Lok Sabha Question No. 3804 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-25
Subject: Women Participation in Workforce
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Narendra Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 3804

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.03.2022

## WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN WORKFORCE

## 3804. SHRI NARENDRA KUMAR:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to formulate any policy to promote women empowerment  and  to  their  safety  in  order  to  increase  their  participation  in workforce;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any step in this direction;
- (d) if so, the details thererof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (e): In order to promote women empowerment and their safety to increase their participation in workforce, the Government has approved a new and comprehensive Umbrella Scheme for safety, security and empowerment of women under the name 'Mission Shakti', including components such as National, State and District level Hubs for  Empowerment  of  Women, Women Help Lines, One Stop Centres, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Sakhi Niwas (Working Women's Hostels), Palna (crèches for children of working  women)  etc.  The  schemes  of  One  Stop  Centres  and  Universalisation  of Women Helpline are implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to support women facing violence or distress of any kind which may adversely affect their participation in workforce.

The  Government,  with  the  aim  to  provide  safe  and  secure  work  environment  to women at their workplace and to increase their participation in the workforce, has also enacted 'the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013' (SH Act). The Act covers all women, irrespective of their age or employment  status  and  protect  them  from  sexual  harassment  at  all  workplaces whether public or private, organized or unorganized. The Act casts an obligation upon employers  to  provide  a  safe  and  secure  working  environment  free  from  sexual harassment by constituting Internal Committees (ICs) for workplaces with ten or more workers and by displaying at conspicuous places the penal consequences of sexual harassment and the orders constituting ICs. Similarly, Local Committees (LCs) are to be constituted under the Act in districts to receive complaints in organizations having less than 10 workers or if complaints are against employers themselves. Employers are  also  required  to  organize  workshops  and  awareness  programmes  at  regular intervals for sensitizing the employees about the provisions of this legislation.

In  order  to  enhance  the  employability  of  female  workers  and  ensure  economic independence  of  women  through  skill  development  and  vocational  training,  the Government has also introduced Skill India Mission under which training is provided through  a  network  of  women  Industrial  Training  institutes,  National  Vocational Training  Institutes  and  Regional  Vocational  Training  Institutes.  The  National  Skill Development  Policy  focuses  on  inclusive  skill  development,  with  the  objective  of increased women participation for better economic productivity. There are schemes like Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and Stand-up India, for helping the women to set up their own enterprises. Further, the Labour Codes, viz. the Code on Wages 2019, the  Industrial  Relations  Code,  2020,  Occupational  Safety,  Health  and  Working Conditions  Code,  2020  and  the  Code  on Social  Security,  2020,  collectively  include provisions to promote participation of women in workforce in a dignified manner and with adequate safety measures adopted by the employers.

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