A Study on Role of Women in Economic Development in India

Empowering women is a critical issue in developing nations. Even though women are an integral part of any society, yet their involvement in decision making by the use of their active contribution in economic activities is shallow. Women empowerment and economic development are interlinked, where on the one hand, development alone can play a significant role in driving down inequality between women and men while on the other hand empowering women can benefit development. This paper explores the role of women in the workforce for the economic development of the country in different States.


Introduction
In India, Role of Women is dependent on different variables like education status, social status, and geographical status. Engaging the women in the economic development of the country is known as the women empowerment. Women empowerment defined as increasing the ability of women to access the constituents of progress in particular health, education, earning opportunities, rights and political participation.
In the 1980s, the Gender and Development (GAD) approach arose out of the analysis of (WID) Women in Development. Gender and Development recognised that gender roles and relations are crucial to improving women's lives, with the term 'Gender' suggesting that a focus on both women and men is needed. The Gender and Development approach addresses that of not enough to add women and girls into existing processes of development, but there is also a need of their exclusion and imbalances of power at the basis of that exclusion. In the 1990s witnessed the 'rise of rising' as many NGO's and agencies adopted a rights-based approach to development Rights increase the recognition that women's demands are valid claims. The most notable success to the women's movement has perhaps been the enterprise of sexual and reproductive rights as such within this has been recognition of women's right to live free from violence, and a broadening of understanding of violence against women from 'domestic' to 'gender-based'. There was also a shift in reading development as meaning economic development to a more holistic social development focus, yet economic growth remains the main driver.
However, women's rights, particularly sexual and generative health rights, are not universally accepted as rights, and violence against women remains prevalent across the globe. And women still lack full and equal participation in economic and political life. Mainstreaming has yet to arrive, and there is a need for continued prioritisation of integrating women into development.
India ranks 113 out of 135 of the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index. According to India's 2011 census, the sex ratio for children under six was 914 females to 1,000 males, a severe decline from 927 in 2001. The ranking of Indian women in economic development is 0.3, where 1.0 means equality.
Refusing women opportunities to realise their potential is a waste of human capital and bar to economic progress. When we educate and empower one woman, we set off a chain reaction that transforms the life of her family and the community she lives in. So, this paper highlights the role of women in the economic development of the country and also suggests overcoming the constraints to grow up the women empowerment.

The Major Types of Empowerments • Educational Empowerment: Education is
an essential factor in life progress. It gives the women empowerment with knowledge, skill and self-confidence. It is needed to participate fully in the development process. It suggests making women aware of their rights and developing the confidence to claim them. • Social Women Empowerment: A critical aspect of social empowerment of women is the improvement of gender equality. Women face various social challenges today, whether it be making soaps and license to secure an income for their family. • Economic Empowerment: It implies a better quality of material life for a sustainable livelihood owned and managed by women. There is a strong correlation between economic development and women's legal rights. There is a bidirectional relationship between economic development and women empowerment defined as improving the ability of women by freeing their time.
The contribution of women in the Indian economy is neither appropriately accounted, nor policymakers have the vision to approach the importance of women for the development of the economy. • Political Empowerment: The existence of political women is favouring the participation of women in the political decision-making process and governance.

Role of Women in Economic Development
In India, women play duel role producers of goods and services as well as their domestic chores and wives and mothers, yet their contribution to economic development has been neglected. The problems most often cited included health, malnutrition, repeated childbearing and education. If women's participation in economic development is to be enhanced, women must receive the following services: training in income-generating activities, easy access to low-interest loans, and family planning services to limit childbearing.
India has been developing fast, but not always equitably or inclusively. Our development model is very much a work in progress, and deep-rooted challenges remain. The biggest issue faced by the country is the empowerment of women. Across the world educating and empowering women has proven time and again to be the catalyst for rapid socioeconomic growth.
Women in India make up 7.5% of the world's total population. While specific development indicators show, their quality of life is improving. That is maternal mortality rates declining, literacy rates increasing, more women gaining access to healthcare and education the pace of change is heartbreaking slow.
Societies with higher gender equality not only offer better socio-economic opportunities for women but also tend to grow faster and more equitable. There are gains in poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, consumer choice innovation and decision making in a broader set of issues. Economic development and gender equality go hand-in-hand. Because lowering the barriers faced by women entrepreneurs at home and internationally helping to connect international value chains and would encourage the growth and inclusion of the country. The majority of women entrepreneurs run a micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) more than 30% of MSMEs are owned by women. Only are in five exporters is a woman-owned business.
Placing the women at the heart of the global policymaking will go a long way towards realising the United Nations 2030 Agenda goal of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. Trade and Women's Economic Empowerment

Shanlax
International Journal of Economics s h a n l a x # S I N C E 1 9 9 0 is that steps to empower the women economically is happening slowly and not systematically. Women are not less capable in the export business and other income-earning work, instead, they often lack access to information, finance and technology. They need some additional encouragement to overcome the initial barriers.

Objectives
• To find out the role of women in the workforce for the economic development of the country in different States.

Data and Methodology
The study is based on secondary data. The required data was collected from various sources, namely the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) website. The relevant data have been selected to find out the women participation in the workforce for the economic development for the period 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2015-2016. To analyse the collected data, a bar diagram were used for the analysis.  Finally, this ratio is meagre and expressing more than 60 per cent of the women by the state, and 75 per cent of the women by the nation is engaged in the non productive activities which mean women are appealing in the domestic work which is not calculated as income-generating activities for the economic development of the country.

Major Issue in Women Empowerment in Economic Development
The problem is not that attuned to ensuring women have the same access to these opportunities as men. But once women enter and have the chance to show their skill and knowledge, the impact is obvious to access the economic development by the empowerment of women. Women are not the less capable person, is stead to demonstrate like that they need some more additional encouragement and opportunities from the families and societies are listed below: • Economic backwardness • Implementation gaps • Lack of political will • Women unpaid family workers in subsistence agriculture • Low level of technology and primitive forming practices • Poor access to credit and marketing networks • Social and Cultural barriers such as executive capacity for household work restrictions on mobility etc. When overcoming these constraints, the country's economy and global economic development will get prosperous through the enactment of encourages the women role in different fields of the economy.

Shanlax
International Journal of Economics s h a n l a x # S I N C E 1 9 9 0

Suggestions
• Both men and women should be treats equally by societies. • We should take a step to stop the women harassment, and violence like every mother should teach their son about how to respect women from childhood. • Encourage equal payment for both men and women in every workplace due to inequality of income for equivalent work. • Encourage women education much better at present. • Raise the aspiration of girls and their parents.
• Encourage women in political participation.
• Women should be aware of the backlash of every stepping for their development.

Conclusion
Empowerment of women socially, economically, politically and legally is going to be a phenomenal task. It is not working to be easy to change the culture for disrespect for women. The only revolution can bring changes in a day, but reforms take their time. Women have a unique position in the economy. If women gain economic strength, they gain visibility and voice. Women's direct participation in decisionmaking capacity also income generation activities can make significant contributions towards women empowerment. Entrepreneurship and working as income earned person of the family can help women to gain economically active, which may help them in the improvement of their social status.