Jaipur, June 25 (IANS) Rajasthan’s ambition of becoming a $350 billion economy by 2030 will require greater participation of women in the formal workforce, industry leaders and government officials said, calling for coordinated efforts to address barriers related to safety, mobility, skilling and workplace inclusion.

The observations were made on Wednesday during an Industry Roundtable on “Advancing Women’s Participation in Formal Employment” in Jaipur.

Speaking at the event, Rajkumar Meena, Rajasthan Directorate of Employment Joint Director, said that changing social perceptions and government interventions were creating new opportunities for women across sectors.

“Perceptions about women in the workforce are changing over time. The government has introduced several policy and legal measures that are helping increase women’s participation across industries,” Meena added.

Referring to recent policy initiatives, he said that provisions for women’s safety during night shifts under the labour code and ongoing job fairs would further strengthen opportunities for women to join the workforce and become economically empowered.

The consultation brought together representatives from industry, government and workforce development organisations to discuss measures aimed at improving women’s labour market outcomes.

Rishav Mandal, Rajasthan Skill and Livelihood Development Corporation (RSLDC) Managing Director, said that social and cultural barriers continued to limit employment opportunities for women.

“As Rajasthan advances towards its development goals, increasing women’s participation in formal employment will require us to address not only skill and employment gaps, but also the social and cultural barriers that often limit women’s choices,” Mandal said.

Rekha Menon, Women’s Economic Liberty Lead, IPE Global, said increasing women’s participation in formal employment was essential for Rajasthan’s growth ambitions.

“Women’s participation is central to the state’s growth ambitions. Increasing women’s participation in formal employment requires collective action to address barriers related to mobility, workplace safety and social norms, and create an enabling ecosystem where more women can access and thrive in quality jobs,” she added.

The roundtable focused on addressing challenges related to hiring, workplace inclusion, career progression, safety and retention of women employees.

The SheWorks initiative, implemented by IPE Global in partnership with RSLDC, aims to strengthen pathways from skilling to paid employment through stronger industry engagement and improved labour market linkages.

–IANS

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