📷 Image Credits: Mint
India recently dropped two spots to 129th place in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap index, according to the latest rankings. This change reflects the slow progress towards gender parity highlighted in the WEF’s Global Gender Gap report. Among South Asian countries, India now ranks fifth, with Pakistan standing last among neighboring countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. The report emphasizes the urgent need for a renewed global commitment to achieving gender parity, especially in economic and political spheres.
India’s performance in the index is a mix of strengths and weaknesses across various parameters. While the country scored well in terms of enrolment in secondary education and political empowerment of women, there are areas that need improvement. For instance, the Economic Participation and Opportunity scores have slightly improved over the past four years, but there have been small declines in Educational Attainment and Political Empowerment parameters.
With a population of over 140 crore, India has closed 64.1% of its gender gap in 2024. Despite the progress made, the country still has a long way to go to achieve full gender parity. The WEF stated that India’s economic parity score has been trending upwards, showing a positive trajectory. However, there is a need for more significant strides to bring about gender equality in various sectors.
The Global Gender Gap report indicates that India ranks 10th in terms of parity in the number of years with female/male heads of state for the last 50 years. While the country has shown progress in political empowerment, there is room for improvement in the representation of women at the federal level, in ministerial positions, and in Parliament.
Overall, the call for decisive action to bridge the gender gap is clear. The pace of progress needs to accelerate to achieve full gender parity in a more reasonable timeline. With Iceland retaining its top position in the index, other countries, including India, must work towards creating a more inclusive and equal society for all genders. The journey towards gender equality is ongoing, and every step taken brings us closer to a more balanced and equitable world.
