As per the 1991 Census, there are 407.1 million women representing 47.1 percent of  Country’s total population. Of those 91.40 million are in work force and 90 percent of them are in the informal sector with no legislative protection and with worst condition of working. The National  Commission for Self Employed Women and Women in the Informal Sector (1988) which made a situational review of women in the informal Sector had suggested introduction of protective measures which would ensure guarantee of employment and income generation minimum wages, welfare and support services, training and upgradation of skills, etc. Towards this end, a programme for women (STEP) was launched in 1986 as one of the measures to ensure well being of women in the traditional informal sector.  For more information click here