Lok Sabha Question No. 166 (STARRED), answered on 2021-07-30
Subject: Global Gender Gap Report
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 166

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2021

## GLOBAL GENDER GAP REPORT

*166. SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA: SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of ranking of India in Global Gender Gap report and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to bridge the gender gap in India; and
- (c) the steps taken to improve health as well as economic and political participation of women in India?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (A)  TO  (C)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  166  FOR  30.07.21  BY  SHRI  PARVESH  SAHIB  SINGH VERMA AND SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI REGARDING 'GLOBAL GENDER GAP REPORT'

- (a).  Yes,  Sir.  As  per  the  Global  Gender  Gap  Report  2021  published  by  the  World Economic Forum, India is ranked at 140 out of 156 countries with a score of 0.625 (out of 1).  The  Global  Gender  Gap  Report provides  the  scores  on  Global  Gender  Gap  Index (GGGI) which examines the gap between men and women in four dimensions, namely, Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival and Political  Empowerment. According  to  the  Global  Gender  Gap  Report  2021,  India  has scored 0.326 in Economic Participation and Opportunity, 0.962 in Educational Attainment, 0.937 in Health and Survival and 0.276 in Political Empowerment.
- (b) and (c) Government of India has given utmost priority to bridge the gender gap in India, reducing disparity between men and women, improving the health of women, increasing their socio-economic status and participation in various fields. Some major initiatives taken by Government of India for removing the gender gap in all aspect of social, economic and political life are as follows:

## Economic Participation



- o Beti Bachao Beti Padhao ensures the protection, survival and education of the girl child.
- o Scheme for Adolescent Girls aims to empower girls in the age group 11-18 and to improve their social status through nutrition, life skills, home skills and vocational training
- o Working Women Hostel ensures the safety and security for working women.
- o The National Crèche Scheme  ensures that women  take up gainful employment through providing a safe, secure and stimulating environment to the children.
- o radhan  Mantri  Awaas  Yojana  aims  to  provide  housing  under  the  name  of the     woman also.
- o Pradhan  Mantri  Kaushal  Vikas  Yojana  aims  to  enable  a  large  number  of Indian  youths  including  women to take  up  industry-relevant  skill  training  in securing a better livelihood.
- o Deen  Dayal  Upadhyay  National  Urban  Livelihoods  Mission  focuses  on creating  opportunities  for  women  in  skill  development,  leading  to  marketbased employment.
- o Sukanya Samriddhi Yojna - Under this scheme girls have been economically empowered by opening their bank accounts.
- o Skill Upgradation & Mahila Coir Yojna is an exclusive training programme of MSME  aimed  at  skill  development  of  women  artisans  engaged  in  coir Industry.
- o Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme is a major credit-linked subsidy  programme  aimed  at  generating  self-employment  opportunities through establishment of micro-enterprises in the non-farm sector.
- o Pradhan  Mantri  Mudra  Yojana  provides  access  to  institutional  finance  to micro/small business.

## Health and Nutrition

- o Government has announced Mission Poshan 2.0 to strengthen nutritional content, delivery,  outreach  and  outcomes  with  focus  on  developing  practices  that  nurture health, wellness and immunity to disease and malnutrition.
- o Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandna Yojna aims to provide maternity benefit to pregnant and lactating mothers.
- o Implementation of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N)
- o Rollout of Comprehensive Primary Health Care including health promotion through Ayushman Bharat-Health & Wellness Centers (AB-HWC)
- o Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) to eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for  pregnant  women  delivering  in  public health institutions and  sick infants accessing public health institutions for treatment.
- o Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) to provide financial assistance to pregnant women for encouraging institutional delivery.
- o Surakshit  Matritva  Aashwasan  (SUMAN)  to  provide  assured,  dignified,  respectful and quality healthcare at no cost and zero tolerance for denial of services
- o Pradhan  Mantri  Surakshit  Matritva  Abhiyan  (PMSMA)  to  provide  comprehensive and quality ANC to pregnant women on the 9th of every month.
- o LaQshya  initiative  to  improve  the  quality  of  care  in  Labour  room  and  Maternity Operation Theatres.
- o Pradhan  Mantri  Ujjwala  Yojana  empowers  women  and  protects  their  health  by providing LPG cylinder free of cost.

## Political Participation

- o 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  Panchayat  Stakeholders  including  Elected  Women Representatives  is  conducted  with  a  view  to  empowering  women  to  participate effectively in the governance processes.

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