Restart: Supporting Women's Reentry into the Labor Force

Labor market penalties faced by women due to marriage and childbirth continue to exclude a substantial portion of the productive workforce from gainful employment across the globe. In India, where the female labor force participation rate is unusually low, recent reports indicate that millions of educated Indian women are eager to reenter the workforce after taking career breaks to build and support their families. However, they encounter significant challenges in navigating this reentry. In collaboration with the JobsForHer Foundation, we will evaluate the impact of their HerShakthi program, specifically designed for women who have paused their careers. The program includes a technical module to refresh skills and a job-readiness module focusing on CV building, interview techniques, and networking. We will conduct a randomized controlled trial involving 1,400 women to assess the effectiveness of these modules on employment outcomes and overall well-being. Our study aims to provide valuable insights into the potential of targeted programs to improve labor market outcomes for a vulnerable, yet understudied, segment of the workforce.