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ARTHA

The Paradox of

Education and Work
Reforms that have helped
Vietnam bridge the Gender Gap in In many economies, education serves as a powerful
Labour Force Participation catalyst for women’s economic empowerment,
enabling access to better, higher-paying jobs and
Vietnam has one of the narrowest gender gaps in strengthening participation in the labour market.
labour force participation among emerging However, in India, this expected relationship between
economies. This progress has been supported by a education and employment does not consistently
combination of structural and policy reforms, hold. Data from multiple national surveys reveal a
including greater formalisation of employment, paradoxical pattern: female labour force participation
progressive revisions to labour legislation, and rates often decline as educational attainment
sustained growth in export-oriented increases, particularly beyond the secondary level.
manufacturing. In particular, the rapid expansion of Women with middle or higher secondary education
labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and are, in fact, less likely to work than those who are
apparel created large-scale employment illiterate or have only basic schooling.
opportunities for women, facilitating their entry into
paid work. By 2012, women accounted for around
53 per cent of export-related jobs, compared to 35 Despite steady improvements in educational
per cent for men, underscoring the feminisation of attainment among Indian women over recent
export-led employment. 2 decades, the country continues to record some of the
lowest female LFPRs across all education levels -
basic, intermediate, and advanced - when compared
4
to other nations. Figure 3 highlights this critical
disconnect between education and employment:
Formalisation and the while more women are completing formal schooling,
Garment Sector Driving Female this progress has not translated into meaningful
LFPR in Bangladesh participation in the labour market. Out of all working
age women who have basic education, only 31 per
cent of them are in the labour force. Similarly, the
Bangladesh has witnessed a substantial rise in number for women with intermediate education is at
female labour force participation over the past 22 per cent and those with advanced education is at
two decades, with formalisation playing a pivotal
role in this transformation. The rapid expansion of 38 per cent.
the formal Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector
has been the single most important driver of In India, rising female
women’s entry into paid employment. education levels have not
been matched by a
Complementing this structural shift, targeted skill corresponding increase in
development initiatives have further workforce participation
strengthened women’s employability. The Skills
for Employment Investment Program (SEIP),
launched in 2014, focuses on enhancing
job-oriented skills and aligning training with This paradox reflects not a lack of capability, but a
industry needs while also upgrading the existing lack of opportunity and enabling conditions. For
workforce. Importantly, the programme mandates education to truly empower women economically,
that at least 30 per cent of total trainees be India must bridge this gap by expanding
women, thereby institutionalising gender female-friendly employment opportunities and
inclusion within workforce development efforts. 3 creating conditions that allow educated women to
fully utilize their skills.

2 Vietnam's Future Jobs-The Gender Dimension, World Bank Group; 2018
3 Social Safeguard Monitoring Report, Asian Development Bank; 2017
4 The classification is as per International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011). Basic education comprises primary education or lower
secondary education. Intermediate education comprises upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary education. Advanced education comprises
short-cycle tertiary education, or a bachelor’s degree and above

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