and Korea, the percentage of women in the total labour force in India has been in decline since the 1970s in both organized and unorganized sectors’. The decline is more for urban women. While wage gap, domestic & care work, and mechanization of farming are the main reasons for rural women not joining labour force, it's the comfort of having husbands who are earning more that's keeping Urban women away from work.
Sadly a ‘negative income effect’ where higher education attainment for a woman and an increase in her husband’s income is making women step out of the labour market. Today women are often seen as reserve labour force to be utilized for income generation only in times of distress.
Government Policy Push
The Modi led government has announced policies based on the life cycle of a woman – so technically speaking policies to empower and safeguard women exist for a girl child in the womb to someone who is on her way out of her mortal coil. A sex ratio of 1020 girls for 1000 boys today , having gone up from a mere 919 girls in 2011 is in itself a great example. Women’s access to education, skill training, institutional credit and maternity benefit have gone up exponentially in recent times. Women are being trained to run and maintain electric vehicles, install solar rooftops, and other jobs historically dominated by men . Around 48,30,646 women are already trained as there is renewed focus on Reskilling and Upskilling. PM Modi is also urging employers to explore flexible work options so that women can join formal work.
Urgency – Employability
A recent report says that Thailand and China are at risk of growing old before they grow rich. Their demographic transition is faster than their economic transition, India too might face the same risk. We will soon be the most populous country. We have improved average life span of Indians with health care provision. As mentioned before , Indian women’s fertility rate is coming down. With the interplay of the above three facts, India might invite the same fate. We have to ensure that our demographic shift doesn't outdo the economic growth. India must grow its GDP at 8-9 per cent or more. And for that we need women to work at their full potential.
India's total fertility rate (TFR) at 2 is in a way a blessing for the country. It helps growth by giving more time for economically productive work - parents with fewer children can invest more in their professions , physical and mental health.
This is perhaps the right time for the country to convert the ‘demographic potential’ to ‘performance’ by extensive skilling . Educated urban women should be coaxed to join formal work . They have to be shown their economic worth and their potential contribution to growth of our country.
Between the 5th and 6th economic census women- owned proprietary enterprises doubled. Today almost 80% of women manage their savings accounts and 43% own land or a house (alone or jointly). There is a huge untapped women potential that our country can capitalize on.
PM Modi aspires for ‘Women – Led Development’ as opposed to just ‘women development’. He expects women not be just passive beneficiaries of schemes but active change makers.
Lets hope the ‘levers of change ‘will soon be placed in their’ able and skilled’ hands!
(The writer is the President of Foundation for Futuristic Cities and BJP National Incharge for Women Policies & Research)
