Gender Empowerment in India -

Challenges and Opportunities. 

Talk by

Shailaja Chandra

 at

National Defence College    

Friday, 8th February, 2013

Indian states with Population of large countries

Population of the World and India.At 1210 million plus India’s population can be compared to the combined populations of USA,Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan,Japan & Bangladesh .

Population Share of Indian States 2011

India’s Population growth 1901-2011 Population grew five times in the last 100 years

Decadal Population GrowthPopulation (million)

9 States called EAG states namely, Rajasthan, Uttar

Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Assam constitute:

• 48 percent of country’s Population• 59 percent of Births• 70 percent of Infant Deaths• 75 percent of Under 5Deaths• 62 percent of Maternal Deaths

Demographic Dividend or Demographic Trap?

Region MMR % to Total Maternal

Deaths

EAG* states & Assam 308 61.6

Southern states 127 11.4

Other states 149 27.0

India 212 100.0

In Industrial countries the average MMR is 14

EAG* (Empowered Action Group) states are Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand

Regional Variations: Maternal Mortality Ratio* (MMR)

Source: Registrar General of India, Ministry of Home Affairs (SRS, 2011)

Source: Registrar General of India, (SRS, 2011)

Challenges to Gender Empowerment

Poverty: Loans and credit are only available against moveable or immoveable property which is usually in the name of men.

Education and Training: Girls cannot pursue schooling because of domestic responsibilities. And early marriage .

Health: Women suffer from malnutrition and anaemia. Remain dependent on intermediaries for accessing medical and health care –even family planning services.

Challenges to Gender Empowerment

Inequality in Power Structure and Decision Making: This is especially so in the lower economic strata.

Absence of Champions for Women’s Advancement There are no support groups to promote women’s progress in careers and jobs.

Challenges to Gender Empowerment

Violence: Gender-based violence includes domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment at work, trafficking into prostitution, dowry related cruelty, forced marriage, traditional and honour-based aggression.

Armed conflict: Aggression against women is a source of constant terror and distress in all war-torn countries and wherever there is armed conflict

Disparity in Economic Empowerment

Disparity in Economic Empowerment

Disparity in Social Empowerment

Disparity in women’s decision making within Income groups ( married women<49years)

Disparity in Political EmpowermentPosition of Women in National parliament

Lower House Upper House Total

Total Seats

Seats held by women

Total Seats

Seats held by women

Total Seats

Seats held by women

Share(%)

2004 544 45 250 28 794 73 9.2

2007 544 47 250 25 794 72 9.1

2009 545 59 234 21 779 80 10.3

2011 544 60 241 26 785 86 11.0

Disparity in Political EmpowermentPosition of Women in National Council of Ministers

YES.

IMR reduced from 58 in 2005 to 47 as per SRS 2010

– Rate of Decline of IMR accelerated by 29 %

between 2005-10 as compared to 2000-2005

– Decline in Rural IMR and U5MR is higher than the decline in urban areas, thereby narrowing the Rural - Urban Gap

– Decline of U5MR & IMR is more in EAG States

Has NRHM Helped Gender Empowerment ?

Proportion of institutional deliveries to total reported deliveries

Source: SRS 2010

Decline in Total Fertility Rate in India

Source: SRS 2010

Reduction in TFR from 1998-00 to 2008-10:

The bigger states have shown 20 or more percent decline in TFR during the period

Social Institutions Gender Index SIGI

Source: OECD