WOMENS RIGHTS IN INDIA

• india overview


  EDC

  one of the worlds fastest growing economies and has rapidly growing population , 2020 = 1.35 billion

  ranked 112 out of 153 countries in GGGI

  ranked 129 out of 189 in gender equality index

  2017 - 60,000 crimes against women recorded in state of Uttar Pradesh

  2019 - 1 in 3 of worlds child brides lived in india
• gender inequality issues in india - violence against women

  29% of women experience gender violence in their life

  underpinned by social norms, deeply entrenched patriarchal and customary practices perpetuated by husbands

  2017 - most prevalent crime against women was cruelty by husband or his relatives (32%) and assault on women (28%)

  police registered 34,000 cases of rape making up 10% of crimes in india -- average of 90 a day
• gender inequality issues in india - modern slavery

  global slavery index estimated 8 million victims in india, most are women and girls

  included trafficking for forced labour including sexual exploitation

  bonded labour schemes still prevalent - parents persuaded to sent daughters to mills in Tamil Nadu with promise of lump sum after 3 years contributing to dowry costs
• gender inequality issues in india - property ownership


  progress made in improving female property and inheritance rights by law - important in terms of economic empowerment of women

  in practice, womens rights in ownership are very limited, with inheritance still invariably patriarchal especially in rural communities
• gender inequality issues in india - employment opportunity 


  women have limited access to employment opportunities and are often expected to stay home, raise children, conduct domestic chores and work in subsistence farming - especially true of rural poor

  even women who have received full secondary or tertiary education still dont enter work force, finding it hard not to conform to social norms of marriage and immediate motherhood
• gender inequality issues in india - discrimination in the workplace


  maternity benefits are denied by many workers and most women dont return to work after childbirth

  delhi - 25% of married women return to work after childbirth, including those who can afford childcare

  social conditioning that it is womens responsibility to bring up children

  female participation in work force is consequently low - still gender inequality in earned income, and few women in managerial and senior positions

  13.8% of board members in companies are women
• gender inequality issues in india - political participation

  gender inequality perpetuated by lack of women in government at national, provincial and local level

  women have poor representation in parliament - 11% of seats held in upper house

  few women in managerial positions
• gender inequality issues in india - access to healthcare


  continued extreme gender discrimination closely related to cultural norms of male dominance in society

  access depends on reproductive age of women, distance to hospital, cost of travel, level of poverty, number of doctors and medical facilities available and government funding, especially in rural areas
• gender inequality issues in india - access to education

  progress in enrolment of girls in primary education under SDG4, but many barriers still exist

  transition to / completion of secondary education affected by restrictive factors especially in poor communities, such as family requirements for girls to contribute to housework and agricultural work, provision of a safe secure learning environment and continued prevalence of child marriage
• consequences of gender inequality on indian society

  women subject to murder and disfigurement when their family cannot meet demands for dowry by husband

  marriage used by husband to obtain property and assets from wife and family -- 2018 = 7200 dowry related deaths

  effect disproportionately on lower castes and tribes

  women subject to honour killings by family members and many women beaten in domestic home

  high incidence of maternal mortality and morbidity

  limited education have adverse effects on maternal and child nutrition, contributing to high MMR of 39 under age 1 per 1000 2020
• consequences of gender inequality on indian society

  women subjected to sex selective abortions in desire for male offspring

  limited access to work force adds dependency on husbands

  many women coerced unto sterilisation schemes which can have extreme consequences
• evidence of changing norms or strategies to address gender inequality issues in india


  problems persist but are slowly changing as result of intervention by strengthening rule of law, increasing numbers of laws and treaties and by work of NGO's improving education and via media influence
• national / state level government strategies to address gender inequality

  joined UN treaty bodies such as Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women

  passed acts of parliament:

  • prohibition of child marriage act 2006
  • dowry prohibition act 2008
  • maternity benefit act 1961
  • 2022 - supreme court granted right of abortion to all women and recognised marital rape as a form of gender violence
• long term shifting of norms and application of law on the ground approaches to tackle gender inequality


  indian ministry of home affairs launched anti-trafficking portal in 2014 involving expansion of police units, more accurate reporting etc

  large companies began providing childcare and flexi-work

  interventions by NGOs in implementing development projects taking gendered approach - ICC working in delhi and has set up safe cities project with UN women and others = women gaining confidence to report crimes and speak up
• long term shifting of norms and application of law on the ground approaches to tackle gender inequality

  2014- delhi increased number of female police and overall police presence in outer districts of city, in response to their mapping of crimes against women

  rape and molestation most prevalent in west and south delhi
• international approaches to tackling gender inequality in india

  DFID (department for international development)

  • programme in india aimed at helping girls stay in secondary school, pushing back age of marriage
  • investing in interventions that reinforce each other and deliver long term - family planning, health and nutrition, microfinance etc
  • wider programmes include support for government health / education programmes which help delivers Right to Education Act and Domestic Violence act, including training protection officers and improving helplines and support services