Mind The Gender Gap

Should women be a part of the backward class in India? Here, I don’t mean in the casteist way but rather due to their lack of agency. Recently when I was in Kolkata visiting my mother, I had an enlightening conversation with one of our extended domestic aids. Hailing from a conservative religious and cultural background, this young man’s family has zeroed in on a girl who is barely out of school, apparently has no aspirations to study or work, and only wants to “maintain a home”. The young girl’s mindset could be independent thinking but I’d say it’s most likely the culmination of years of conditioning to accept the sequestered role of women versus the outdoor life of the breadwinner man. In an India that exists in the underbelly of the outwardly modern one, are scores of women who have no individualistic dreams or aspirations. They aren’t encouraged to think, take their own decisions, pursue financial freedom, or even decide their vote. As per the latest National Statistical Office (NSO) data, over 51 per cent of rural women don’t even own a mobile phone. Their entire existence depends on a man — father, brother, husband, son. And don’t for one moment think that this is restricted only to rural India or to economically weak sections. Girls in middle class and even affluent families are given an education for the sake of it but never permitted to use it. They are crippled even before they learn to walk.

A majority of women in India are not progressing as compared to their male counterparts. The recently released Global Gender Gap Index 2025 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) states that India has in fact taken a few steps back. Currently, we rank 131 out of 148 countries in terms of gender parity; we were at 129 in 2024. Our gender parity score is abysmal at 64.1 per cent, making us one of the lowest scoring nations in south Asia. Neighbours Bangladesh (24), Bhutan (119), Nepal (125), and Sri Lanka (130) have outperformed India. The global index calculates gender equality on the basis of four parameters — economic participation and opportunity; educational attainment; health and survival, and political empowerment. India has not clocked blockbuster numbers on any of the counts showing either similar or only slightly improved numbers compared to last year. For instance, India has improved in the economic participation and opportunity category by 0.9 per cent to 40.7 per cent with congruency in earned income having risen from 28.6 per cent to 29.9 per cent. Women’s participation in the labour force, though the highest in history, remained stagnant at 45.9 per cent. Female literacy improved with the educational attainment category recording 97.1 per cent and positive developments noted for sex ratios at birth and life expectancy.

Of the four categories, Indian women have been failed most in the last one — political empowerment. There are fewer women politicians in the Parliament today with 13.8 per cent compared to the erstwhile 14.7 per cent. Even the number of women ministers dropped from 6.5 per cent to 5.6 per cent, further ratifying the declining trend. India passed the contentious Women’s Reservation Bill in 2023 after a 27-year opposition from the time it was first introduced in 1996. Its implementation however, is littered by several hurdles, an impending and highly delayed census, lack of political will, among others. We must have more women participating in policy-making to ensure its cascading effects on all strata of governance, administration, and society. I for one refuse to be satiated by any of the marginally positive numbers either. This sluggish progress underscores that we aren’t walking the talk. We love seeing our female soldiers doing press briefings in times of war or celebrating ‘nari shakti’ in Republic Day parades. But genuine progress does not come from optics; it comes from audacious reforms, comprehensive policies, and revamp of social attitudes. Real change will reflect in the tangible results created by a strong nationwide political will that will do better for our women.

The writer is an author and media entrepreneur. Views expressed are personal