India’s Gender Gap: Challenges and the Way Forward
Kartavya Desk Staff
Syllabus: Women and related issues
Source: TH
Context: India ranked 131 out of 148 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), reflecting widening disparities in economic participation and women’s health.
About India’s Gender Gap: Challenges and the Way Forward:
About the Global Gender Gap Report 2025:
• Published by: World Economic Forum (WEF)
• Objective: Measures gender parity across 4 dimensions — Economic Participation, Educational Attainment, Health & Survival, and Political Empowerment.
• Global Trend: World has closed 68.8% of the gender gap, but full parity will take 123 years at the current pace.
• India’s Rank: 131st, with low parity in economic and health indicators despite educational improvements.
Key Issues Highlighted in India’s Ranking:
• Economic Participation: India ranks 143rd, with women earning less than one-third of men and FLFP under 25%.
E.g. McKinsey (2015) estimated India could add $770 bn to GDP by closing gender gaps.
• Health & Survival: Poor sex ratio and high anaemia rates reflect deep-seated son preference and reproductive health neglect.
E.g. NFHS-5 shows 57% women aged 15–49 are anaemic.
• Unpaid Care Work: Women perform 7x more domestic work than men (Time Use Survey), yet it remains invisible in GDP accounting.
• Leadership Gap: Women underrepresented in boardrooms, judiciary, and legislature, limiting inclusive decision-making.
• Policy Blind Spots: Gender budgeting, social protections, and care infrastructure remain fragmented or underfunded.
Consequences of Gender Inequality in India:
• Economic Underutilisation: Excluding women from the formal workforce wastes over 50% of India’s productive human capital, slowing GDP growth.
E.g. McKinsey projected $770 bn GDP gain if gender gaps are closed.
• Demographic Strain: With rising elderly population and declining fertility, low female participation raises the dependency ratio, straining fiscal resources.
• Health Productivity Deficit: Poor reproductive health and high anaemia rates reduce women’s learning, work ability, and intergenerational health outcomes.
E.g. 57% of women aged 15–49 are anaemic (NFHS-5).
• Policy Blind Spots: Low female presence in decision-making leads to underinvestment in care economy, health, and safety infrastructure.
• Intergenerational Inequality Trap: Girls growing up in inequitable systems face limited education, poor nutrition, and fewer opportunities, perpetuating poverty cycles.
Way Forward:
• Invest in Women’s Health: Prioritise reproductive health, nutrition, and preventive care via public health funding.
• Formalise Care Economy: Develop childcare, elderly care, and maternity benefits to reduce unpaid work burden.
E.g. Uruguay’s National Care System model.
• Enhance Labour Inclusion: Offer skill training, flexible work, and equal pay enforcement to boost female labour force participation.
• Institutional Reforms: Integrate Time Use Surveys, gender budgeting, and targeted welfare schemes at central and state levels.
• Change Social Norms: Launch campaigns and media narratives to challenge patriarchal stereotypes and workplace bias.
Conclusion:
The Global Gender Gap Report is more than a global scoreboard — it’s a wake-up call for India to realign economic, demographic, and social priorities. Without integrating women fully into the development model, India risks forfeiting its demographic dividend and growth potential. Gender equality must now be seen not only as a right — but a national economic strategy.