India, Aug. 13 -- India's ambition to become a global manufacturing and services powerhouse cannot be realised while a significant proportion of its urban female talent remains outside the workforce. Although women's labour force participation has improved nationally in recent years, urban areas continue to lag. According to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), the national female Labour Force Participation Rate (15 years and above) stood at 34.4%, while the urban female LFPR was just 25.2%, highlighting the deep structural barriers that limit women's economic integration in cities.

The challenge is no longer merely about creating openings; it is about building workplaces that women can trust. For many urban women, the decisio...