Women’s Economic Empowerment Index (WEE) Concept & Indicators

Published on 17 September 2025 by
Women’s Economic Empowerment Index (WEE)

WEE Index: India aspires to become a $30 trillion economy by 2047, but this ambition cannot be realized without the active participation of women in the workforce. At present, women contribute only 18% to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Shockingly, nearly 196 million employable women remain outside the labour market. This is both a social concern and a massive untapped economic opportunity.

To address this challenge, India has introduced a new tool- the Women’s Economic Empowerment Index (WEE) to systematically measure and strengthen women’s role in economic growth.

What is the WEE Index?

The Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Index is India’s first district-level framework designed to track women’s participation in the economy. It was first launched in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and serves as a benchmarking tool for identifying gaps and strengths in women’s economic engagement.

The Index evaluates five broad areas of empowerment:

  • Employment – Opportunities for women in formal and informal sectors.
  • Education and Skill Development – Access to literacy, higher education, and vocational training.
  • Entrepreneurship – Availability of credit, loans, and business support.
  • Livelihood and Mobility – Ability to pursue income-earning work with mobility freedom.
  • Safety and Inclusive Infrastructure – Public spaces, transport, and facilities that enable women to work confidently.
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How does the WEE Index work?

Unlike national-level statistics, the WEE Index dives into district-specific data, collected in a gender-disaggregated manner.

For example:

  • In UP, more than 50% of enrolments in state skilling programmes were women, yet very few moved into entrepreneurship or secured formal credit.
  • In the transport sector, findings pushed for reforms like recruitment drives for women bus staff and creation of restroom facilities to improve retention.

Districts such as Lucknow, Kanpur Nagar, and Varanasi have been declared “Champion Districts” for their outstanding results in employment generation and women-led entrepreneurship.

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Why the WEE Index matters?

The WEE Index is significant because it highlights systemic barriers rather than just participation rates. It asks: Why are women missing from the workforce?

Some reasons revealed include:

  • Lack of safe infrastructure and mobility options.
  • Limited access to formal credit for women entrepreneurs.
  • Poor transition from skill training to sustainable employment.

By identifying these structural issues, the Index enables:

  • District-specific action plans.
  • Real-time monitoring through the Chief Minister’s Control Room in UP.
  • Recognition of high-performing districts to encourage competition and replication.
  • This creates accountability and ensures that policy efforts are evidence-based.
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The Way Forward

Experts believe the WEE model should be extended beyond Uttar Pradesh. States like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Telangana can replicate it to make gender-responsive budgeting a nationwide practice.

Exam Fact Box (For UPSC/EPFO)

  • Women’s workforce participation: 41.7% overall; only 18% in formal jobs.
  • Key Innovation: WEE Index, India’s first district-level women’s empowerment index, launched in UP.
  • Five Dimensions: Employment, Education/Skills, Entrepreneurship, Livelihood/Mobility, Safety/Infrastructure.
  • Policy Impact: Targeted recruitment, district-level action plans, gender-responsive budgeting.
  • National Relevance: Critical for India’s $30 trillion economy target by 2047.
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FAQs on Women’s Economic Empowerment Index

Q1. Why was the WEE Index introduced?
The Index was introduced to systematically track women’s economic participation and address hidden barriers that GDP or job data cannot capture.

Q2. What are the five pillars of the WEE Index?
Employment, education and skills, entrepreneurship, livelihood and mobility, and safety with inclusive infrastructure.

Q3. Which states or districts performed well on the WEE Index?
Goa, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh are among the top performers, while districts like Lucknow and Varanasi in UP are labelled “Champion Districts.”

Q4. How does the WEE Index influence policy?
It makes departments prepare district-level action plans, track progress in real time, and reward high-performing districts to set examples for others.

Q5. Why is the WEE Index relevant for UPSC EPFO aspirants?
It links women’s empowerment with labour welfare, social justice, and inclusive growth—key themes in the UPSC EPFO syllabus and interview discussions.