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.