India tops S Asia in women labour participation

India's female labour participation rate surged 23.4% from 2019 to 2023, leading South Asia. Bhutan, Pakistan, Maldives, Nepal, and Bangladesh also saw increases, while Sri Lanka faced a decline. With South Asia's rate at 31.6%, efforts to close the gender employment gap could boost regional GDP significantly. Enhancing education for women is key to overcoming employment barriers.