IJSSER

Title: INDIA'S MISSING WORKING WOMEN: HOW COVID-19 PUSHED WOMEN OUT OF FORMAL LABOUR MARKETS
Authors: Mitali Nikore , Manvika Gupta , Poorva Prabhu and Vidhi Narang
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Mitali Nikore1 , Manvika Gupta2 , Poorva Prabhu3 and Vidhi Narang4 1. Founder, Nikore Associates, 401, Iris Tower, Salcon the Verandas, Golf Course Road, Sector 54, Gurgaon 2,3,4. Research Advisor, Nikore Associates
MLA 8 Nikore, Mitali, et al. "INDIA'S MISSING WORKING WOMEN: HOW COVID-19 PUSHED WOMEN OUT OF FORMAL LABOUR MARKETS." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 6, no. 4, Apr. 2021, pp. 1335-1355, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i04.015. Accessed Apr. 2021. APA 6 Nikore, M., Gupta, M., Prabhu, P., & Narang, V. (2021, April). INDIA'S MISSING WORKING WOMEN: HOW COVID-19 PUSHED WOMEN OUT OF FORMAL LABOUR MARKETS. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 6(4), 1335-1355. Retrieved from doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i04.015 Chicago Nikore, Mitali, Manvika Gupta, Poorva Prabhu, and Vidhi Narang. "INDIA'S MISSING WORKING WOMEN: HOW COVID-19 PUSHED WOMEN OUT OF FORMAL LABOUR MARKETS." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 6, no. 4 (April 2021), 1335-1355. Accessed April, 2021. doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2021.v06i04.015.
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Abstract: India’s women were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 induced lockdowns and economic disruptions. Recent high frequency data demonstrates that that women suffered massive job and income losses. In December 2020, nine months into the lockdown, there were still 11.5 millionfewer persons in the labour force vs. December 2019, 4 million men and 7.5 million women. The overall size of the labour force shrunk by 2.6% between December 2019 to December 2020, yet the size of the female labour force shrunk by 14%, vs. 1% for men. Women faced stricter mobility restrictions, limiting their access to workplaces. Across income strata, women’s unpaid domestic responsibilities increased, with some estimates showing a 30% increase in carework, leaving them little time for seeking renumerated employment. Gender digital divides worsened, leaving women without access to digital business and online education, increasingly important in a post-COVID-19 economy. Most importantly, women faced the scourge of the shadow pandemic of domestic violence, rendering them insecure and unable to work. Despite being one of the world’s fastest growing emerging economies, only a quarter of Indian women were in the labour force even pre-COVID-19. Analysis of time series data over the last five decades (1970-2018), shows that women’s labour forceand workforce participation rates have secularly declined to their lowest levels since Independence. Given this disparate impact of COVID-19, in the absence of targeted policy interventions designed to support retention and promote women’s workforce participation, women are likely to continue being excluded from India’s spectacular growth story.

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