Gender gap

THE World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap index has ranked India 129th out of 146 nations on the list. The data reflects a troubling reality in stark contrast to the India growth story. The methodology of arriving at the conclusions may be open to debate, but numbers don’t lie. It would be prudent to heed the larger message. As the results of the Lok Sabha elections have shown, the distress on the ground is real. Continuity in the governance model is all very well, but the developmental strategies need comprehensive evaluation, with rebooting of policies and plans, if required. Change is visible, but it is skewed and too slow.

According to the report, India’s economic parity score has been on an upward trend for the past four years. That said, in the economic parity and opportunity sub-index, it finds itself at the 142nd position, one of the lowest globally. India is ranked 120th on wage equality for similar work. Women in India on an average earn

Rs 39.8 for every Rs 100 that men earn. The country maintains its 142nd slot on the health and survival index. A notable positive is India’s high ranking on gender parity in secondary education enrolment. Ranked 65th in the parameter of political empowerment of women, it is 10th on parity in the number of years with female and male heads of state over the last 50 years. The women’s reservation legislation could be a transformative moment, provided the political leadership accords the issue the seriousness it deserves.

Globally, 68.5 per cent of the gender gap has been closed, says the report. Achieving full gender parity will take 134 years more, equivalent to five generations. This is India’s century, we are constantly reminded. No excuse would suffice.