Over 76% of India's workers are in vulnerable employment: WEF

Poor policy making is one among many reasons obstructing upward social mobility, the report said

India has the second highest level of workers in vulnerable employment only behind Saudi Arabia and a low female labour participation rate, a World Economic Forum said in a report, suggesting payment of fair wages and providing social protection is an absolute must to combat the menace.

On the contrary, China displays low levels of unemployment and has a high score in terms of work opportunities, while another BRICS country, Brazil has a little over 27% of its workers in vulnerable employment conditions, much less than that of India's over 76%, the Global Social Mobility Report 2020 urged nations to pay attention on economic empowerment of the workforce.

For India, the report said, the social protection coverage was very low in comparison with its regional peers and overall social protection expenditure too was very low at 2.68% of GDP.

It said most vulnerable workers—those who are self-employed or out of formal labour markets—are currently excluded from social protections.

The report draws attention to the lack of social cover among India's workers amid the Narendra Modi government trying to get passed four new labour codes in parliament aiming at addressing issues relating to minimum wage, social security and working conditions for labour.

“The combination of these factors is detrimental to the social mobility of the country's population,” it said about India, which ranked 76th in the Global Social Mobility Index that assessed 82 countries on five key indicators – health, quality of education, work opportunities, wages and conditions, coverage of social protection and technology.

Social mobility is the movement in personal circumstances either upwards or downwards of an individual in relation to those of their parents.

In addition, it said, eliminating the gender pay gap would enhance women’s economic empowerment and increase social mobility.