Promoting Women's Economic Participation in India

Despite rapid economic growth, gender disparities in women's economic participation have remained deep and persistent in India. What explains these gender disparities? Is it poor infrastructure, limited education, or the composition of the labor force and industries? Or is it deficiencies in social and business networks and a low share of incumbent female entrepreneurs? This note analyzes the spatial determinants of female entrepreneurship in India in the manufacturing and services sectors. It finds that good infrastructure and education predict higher female entry shares. Gender networks also influence women's economic participation, as strong agglomeration economies exist in both manufacturing and services. A higher female ownership among incumbent businesses within a district-industry predicts a greater share of subsequent female entrepreneurs. Moreover, higher female ownership of local businesses in related industries (similar labor needs, input-output markets) predicts greater relative female entry rates. Unlocking female empowerment and entrepreneurship is a direct path to shared prosperity and a more dynamic and sustainable growth.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Kerr, William, Ghani, Ejaz, O'Connell, Stephen D.
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2013-02
Subjects:	ACCESS TO EDUCATION, AGGLOMERATION BENEFITS, AGGLOMERATION ECONOMIES, CITIES, DISCRIMINATION, DISTRICTS, ECONOMIC BENEFITS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EMPOWERMENT, FAMILIES, FEMALE, FEMALE EMPLOYMENT, FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS, FEMALE LABOR, FEMALE LABOR FORCE, FEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION, FEMALE LITERACY, GENDER, GENDER BALANCE, GENDER COMPOSITION, GENDER DISPARITIES, GENDER EQUALITY, GENDER GAP, GENDER IMBALANCES, INEQUALITY, INFORMAL SECTOR, LABOR FORCE, LABOR LAWS, LABOR MARKET, LABOR MARKETS, LAND TRANSPORT, LITERACY, LOCAL INPUT, LOCAL TRANSPORT, MOBILITY, MOTOR VEHICLES, OCCUPATIONS, POACHING, POPULATION DENSITY, PRODUCTIVITY, ROADS, ROLE OF WOMEN, SAFETY, SANITATION, SEX, SEX RATIO, TRANSPORT, TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION COSTS, TRAVEL TIME, TRUE, VILLAGES, WILL,
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/02/17369213/promoting-womens-economic-participation-india https://hdl.handle.net/10986/17013
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