Lok Sabha Question No. 923 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Global Gender Gap Index
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Kotha Prabhakar  Reddy, Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari, Geetha Viswanath Vanga

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 923

TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2020

## GLOBAL GENDER GAP INDEX

- 923: SHRI KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY: SHRI N. REDDEPPA: SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA VISWANATH:

Will the Minister of WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India has slipped to the 112 th rank from its 108 th position in 2018 on the Gender Gap Index published by World Economic Forum and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to ensure that women have access equal rights, opportunities and  access to resources ;
- (c) whether the Government has taken note of low participation of women in terms of  labour force, educational attainment and  political empowerment across the country and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  bring  amendments  in  the  policies  to scale  up  efforts  that  have  been  initiated  to  encourage  and  increase  women participation in different spheres; and
- (e) if  so,  the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a)    Global  Gender  Gap  Index,  published  by  the  World  Economic  Forum  in  2018 ranks 149 countries on their status of gender equality through various parameters. On  this  index,  India  ranked  108 th on  its  performance  on  gender  equality.  In  the Global  Gender  Gap  Index  2020,  the  number  of  countries  increased  to  153  (an increase of 4 countries since the previous year), in which India's ranking was 112 th . India's score has moved from 0.665 in 2018 to 0.668 in 2020.
- (b)  to  (e)  Government  of  India  has  given  utmost  priority  to  end  the  gender  based inequities,  reducing  disparity  between  men  and  women,  improving socio-economic status  of  women  and  increasing  their  participation  in  various  fields.  Some  of  the major  initiatives  taken  by  Government  of  India  to  ensure  that  women  gain  equal rights, opportunities and access to resources can be seen as below :
- (i) Constitutional Provisions Articles such as Article 14, Article 15 (3), Article 39A,  and  Article  42  make  special  provisions  for  rights  of  women  to  ensure gender equality.
- (ii) Legislative  Provisions  Dowry  Prohibition  Act,  1961;  Pre-Conception  and Pre-Natal  Diagnostics  Act  (PCPNDT),  1994;  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women and  Workplace  (Prevention,  Prohibition  and  Redressal  )  Act,  2013;  Equal Remuneration Act, 1976; Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (Amended in 2017) aimed at mandating women's rights.

## (iii) Schemes/Programmes -

Economic  Participation  &  Opportunity: Various  programmes/Schemes  that  are intended towards women development and empowerment are:

-  Beti  Bachao  Beti  Padhao  (BBBP)  ensures  the  protection,  survival  and education of the girl child.
-  Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) aims to empower rural women with opportunities for skill development and employment.
-  Working Women Hostel (WWH) ensures the safety and security for working women.
-  Mahila Police Volunteers(MPV)envisages engagement  of Mahila Police Volunteers  in  States/UTs  who  act  as  a  link  between  police  and  community and facilitates women in distress.
-  Rashtriya  Mahila  Kosh  (RMK)  is  an  apex  micro-finance  organization  that provides  micro-credit  at  concessional  terms  to  poor  women  for  various livelihood and income generating activities.
-  The National Crèche Scheme ensures that women take up gainful employment through providing a safe, secure and stimulating environment to the children.
-  Pradhan  Mantri  Matru  Vandna  Yojna  aims    to  provide  maternity  benefit    to pregnant and lactating mothers.
-  Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana aims to provide housing under the name of the woman also.
-  Deen  Dayal  Upadhyay  National  Urban  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NULM) focuses on creating opportunities for women in skill development, leading to market based employment.
-  Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana empowers women and protects their health by providing LPG cylinder free of cost.
-  Pradhan  Mantri  Sukanya  Samriddhi  Yojna-  Under  this  scheme  girls  have been economically empowered by opening their bank accounts.
-  Female Entrepreneurship: To promote female entrepreneurship, the Government  has  initiated  schemes  like  Stand  Up  India  and  Mahila  e-Haat (online  marketing  platform  to  support  women  entrepreneurs/  SHGs/NGOs). Pradhan  Mantri  Mudra  Yojana  (PMMY)  provides  access  to  institutional finance to micro/small business.

## Educational Attainment:

Several steps and initiatives  have  also been  taken  up  in  school education  system such as National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 and flagship programme like Samagra  Shiksha  and  the  subsequent  Right  to  Education  Act  (RTE).  Kasturba Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas  (KGBVs)  have  been  opened  in  Educationally  Backward Blocks (EBBs). Gender Sensitisation is also done which includes Gender sensitization  Module-  part  of  In-service  training,  Construction  of  toilets  for  girls, construction of residential quarters for female teachers and curriculum reforms.

## Political Participation:

Also, to bring women in the mainstream of political leadership at the grass root level, government  has  reserved  33%  of  the  seats  in  Panchayati  Raj  Institutions  for women.Capacity  Building  of  Elected  Women  Representatives  (EWRs)  programme by  Ministry  of  Women  and  Child  is  conducted  with  a  view  to  empower  women  to participate effectively in the governance processes.

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