No Country For Women

Context: Though women in India have made some progress recently, India’s performance in Global Gender Gap Index released by the World Economic Forum proves the progress is insufficient due to the prevalence of gender-based discrimination.

Progress of women empowerment in India:

• On the economic front: 4 out of every five women have bank accounts.
• On social front: Increase in literacy (3/4 are literate) and usage of menstrual hygiene products, modern contraceptives, mobile phones and internet.

Problems faced by women due to Gender-based discrimination in India:

• At home:
  • Sex-selective abortion: Done by misusing ultrasound technology.
  • Work in unpaid domestic chores: As per the 2019 National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) time-use survey, it is almost ten times more than men.
  • Spousal violence: Due to their economic dependence.
• In society:
  • Increase in child marriages: According to National Family Health Survey (2019-20).
  • Low educational opportunities: only 37% complete Class 10.
  • Subjected to rapes: National Crime Records Bureau enumerated nearly 88 rapes daily in 2019
• In politics:
  • Low political participation: The share of women ministers has declined sharply from 23% to 9%.
• In employment:
  • Low women’s labour force participation: 21%.
    • Indian boardrooms had only 15 % of women.
    • There are fewer Indian women in the workforce than even in Saudi Arabia.
  • Sexual harassment at the workplace.
  • Lack of facilities at the workplace: E.g. Workplace crèches (legally mandated) are rare.

Conclusion: India should rewrite its gender norms by drawing inspiration from countries like Nepal, Bangladesh and Rwanda, where women are empowered politically and economically.

• Within South Asia, 83% of post-conflict Nepali women now work outside homes.
• Bangladesh is the only country where women have reigned as heads-of-state for longer than men.
• In Rwanda, women dominate two- thirds of parliamentary seats.