Gender Economic Participation — Policy Reforms

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
97th Constitutional Amendment Act	2011	This amendment gave constitutional status and protection to cooperative societies, inserting Article 43B (promotion of cooperative societies) and Part IXB (The Co-operative Societies). While not directly gender-specific, it indirectly supports women's economic participation by strengthening the cooperative movement, which often includes women's cooperatives and SHGs, providing a framework for collective economic activity and empowerment.	Strengthened the legal framework for cooperative societies, indirectly benefiting women's cooperatives and SHGs by providing a more robust constitutional backing for their formation and functioning, thereby enhancing avenues for collective economic participation and financial inclusion, especially in rural areas.
The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act	2017	This is a legislative amendment, not a constitutional one. It significantly increased paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks for working women, mandated crèche facilities in establishments employing 50 or more employees, and introduced a 'work from home' option for nursing mothers.	Directly aimed at improving women's retention in the formal workforce post-childbirth by providing extended leave and childcare support. It sought to reduce the economic penalty associated with motherhood and promote a more gender-inclusive work environment, though implementation challenges, particularly for SMEs, have been noted.