EPFO's new survey seeks details on women workers to boost their share in workforce

• The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) have launched a new survey on “increasing women participation in the workforce”.

Key Highlights

• The survey has also sought answers on whether there is ‘equal pay for equal work’ for male and female workers along with a query on availability of flexible or remote working hours for women.
• The survey questionnaire has been shared by the EPFO with its nearly 30 crore subscribers across the country.
• The employer rating survey was launched at an event “Women in the Workforce for Viksit Bharat” by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the WCD ministry
• Data shows women’s labour force participation rate (LFPR) has improved over the last few years but much of this increase has been seen in the unpaid work category.
• As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the female participation rate rose to 27.8 per cent in 2022-23 from 17.5 per cent in 2017-18
• but a major chunk of this is of the women reported as “helpers in household enterprises”, who do not receive any regular salary for their work.
• According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, female LFPR reduced to 8.73 per cent in 2022-23 from 11.80 per cent in 2017-18.
• Female LFPR in rural areas slowed to 9.68 per cent in 2022-23 from 12.16 per cent in 2017-18
  • While that in urban areas moderated to 6.90 per cent in 2022-23 from 11.10 per cent in 2017-18.
• Globally, the South Asia region had a female labour force participation rate of 26 per cent in 2022
  • With India’s neighbouring countries registering female LFPR as per World Bank of
  • 33 per cent in Sri Lanka
  • 25 per cent in Pakistan
  • 29 per cent in Nepal
  • 38 per cent in Bangladesh
  • 61 per cent in China.

Prelims Takeaway

• EPFO
• LFPR