11/09/2025
In India, mothers are 35% less likely to get an interview callback compared to equally qualified non-mothers.
Callback rates: 11% vs 18%.
That gap exists before skills are assessed, before performance is measured, before the interview even begins.
It shows how bias works:
Not against ability, but against the idea of motherhood.
Not after years of work, but at the very first step back in.
This is the motherhood penalty. It is measurable, documented, and systemic.
And it means that for millions of women, the barrier isn’t “getting the job.”
It’s even being given the chance to try.
At The Hera Foundation, we are building childcare and return-to-work systems that challenge this penalty, so mothers don’t lose out before they’ve even started.
[Motherhood Penalty , Return to Work , Workplace Bias , Childcare Crisis , Women in Workforce India]