Women in
Leadership

At IWWAGE, we view women’s leadership as a critical driver of women’s economic empowerment and inclusive national development. Despite comprising nearly half the population, women remain underrepresented in decision-making roles across economic, political, and social spheres. Strengthening women’s leadership across sectors and levels is essential to ensuring that policies, institutions, and markets reflect women’s lived realities and deliver equitable outcomes.

IWWAGE’s work on women in leadership focuses on:

Advancing women’s representation in decision-making

Promoting women’s leadership across grassroots governance, entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, and policy and research institutions to strengthen inclusive growth and governance.

Addressing structural barriers to leadership

Examining gaps in mentorship, sponsorship, networks, skills, and access to resources that limit women’s upward mobility, particularly in sectors such as technology, finance, manufacturing, and the informal economy.

Strengthening leadership pathways in the informal economy

Supporting women in informal and precarious work to transition from participation to leadership through skills development, entrepreneurial support, and access to economic opportunities.

Enabling gender-transformative institutions

Highlighting how women’s leadership in public spaces and governance leads to more responsive policies on equal pay, workplace safety, maternity benefits, and family-friendly work arrangements.

Leveraging evidence for policy and practice

Drawing on IWWAGE’s extensive experience in Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) to inform policies, programmes, and institutional reforms that foster women’s agency and leadership.

Key areas of engagement include:

  • Women’s entrepreneurship
  • Local governance and political leadership
  • Leadership in finance, business, and economics
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2026
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2018

Factsheet

Trends in Female Labour and Workforce Participation- Meghalaya

  • April , 2025
  • Aneek Chowdhury, Bidisha Mondal
Meghalaya’s FLFPR is significantly higher than the average for India and many other states. Although the proportion of self-employed women has risen in both rural and urban areas, the overwhelming majority (over 75 per cent) are own-account workers. The report highlights the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in Meghalaya compared to other states in the country and delve into the specific data and factors influencing this FLFPR.
Click here
Meghalaya’s FLFPR is significantly higher than the average for India and many other states. Although the proportion of self-employed women has risen in both rural and urban areas, the overwhelming majority (over 75 per cent) are own-account workers. The report highlights the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) in Meghalaya compared to other states in the country and delve into the specific data and factors influencing this FLFPR.
Click here
Factsheet

Trends in Female Labour Force Participation in Uttar Pradesh

  • April , 2025
  • Aneek Choudhary and Bidisha Mondal
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has a large working-age female population but a female labor force participation rate that is well below the national average. Regional disparities, weak infrastructure in eastern UP, restrictive socio-cultural norms, and limited economic opportunities contribute to low participation. Female workforce participation has improved since 2017–18, supported by schemes such as the Mudra Yojana and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, which have expanded women’s access to credit, strengthened self-help groups, and promoted women’s economic empowerment across the state.
Click here
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has a large working-age female population but a female labor force participation rate that is well below the national average. Regional disparities, weak infrastructure in eastern UP, restrictive socio-cultural norms, and limited economic opportunities contribute to low participation. Female workforce participation has improved since 2017–18, supported by schemes such as the Mudra Yojana and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, which have expanded women’s access to credit, strengthened self-help groups, and promoted women’s economic empowerment across the state.
Click here
Factsheet

Trends in Female Labour and Workforce Participation-Bihar

  • April , 2025
  • Aneek Choudhary and Bidisha Mondal
Bihar, despite being one of India’s fastest-growing states, has the lowest female labour force participation rate, alongside a widening gender gap. Policy focus on girls’ education, skills, entrepreneurship, and social support through schemes such as the Balika Cycle Yojana, Akshar Anchal Yojana, and Kanya Suraksha Yojana have contributed to recent improvements in female participation. Using PLFS data, this factsheet examines trends and key characteristics of women’s employment in Bihar.
Click here
Bihar, despite being one of India’s fastest-growing states, has the lowest female labour force participation rate, alongside a widening gender gap. Policy focus on girls’ education, skills, entrepreneurship, and social support through schemes such as the Balika Cycle Yojana, Akshar Anchal Yojana, and Kanya Suraksha Yojana have contributed to recent improvements in female participation. Using PLFS data, this factsheet examines trends and key characteristics of women’s employment in Bihar.
Click here
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