Gender perspective on India's economic vulnerabilities amid U.S. tariffs
India's economic growth faces disruption from proposed 50% U.S. tariffs, targeting $40 billion in trade and impacting labour-intensive sectors like textiles, gems, and leather, which are major employers of women. These tariffs threaten millions of female jobs, exacerbating India's low female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) of 37-41.7%, a significant strategic liability. The article advocates for structural reforms to empower women as economic agents, drawing lessons from global superpowers and highlighting successful domestic initiatives like Karnataka's Shakti scheme and Rajasthan's Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme to boost women's mobility and access to job markets.
Key Points
- Proposed 50% U.S. tariffs on Indian exports, particularly affecting labour-intensive sectors, pose a direct threat to the employment of millions of Indian women.
- India's persistently low female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) of 37-41.7% is identified as a critical economic vulnerability and a drag on GDP growth.
- Empowering women as economic agents through structural reforms is crucial for India to leverage its demographic dividend and achieve sustained prosperity.
- Barriers such as safety concerns, inadequate public transport, lack of sanitation, and the burden of unpaid care work disproportionately hinder women's workforce participation.
- Successful state-level initiatives like Karnataka's Shakti scheme and Rajasthan's Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme demonstrate effective strategies to enhance women's mobility and access to employment.
Exam Facts
- India's economy valued at $4.19 trillion.
- Proposed U.S. tariffs: 50% on $40 billion worth of goods.
- India's FLFPR: 37% to 41.7%.
- IMF estimate: Closing gender gap could boost India's GDP by 27%.
- Karnataka's Shakti scheme (launched 2023), Rajasthan's Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme.
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