Female labour force participation in South Asia is among the lowest in the world, according to a World Bank report released on Thursday.
Only 32% of working-age women were in the labour force in 2023, compared to 77% of working-age men in the region, the report titled "South Asia Development Update October 2024."
For all South Asian countries except Bhutan, female labour force participation rates in 2023 were 5 to 25 percentage points lower than in countries at similar levels of development.
This shortfall in the female labour force is most pronounced after marriage.
On average, once married, women in South Asia reduce their participation in the workforce by 12 percentage points, even before they have children.
The shift toward service activities, usually associated with greater demand for female labour, has not yet led to higher levels of female employment in the region, and firms often state an explicit preference for male workers.
Supply-side constraints such as childcare access, mobility and safety, legal restrictions, and conservative gender norms are also significant barriers.
“South Asia’s female labour force participation rate of 32% is well below the 54% average in emerging market and developing economies,” said Franziska Ohnsorge, World Bank chief economist for South Asia.
“Increasing women’s employment requires action from all stakeholders. Our report recommends a multi-pronged effort where governments, the private sector, communities and households all have a role to play.”
The report’s recommendations include legal reforms to improve gender equality, measures to accelerate job creation, and removal of barriers to women working outside the home such as lack of safe transport and quality child and elder care.
Such measures could be more effective if social norms became more accepting of female employment.
Another key area of reform is increasing trade openness. Most countries in South Asia rank among the least open to global trade and investment.
This greatly limits the region’s ability to take advantage of the reshaping of global supply chains.
Within the region, greater export orientation has been linked to greater female employment.
Therefore, increased openness could help the region spur growth as well as boost job creation, especially for women.
