Oxfam report highlights economic distress behind rising rural women’s workforce participation in India

An analysis by Oxfam suggests that the significant increase in rural women’s labor force participation in India may mask deepening economic distress. While participation rates rose from 24.6% in 2017-18 to 47.6% in 2023-24, the surge is largely driven by a spike in self-employment rather than secure, salaried roles.

Data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey indicates that the share of self-employed rural women grew from 57% to 72.2%, with 59% of these individuals serving as unpaid helpers in family enterprises. Conversely, the share of women in regular salaried jobs fell from 11% to 8%, and casual labor decreased from 32% to 20%. Researchers suggest this shift represents a coping mechanism for strained household finances, characterized by a return to agricultural work rather than expanded economic choice.

Separately, a report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) notes that while female representation in board chairs and CEO positions has increased globally, women still hold less than a third of managerial positions. The ILO report highlights that enterprises with female leadership often report better business outcomes, yet structural constraints like unequal care responsibilities continue to hinder labor market parity.