This book focuses on the gender-specific labour force participation rates across regions in
India and identifies its most important determinants. Before concentrating on the Indian
context it examines the participation rates of various countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Not unexpectedly the study shows that the rate is significantly lower for females than for
males in this region. The rural-urban differentials are more pronounced and the inter-state
variations are more sizable among females than males. Even in large cities the female labour
market participation is lower than that in the rural areas despite higher levels of education.
However in terms of inter-spatial (rural urban city) variations the impact of infrastructure
education health and urbanization on the labour force participation of both genders is quite
distinct. On the whole the study reinforces the stance that women's participation in
productive activities has a doubly positive impact it not only raises the household income
but also contributes to the wellbeing of the household. These findings are important from a
policy perspective as different infrastructure variables are confirmed to improve both
participation and labour productivity. As such the book offers a valuable resource not only
for researchers but also for NGOs and policymakers.
