Women’s workforce participation rises, but funding and leadership gaps remain
While female labor-force participation in India has increased significantly, experts at an FTCCI conference highlighted persistent barriers in leadership and venture capital funding. Speakers emphasized the need for women to move into boardrooms and investment roles to drive inclusive economic growth.
Why it matters
Addressing gender gaps in leadership and capital access is essential for maximizing human capital and achieving long-term economic development goals.
Female labour-force participation in India rose from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 41.7% in 2023-24, but women continue to face significant gaps in access to capital, markets and leadership opportunities, speakers said at an international conference organised by the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) on Thursday.
The conference on ‘Women Empowerment – Driving Inclusive Growth and Leadership’, organised by the FTCCI Women Empowerment Committee at Cyber Gardens, Hitec City, brought together policymakers, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, investors, academicians and experts to discuss women’s role in driving economic growth.
Dr. Tasneem Shariff, Chair, Women Empowerment Committee, FTCCI, said the rise in workforce participation was encouraging but “participation is only the beginning”. For India to achieve its development goals, women needed to move beyond jobs and take greater roles in boardrooms, businesses, investment decisions, exports and economic leadership, she said.
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