Women account for nearly half of India’s population and increasingly influence housing demand, property ownership and sustainability-led development, yet only 1-2 per cent of them occupy leadership positions in the country’s real estate sector, according to a joint report by JLL and NAREDCO MAHI.
Unlocking the full potential of women across construction sites, corporate offices, and boardrooms will be critical to strengthening talent pipelines, improving governance standards and supporting India’s vision of becoming a developed economy by 2047, the report ‘Building Inclusive Future: Empowering Women in India’s Real Estate Transformation’ has said.
The report noted that women comprise 48.5 per cent of India’s population but represent only around 10 per cent of the 71 million-strong workforce in the construction sector, one of the country’s largest employment generators and a key contributor to GDP.
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The findings point to a significant leadership gap in an industry rapidly evolving through urbanisation, digital transformation, ESG adoption and green building practices. While women are increasingly emerging as homebuyers, entrepreneurs, developers, architects, sustainability experts and proptech prof40-45 per cent ofessionals, their representation sharply declines at senior management and decision-making levels.
According to the report, women account for nearly 40-45 per cent representation at entry-level positions in several real estate-related professions. However, attrition rises significantly during mid-career stages, resulting in a steep fall in representation at senior management and leadership positions.
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“Women are no longer participants at the margins of the real estate sector; they are increasingly shaping its future as homebuyers, professionals, entrepreneurs and sustainability champions. However, the industry must now focus on building stronger pathways for leadership through mentorship, skilling, financial inclusion and equal opportunities. Greater participation of women is not only an inclusion imperative but also a business imperative for the future growth of Indian real estate,” said Smita Patil, president, NAREDCO MAHI.
The report notes that despite several policy interventions aimed at encouraging women property owners, including stamp duty concessions, home loan incentives and the , significant barriers continue to limit women’s progression into leadership roles.
The study also draws attention to the challenges faced by women in the informal construction workforce, where a majority continue to work without adequate social security, childcare support, insurance coverage or structured career advancement opportunities.
At the same time, women are playing an increasingly important role in The report highlights their growing contribution to green building certification, ESG implementation, sustainable urban development, PropTech innovation and smart infrastructure planning.
Recommendations to enhance women’s representation in the real estate sector
It recommends a series of interventions, including transparent pay structures, return-to-work programmes, stronger workplace safety mechanisms, childcare support, leadership development initiatives and greater representation of women in decision-making roles.
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“Enabling women’s full participation in real estate transcends equity alone, it represents a strategic pathway toward achieving the Viksit Bharat 2047 goals and India’s aspiration of becoming a $1 trillion economy,” said A Shankar, India Head, Advisory & Infrastructure Solutions, JLL India.