India’s Gender Gap: More Than Just a Ranking

Context

The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2024 shows a worrying trend: India ranks 131 out of 148 countries, slipping two positions from 2023. This decline raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of India’s gender equality policies.

About the Global Gender Gap Index

Introduced in 2006, the index measures gender parity in:

• Economic Participation

• Education

• Health

• Political Empowerment

Each country receives a score between 0 (inequality) and 1 (parity).

India’s Key Stats (2024)

• Global Rank: 131/148

• Parity Score: 64.1%

• Global Average Score: 68.5%

• Neighbours Ahead: Bangladesh (24), Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan

Performance by Dimension

1. Economic Participation

• Small rise in score (+0.9%)

• Female labour force participation: 45.9%

• Wage gap: Women earn 20–30% less than men

• Large share of unpaid, unrecognised work

2. Education

• Good enrolment at primary/secondary level

• Female literacy: ~70% (vs 87% global)

• Low participation in STEM due to social barriers

3. Health

• Sex ratio at birth: ~929 girls/1000 boys

• Maternal health issues and undernutrition persist

• Patriarchal norms impact health access

4. Political Empowerment

• Women MPs: down from 14.7% to 13.8%

• Women Ministers: down from 6.5% to 5.6%

• Delay in Women’s Reservation Bill implementation

Key Challenges

• Patriarchal norms

• Lack of safety, infrastructure

• Digital gender divide

• Slow policy implementation

Why Gender Equality Matters

• $700 billion GDP boost (McKinsey estimate)

• Better social and development outcomes

• Vital for harnessing demographic dividend

Way Forward

• Implement Women’s Reservation Bill by 2029

• Recognise and value unpaid labour

• Improve safety, skilling, and workplace policies

• Bridge digital divide and expand access

• Collect gender-disaggregated data regularly

Conclusion

India’s poor ranking reflects structural gender gaps. Achieving gender parity is not only a moral issue but a strategic necessity for inclusive economic growth. Political will and social reform are the need of the hour.