How urban last-mile logistics can empower women

This article is authored by Anjalli Ravi Kumar, Pooja Sharma Goyal and Mitali Nikore.

When was the last time you spotted a woman in a delivery jacket navigating your residential complex with a food or grocery order and a phone in her hand?

Women (Pixabay)

If you are drawing a blank, you are not alone. That absence is reflected in numbers. As per the recent white paper on ‘Enhancing women’s participation in urban last-mile logistics’, women account for just 1 to 5 of India’s last-mile logistics workforce, making them nearly invisible in a sector that powers everyday convenience across our cities.

This absence is striking because last-mile logistics is among the fastest expanding segments of India’s urban economy.

India’s logistics sector has evolved from being a support system for commerce into a central pillar of economic growth. Valued at over $350 billion currently and projected to reach nearly $800 billion by 2030, the industry is expanding alongside the country’s booming digital and e-commerce economy. With this growth comes a massive job creation opportunity: the industry is expected to generate nearly 10 million new livelihood opportunities by 2027.

At the forefront of this expansion lies urban last-mile logistics, spanning e-commerce, food delivery, quick commerce, and parcel networks. Its growth is powered by app-based platforms, hyperlocal supply chains, and the increasing digitisation of consumer services. These networks rely heavily on independent delivery partners and decentralised logistics infrastructure operating within city neighbourhoods.

Warehousing and micro-fulfilment centres also represent scalable, high-potential entry points into the broader logistics ecosystem. Nearly one-third of India’s micro-fulfilment centres are already located in Tier 2 and smaller towns, with projections indicating growth to 7,500 centres by 2030.

If we could, collectively, work towards increasing women’s participation in the sector to a modest 10%, that could translate into unlocking close to a million additional livelihood opportunities for women in the near term.

For years, the ecosystem has grappled with a central question: How can India create meaningful livelihood opportunities for women at scale, particularly in urban settings?

Urban last-mile logistics is one of the most pragmatic entry points for expanding women’s workforce participation. Its defining features, including hyperlocal operations, flexible scheduling and short training cycles, align closely with the realities faced by first-time workers and women balancing paid work with caregiving responsibilities.

The entry barriers are also relatively low. Several logistics roles require basic schooling till Class 10 and familiarity with smartphones, while technology interfaces are increasingly available in vernacular languages. For the estimated 22 lakh girls who quit formal education at the secondary level each year, this sector can offer a pathway to flexible and dignified livelihoods.

Weekly payouts in delivery roles frequently surpass earnings in comparable low-skill roles, while micro-fulfilment centres embedded within urban neighbourhoods reduce commute burdens.

There’s also a compelling business case. Evidence indicates that women in logistics roles often demonstrate strong attendance, reliability and order accuracy. For companies operating at scale, these factors can translate into meaningful operational efficiencies.

Even as urban last-mile logistics economy is expanding rapidly, women remain largely absent due to structural constraints. If India is to meaningfully move toward a 70% female labour force participation rate, as envisioned for a Viksit Bharat, these barriers must be addressed in earnest.

Consider something as basic as the smartphone. Only 56.6% of women own smartphones, compared to 73.7% of men, limiting their ability to participate in app-based delivery systems that power modern logistics. Similar gaps exist in access to two-wheelers, training opportunities and affordable financing.

Social perceptions also play a role. In many communities, logistics and delivery roles are still considered to be suited mainly for men. Women need visibility into diverse logistics roles and communities must see such work as viable and respectable. Regulatory alignment too must be achieved. For instance, women must be allowed to work in night-shifts, critical in logistics businesses, across states.

Addressing these challenges requires thinking about women’s participation through a lifecycle lens.

At the entry stage, awareness and perception shifts are critical. Women must be able to see logistics roles as viable opportunities and communities must recognise these roles as legitimate and respectable work for women, not just men.

At the stage of seeking opportunities, targeted skilling becomes essential. Digital literacy, navigation skills, financial literacy and safe two-wheeler riding training can help women transition into logistics roles with confidence.

And once women begin participating in the sector, retention hinges on ecosystem support. Access to childcare, safe public sanitation, reliable transport infrastructure, and responsive grievance mechanisms collectively play a role in enabling sustained participation.

Unlocking this opportunity also demands deliberate alignment across the ecosystem. Policymakers, digital platforms, urban planners, logistics firms, and public employment services must coordinate to create a coherent ecosystem that supports women from skilling to onboarding and sustained livelihoods.

Targeted skilling initiatives could play a powerful role here. Programmes that combine smartphone literacy, digital payments training, customer interaction skills, and financial literacy can equip women with capabilities that are directly aligned with the industry needs.

Driving and riding training for women can also be integrated within existing skilling frameworks such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKY) and delivered through partnerships with State Transport Departments, Sector Skill Councils, and training institutes.

Industry-led innovations are beginning to demonstrate what such pathways can look like in practice. For instance, Zomato launched a women’s two-wheeler riding training program designed to equip women with the confidence and skills needed to participate in delivery networks. By combining riding training with exposure to digital platforms and logistics operations, such programs help address one of the most fundamental barriers to entry for women in last-mile delivery.

Global examples demonstrate how ecosystem approaches can unlock participation on a scale. Programs such as Kenya’s DigiKen and Singapore’s SkillsFuture show how structured, demand-linked training ecosystems can translate capability into economic participation at scale.

India’s aspiration of becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047 with 70% female workforce participation, implies we need to think not only of economic growth but also on who gets to participate in this growth.

Expanding women’s participation in emerging sectors such as last-mile logistics has the potential to unlock vast productivity gains, strengthen household incomes, and broaden social mobility.

The road to a developed India can certainly be paved in the last mile; but it will reach its destination only when women are visible participants in the journey that powers modern lifestyles in our cities every day.

This article is authored by Anjalli Ravi Kumar, chief sustainability officer, Eternal, Pooja Sharma Goyal, founding CEO, Udaiti Foundation and Mitali Nikore, founder & chief economist, Nikore Associates.