IJ
IJCRM
International Journal of Contemporary Research in Multidisciplinary
ISSN: 2583-7397
Open Access • Peer Reviewed
Impact Factor: 5.67

International Journal of Contemporary Research In Multidisciplinary, 2026;5(5):506-511

Women In the Informal Economy: A Socio-Economic Analysis and Its Implications for Sustainable Development in Panipat City

Author Name: Prof. Pratima Gupta;   Parul Mishra;  

1. Professor, Department of Economics, RBS College, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

2. PhD, Research Scholar, B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

This study examines the socio-economic conditions of women workers in the informal economy of Panipat City, Haryana, and analyses the implications for sustainable development. Employing a mixed-method research design, the study draws on primary data collected from 150 women engaged in diverse informal occupations, including home-based textile work, domestic labour, street vending, and construction. Findings reveal that women in Panipat's informal sector face multidimensional vulnerabilities encompassing income instability, absence of social protection, occupational hazards, and disproportionate unpaid care responsibilities. Educational attainment, household structure, and access to financial services emerge as significant determinants of economic outcomes. The research demonstrates that integrating women's informal labour into sustainable development frameworks requires targeted interventions addressing skill enhancement, social security extension, and policy recognition. Recommendations are offered for municipal and state-level initiatives that can transform informal employment into a pathway for inclusive growth rather than a trap of perpetual marginalisation.

Keywords

informal economy, women workers, sustainable development, Panipat, gender, social protection, urban labor markets.