Sixteen of the top 25 cities ranked based on their women-friendly career opportunities, infrastructure, security and empowerment, are in South India. This is revealed by Avtar Top Cities for Women in India (TCWI) 2024 report. Tamil Nadu dominates the list with eight cities, followed by Kerala (3), Karnataka (2), Telangana (1), Andhra Pradesh (1), and Puducherry (1).

The TCWI 2024 report by AVTAR analysed 120 cities across India, using an inclusivity index that evaluates various indicators such as crime rate, safety, infrastructure, career opportunities, and empowerment. The analysis assigned ratings based on three key parameters: City Inclusion Score (CIS), Social Inclusion Score (SIS), and Industrial Inclusion Score (IIS).

In 2024, Bengaluru topped the list with a CIS of 47.15, followed by Chennai (46.31), Mumbai (41.11), Hyderabad (38.89), and Pune (36.88). Interestingly, Chennai, which had held the top position for the past two years, slid to second place this year.

Region-wise trend

A region-wise analysis reveals that South India leads in all three parameters compared to other regions of India. South India ranks first with a SIS of 25.06, CIS of 18.56, and IIS of 10.11. West India follows in second place, with an SIS of 22.78, CIS of 16.92, and IIS of 9.99.

In the top ten cities with the highest IIS, Bengaluru (81.33), Mumbai (62.96), and Chennai (61.40) take the lead. Meanwhile, in the top ten cities with the highest SIS, Chennai (45.31), Pune (37.73), and Bengaluru (36.72) rank at the top. Among the top five cities with the highest average CIS, four are from South India. Kerala (20.89), Telangana (20.57), and Maharashtra (19.93) achieved the highest average CIS in the list.

Disparities abound

The TCWI report stated that, “The regional analysis of the City Inclusion Score (CIS), Social Inclusion Score (SIS), and Industrial Inclusion Score (IIS) highlights significant disparities across India. The South emerges as the most inclusive region, scoring comparatively higher in all three metrices with a high SIS of 25.06 and an IIS of 10.11, reflecting its well-rounded approach to both social and industrial inclusion.”

Women’s ratings of their inclusion experiences in major cities were assessed across categories such as Skilling and Employment, Caregiving Support, Infrastructure, Efficiency of Government Bodies, Quality of Life, and Safety. In the Skilling and Employment category, Mumbai scored 7.60, followed closely by Bengaluru with 7.54. Meanwhile, in the Quality of Life category, Pune led with a score of 7.50, while Chennai scored 7.05.