Mobility is a critical driver of women’s economic empowerment in India, shaping access to education, employment, and markets.
Despite this, India shows one of the starkest gender gaps in mobility and driving worldwide: women hold just 6% of all driving licenses and less than 1% of commercial driving licenses, compared to near gender parity in countries like the US and UK. This gap extends into the workforce, where women make up only 2% of drivers and mobile plant operators, even as the occupation category grows.
Closing India’s gender mobility gap requires targeted CSR investment in women’s driving training, vehicle access, and employment linkages, an approach that grassroot organizations like the Azad Foundation have shown can drive a 200% increase in women’s income along with greater household decision-making power.
In this research, Vrinda Gupta, Principal at Give Grants, explores how corporate philanthropy can advance female labour force participation and women’s economic empowerment in India through independent mobility programs.
