What Do Gender Gaps in India’s Industrial Sector Mean for Air Pollution and Health?

By Azra Khan, Ritesh Kumar and Jessica Kempner  

Passengers wait to board Indore's Pink e-Bus, a women-focused public transportation service designed to increase women's mobility and workforce participation. Photo by Raju Pawar for Clean Air Catalyst.

India's industrial sector plays a vital role in its economy, contributing 16-17% of the country’s GDP. However, there is a significant gender disparity; women make up just 12% of the workforce—a stark contrast to the global average of 30%. Despite the sector’s growth, women’s participation remains stagnated, especially in higher-paying, high-skilled positions. To address this, we must understand the root causes of this gender gap and the urgent need for inclusive policies to support women in industrial work.

India’s Industrial Sector: Where are the Women?

Women in India are predominantly employed in low-wage, low-skilled roles in industries such as textiles, garments and food processing. Jobs like stitching, packing and assembly are often considered an extension of domestic work, which reinforces gender stereotypes about what roles are “appropriate” for women. The higher paying, more technical jobs, such as engineering and management positions, are still largely dominated by men, reflecting broader societal norms about gender, which often sideline women into administrative or support roles, such as data entry or cleaning. 

While women make up a larger proportion of the workforce in micro, small and medium enterprises (24%), these jobs tend to be in informal, less secure work environments. These industries lack crucial benefits like income security and safety protections, leaving women workers vulnerable to exploitation and health risks.

Industrial Pollution: A Gendered Health Risk

Women in the industrial sector also face unique exposures to workplace pollution. Industrial settings are major contributors to air pollution, with hazardous emissions from factories diminishing the health of workers. Research shows that long-term exposure to pollutants can lead to chronic respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases and even cancers.

The gendered patterns of employment mean that women often face different risks than their male counterparts. While men generally work in higher-exposure technical roles, women in lower-skilled jobs are also exposed to harmful pollutants—yet this exposure is often overlooked. Studies have found that women in informal jobs often lack access to protective equipment, exacerbating their vulnerability to health risks.

Women frequently work without adequate safety measures, putting their reproductive health at risk. Studies have linked exposure to certain industrial chemicals with higher rates of miscarriage, developmental issues in newborns and neurological impairments, revealing a critical need for gender-sensitive policies that prioritize worker safety in all roles.

Data Gaps and Policy Blind Spots

One of the greatest hurdles to addressing women’s health in the workplace is the lack of gender-disaggregated data in India’s industrial sector. Existing statistics do not account for gender differences in job roles, wages or exposure to industrial pollutants. When women are left out of the data, they’re likely to remain out of conversations as policymakers consider solutions.  

India must prioritize the collection of gender-responsive data to close gender data gaps. This should include information on labor force participation, wage disparities, job roles, exposure risks and access to safety equipment. Policymakers can then better understand the scope of disparities and create targeted interventions to address the specific needs of female workers.

Next Steps: Bridging Data Gaps for Gender Equality

Government actors, industrial bodies and civil society must work together to gather detailed data on the industrial workforce and use it to create inclusive policies. India can get closer to realizing the full productive power of its female workforce by focusing on gendered exposure risks, safety training, and access to better-paying roles.

India can build a healthier, more inclusive and more productive industrial workforce—one that provides equal opportunities for men and women while addressing the urgent issue of industrial pollution. This will not only enhance the well-being of workers but also contribute to the long-term sustainability and growth of the sector.

To learn more about this topic, check out our full briefing paper here.