ILO Study Finds Women Underrepresented in India's Gig Economy

The International Labour Organization and the National Council of Applied Economic Research released a study Monday showing that women are significantly underrepresented in India's gig economy, particularly within food delivery and ride-hailing sectors. While women have achieved near parity in basic bank account access, they continue to face systemic barriers including mobility issues, safety concerns, restrictive social norms, and digital skill gaps.

Data highlights a persistent digital divide, with only 56.2% of Indian women aged 15 and older owning a mobile phone. This lack of access hinders entry into a sector projected to expand to 23.5 million workers by 2029-30. Researchers argue that increasing female representation is a social and economic imperative for inclusive growth.

The World Bank estimates that raising female labor-force participation to 50% could increase India's annual economic growth by one percentage point. Such a shift would support the national goal of becoming a developed economy by 2047.