Lok Sabha Question No. 3197 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-06
Subject: Participation of Women in the Workforce
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Sarmistha Sethi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA

## UN- STARRED QUESTION NO. 3197

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2021

## PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE

## 3197.  SHRIMATI SARMISTHA SETHI:

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

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

## ANSWER

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

(a)    to  (c)  :  In  order  to  promote  women  empowerment  and  their  safety  to  increase  their participation in workforce, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has decided to launch a   new and more comprehensive Umbrella Scheme for safety, security and empowerment of women under  the  name 'Mission  Shakti',  while  including  in  it  components  such  as  National, State  and  District  level  Hubs  for  Empowerment  of  Women,  Women  Help  Lines,  One  Stop Centres, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Working Women's Hostels, crèches for children of working women etc.

The schemes of One Stop Centres and Universalisation of Women Helpline are being implemented  by  the  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  Development  to  support  women  facing violence of any kind which may also adversely impact on their participation in workforce.

The Government, with the aim to provide safe and secure work environment to women and to  increase their  participation  in  the  workforce,  has  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, the Government is providing training to them through a network of Women Industrial Training institutes, National Vocational Training Institutes and Regional Vocational Training Institutes. To ensure economic independence of women through skill development and vocational training, the Government has also introduced Skill India Mission. 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 which have been enacted in the last two years, collectively include provisions to promote participation of women in workforce in a dignified manner.

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