No Woman, No Power

Study places India in bottom 20 countries for gender equality

 We didn't need an international study to learn that this country treats its women badly. But a World Economic Forum (WEF) study measuring gender equality around the world has placed India 113th out of 130 countries, in the bottom 20, behind, shockingly, countries such as Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates. The rankings, which were topped by Norway, are based on how much progress nations have made in the areas of jobs, education, politics and health as a measure of gender parity. While India has scored remarkably well in the area of political empowerment — owing, perhaps, to reservations for women in village panchayats — in the areas of economic participation and health and survival, Indian women are worse off than just about all of their counterparts.
    Particularly significant is the abysmal ranking India has achieved in the health and survival category. Ranking 128 out of the 130 countries surveyed, India manages to place ahead only of Azerbaijan and Armenia. One has only to examine the maternal mortality rate (calculated per 1,00,000 live births) to see where India has performed so dismally. This rate is 450, amongst the highest in the world, and evidence of just how limited access to quality health care is for women. An Indian woman can expect to live healthily for as long or even a year longer than a man. But given that in most parts of the world women outlive men by as much as 5-7 years, this is hardly as uplifting a statistic as it may seem.
    It is interesting that the WEF report measures the incidence of paternal versus maternal authority. Unsurprisingly, India is awarded the worst possible score on that account, cementing our reputation as an extremely patriarchal society. That such a score is warranted is indisputable in light of the so-called honour killings that still occur in our society. Sex ratios are the most skewed in favour of males in some of the richest parts of the country, proving that economic growth alone cannot result in better lives for Indian women.
    The authors of the report point out that a country's productivity, economy and health increase as the gender gap narrows. Investment in public health care and education are essential. Until we put more of our girl children in school — the female to male enrolment ratio in secondary education is a dismal 0.79 — we can forget about progress. As long as Indian society continues to regard women as essentially appendages to men in a patriarchal society, we will find it difficult to achieve the global power status to which we so aspire.

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women have learnt to talk tough and walk rough

Macho girls!

Assertive and hard as nails, women have learnt to talk tough and walk rough. Sudeshna Chatterjee reports on the won't-be-second sex

