The percentage of women in the Indian workforce has declined in recent years after rising steadily during the 1980s and 90s, according to India's Ministry of Labour.
The ministry reported recently that the proportion of women in the workforce was 21.9% in 2012, down from 25.6% in 2001.
However, in towns and cities, the proportion of women in jobs rose to 14.7% in 2011 from 11.9% in 2001. The overall decline is driven by figures from rural India, where women's participation in the workforce fell to 24.8% in 2011 from 30.8% in 2001.
