Hi Reader,

As we enter the 75th year of Independence, India has witnessed a robust and resilient growth and made great strides on multiple fronts – economic growth, improvement in literacy level, declining fertility rate and increasing gender parity. Despite this, we have seen a worsening Female Labor Force Participation in the last decade, which has been further exacerbated by the onset of pandemic. While the economic participation of women is a driver of growth, it also leads to increased autonomy, mobility and agency at home and beyond. With our hopes pinned on the recovery of economy in the post-pandemic world, we are also rooting for a turnaround success story for our women.

Read ahead for our new segment ‘Voices from the Ground’, where one of our team members travels to a small, sleepy village near Aurangabad and discovers a 'Village of Electricians'. Over 20 girls fight stigma and discrimination every step of the way to enter an industry hugely dominated by men. This is a story of grit, perseverance and tenacity!

Poster Presentation at J-PAL Conference

Pratham had the opportunity to present the findings of our post-placement youth tracking study at J-PAL's "Towards an Inclusive Job Market in India" Conference on 15th June 2022 at the Jaypee Vasant Continental Hotel in Delhi. To read more about this study and the insights presented at the conference click below.

Female Labor Force Participation Rate which is reflective of the economic empowerment women have achieved, has declined significantly from 31.79% to 2005 to 20.79% in 2019 in India. Despite economic development, policy support, declining fertility rate and improvement in education level of women, there hasn't been a corresponding advancement in their economic participation.

Read this report by KPMG India that examines India’s declining FWPR, the challenges the government, the private sector and the community must overcome to enhance women’s participation, and recommendations for gender-focused interventions to bridge the widening gender gap, achieve economic inclusion, and honor India’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Let Her Dream : A Village of Electricians

"When they saw us walking towards the bus stop and boarding the company's bus, they agreed that we had taken the right decision", remarked Alisha

Read this awe-inspiring story of a small village near Aurangabad that boasts of 22 female electricians, who have been skilled at our very own Pratham Skilling Center in Khultabad. In a field dominated by men, one of our team members discovers and chronicles how three girls created this ripple effect and now ‘she’ is in charge.