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

    EARLIER this year, at the passing out parade of a fresh batch of Mumbai's police commandos, the audience was struck by the skill and strength of women commandos who remained unperturbed as a motorbike loaded with four men sped over their stomach!
    Admirable! But, why just cops? Slowly, but surely, women in every sphere have come into their own in the last two decades. Assertive and authoritative, they're clear about their desires and drives; they talk tough and walk rough.
    Says entrepreneur Saujanya Shetty, "Women have become stronger and more vociferous. They have always been good managers and decision makers, but earlier these skills were largely relegated to the home. Their economic independence is changing equations, perspectives and outlooks of both men and women."
    This is reflected in changing workplace scenarios too. Sangeeta Singh, executive director, KPMG maintains her younger male employees are now more comfortable accepting her as boss.
    Anindya Mukerji, a corporate leadership coach, says "After the opening up of the economy, post 1991, you see more self-driven women entrepreneurs. New companies are less weighed down by the baggage of gender bias and women enjoy a more equal footing." It's no longer embarrassing if a woman is the breadwinner or, as in Singh's case, offers the necessary supplementary income. "Thanks to my wife Aporajita, who is an online art dealer, we could holiday in some of the world's most exotic locales. With my income alone, living the good life would not have been possible."
    The workplace also offers healthy indicators. One, women are getting more professional, even in government offices —once picked by women for being 'more flexible'. "More women today are willing to work late," says Basanti Roy, divisional secretary, Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Mumbai. The other factor is that women are
increasingly seen marching into male bastions. In the credit card industry, they are manning the once all-male collection division, points out Mukerji. Actor-producer and BJP member Smriti Iraani observes more women are politically asserting themselves. Singh tells of women CAs coming from littleknown hamlets in Rajasthan. In early November, for the first time, about 200 young women were inducted into the Border Security Force (BSF) after a 36-week rigorous training, to patrol the Indo-Pak border.
    Media gives a fillip to a woman's tough image. In Don and Drona where actor Priyanka Chopra plays bodyguard, the camera zeroes in on her fighting acumen more than her svelte curves. Take commercials; whether it's the Hero Honda ad with the tagline, 'why should boys have all the fun?', Airtel promos, where educating the girl child gets a pat on the back; or teleserials like Radha Ki Betiyaan Kuch Kar Dikhayengi on NDTV Imagine, and Balika Vadhu on Colors, women are unapologetic about claiming their rightful due.
The power suits make a powerful statement. Appearances are changing. More working women are comfortable in trousers, jackets and business suits. While Singh maintains business suits are more to do with practicality, she points out that "Indian women want to follow a Western dress code as they want to keep it businesslike. The focus is on performance, particularly during international meets."
And, it's no longer men who have the muscles, women want them too! Fitness expert Leena Mogre maintains that in the last year alone, 40 per cent more women of all ages are showing keen interest in exercising their biceps and triceps. "Thanks to the Madonna influence, they want defined arms, something that was earlier only demanded by men," observes Mogre.
Women are choosing to be on top even in their sex lives, speaking openly about it, where earlier they had little to say. Sexologist Dr Raj Brahmbhatt has seen women change over the last three decades and maintains it is women who now fix up appointments. "The women are more upfront about their needs and problems; more informed and aware. In the last five years, 60 per cent of calls to me have been by women for problems faced by their partners and the queries focus more on pleasure," says Dr Brahmbhatt.
Singh observes, "Economic independence has made women feel more confident about their personal lives. Hence, they are taking more personal decisions or forming their own support networks. Similarly, a housing society is okay with renting out to single women. Today, it's okay to have an unmarried daughter who is 30; her education and career goals are as important as the son's."
Actor Shilpa Shetty, the first woman in her conservative community of Bunts to have entered films, agrees it's about taking control of your destiny. She says, "It's still the upbringing that counts. Parents are evolving and kids are more mature. They come so prepared about their futures." Woman power has come into its own.

Pump up the muscles!

Warrior princess: Priyanka Chopra

Strictly business!

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Women still being denied power worldwide: Report

Geneva: Women still lag far behind men in top political and decisionmaking roles, a waste of talent given that their access to education and healthcare is nearly equal, the World Economic Forum said on Wednesday.
    In its 2008 Global Gender Gap report, the think tank ranked Norway, Finland and Sweden as the countries with the greatest equality between the sexes, while Saudi Arabia, Chad and Yemen were the least equal.
    Averaging 130 national scores, the report found that girls and women have reached near-parity with their male peers in educational attainment, health and survival, in both rich and poor countries.
    But economically, in terms of workforce participation and earning opportunities, and politically, in terms of empowerment, the gap between the sexes remains large.
    "The world's women are nearly as educated and as healthy as men, but are nowhere to be found in terms of decision-making," said Saadia Zahidi of the WEF, a Swissbased think tank.
    "Given that women have almost closed the gap with men on health and education, it is a waste of their talents if they are not catching up in economics and politics," she said. The report uses UN and other data to weigh how evenly each country shares its resources and opportunities between men and women.
    The Nordic countries of Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland once again took the first four places, with Norway the highest-ranking. China climbed 17 places from the previous year but still ranked just 57th.
    Outside the Nordic region, which traditionally scores well on measures of gender parity, New Zealand placed fifth, in part because of its female political empowerment including the tenure of Helen Clark as prime minister. The Philippines, whose president is a woman, followed in sixth place, and Ireland, the Netherlands, and Latvia placed eighth, ninth and tenth respectively. The US ranked 27th, ahead of its neighbour Canada for the first time since the gender gap report was launched three years ago.
    Trinidad, Argentina and Cuba were rated highest among Latin American and Caribbean countries, and Lesotho was the top-rated African state in gender parity. Muslim countries had some of the worst ratings with Yemen at the bottom of the list. AGENCIES

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