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If India is to continue to grow its economy, it needs to involve the country’s women, according to economist and public policy analyst Devika Kher. You see, ambitious growth just isn't possible with half the population at home. In this episode, Kher breaks down the u-curve, one of the most important theories to understand the drop in women's participation in the workforce, in less than 30 minutes. With special guest Devika Kher Devika is currently a Master of Public Policy candidate at the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy (Class of 21). Before joining Harris, she worked at The Takshashila Institution, an independent policy think tank in Bangalore, India for five years. Her work focuses on studying the interaction between labour and urban governance challenges. Devika has worked extensively on the declining female labour employment in India and urban governance challenges within developing countries. Devika has been a regular contributor to renowned national dailies, a contributing author for multiple books, and has co-authored papers on public expenditure on health in India. MORE TO READ. Devika’s writing in Pragati Express: https://express.thinkpragati.com/author/devikakher/ This 2019 TheWire article by Devika: https://thewire.in/labour/why-having-more-women-in-the-workforce-is-good-for-the-economy This 2019 Deccan Herald article by Devika: https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/in-perspective/get-the-women-into-the-workforce-741013.html This 2018 Takshashila Institution article by Devika, on ‘pink collar’ jobs: https://nationalinterest.in/breaking-gender-barriers-in-jobs-346662dab3a9 This 2018 Takshashila Institution article by Devika on social impediments to women’s employment: https://nationalinterest.in/social-shackles-and-women-employment-b6f26d5fbef5 This 2018 Pragati article by Devika: https://www.thinkpragati.com/opinion/4455/frailty-thy-name-is-public-policy/ Claudia Goldin’s seminal paper on the ‘U’ curve (1994): https://www.nber.org/papers/w4707.pdf MORE TO LISTEN TO. Devika on Ep. 88 of ‘The Seen and the Unseen’ podcast: https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2018/10/1/episode-88-metrics-of-empowerment/ Devika on Ep. 16 of the ‘States of Anarchy’ podcast: https://ivmpodcasts.com/states-of-anarchy-episode-list/tag/devika+kher A BIG THANKS Women In Labour is generously supported by a grant from the American Center, New Delhi. All opinions, findings, and conclusions are those of Women In Labour and its hosts only — and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.