Women’s employment rate rises to 39% in 2025:Female job opportunities improve as unemployment rate falls to 3.1%

India’s women’s employment rate has risen sharply over the past eight years, reflecting greater access to jobs and stronger workforce participation, Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. Addressing an event in Delhi, Mandaviya said the female worker population ratio increased to nearly 39% in 2025 from 22% in 2017, highlighting what he described as a significant improvement in employment opportunities for women. Female labour participation sees strong growth “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has witnessed new, enabling opportunities opening up for women, leading to a transformative improvement in female employment indicators,” Mandaviya said. He noted that the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) rose from 23.3% in 2017-18 to 40% in 2025. The Female Worker Population Ratio (FWPR) also increased from 22% in 2017 to nearly 39% in 2025. At the same time, the Female Unemployment Rate (FUR) declined from 5.6% to 3.1%, indicating that more women seeking jobs are now finding employment successfully. Mandaviya said several survey reports have pointed to improved employment opportunities for women across sectors. “The equitable participation of women in the workforce is both a social imperative and an economic necessity,” he said. “Empowering women is central to building a Viksit Bharat,” he added. Social security coverage expands The minister also highlighted the expansion of India’s social security coverage, which he said had nearly tripled in the past decade. According to him, coverage increased from 19% in 2015 to more than 64.3% in 2025, driven by labour law reforms, digital inclusion and targeted welfare delivery. He said the Code on Social Security (CoSS), introduced in 2020, formally recognised gig and platform workers, many of whom are women. “These workers now have a legal identity and access to social security,” he said. Mandaviya added that the principle of equal pay for equal work had been incorporated into the Labour Codes, calling it a major step towards ending gender-based wage discrimination. Focus on gig workers and workplace support The Labour Codes also provide for work-from-home provisions, maternity leave entitlements, and the establishment of crèche facilities at workplaces, measures aimed at addressing structural barriers that have historically limited women’s participation in the workforce. The minister said gig and platform work also holds significant potential for advancing women’s economic empowerment. “Women delivery partners are not only supporting their families but also driving societal progress, inspiring future generations and strengthening the nation’s economic and social fabric,” he said. ​