Lok Sabha Question No. 3228 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-17
Subject: Global Gender Gap Report
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: P.R. Natarajan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3228

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2021

## GLOBAL GENDER GAP REPORT

## 3228.  SHRI NATARAJAN P.R:

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

- (a) whether India is the third worst performer in the region out of 156 countries as mentioned in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021;
- (b) if  so, the reasons for such a decline in each driver of World Economic Forum's Report;
- (c) whether  any  action  has  been  taken  or  being  taken  to  improve  the  drivers  of performance; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d) 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 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.  Compared  to  last  year,  Indian  score  has  come  down  largely  due  to Political Empowerment dimension. India's score in this dimension should be one of the highest  in  the  world  as  India  has  provided  30%  reservation  to  women  at  local  selfgovernment level and representation of women in the local self-government bodies is more than 30% at present. However, the publishing agency, World Economic Forum, takes into account representation of women in Parliament only.

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 Pradhan  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 market-based 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.

## Education

-  Samagra Shiksha Scheme inter alia has provisions of gender segregated toilets in all schools and teachers' sensitization programmes  to promote girls' participation,  Rani  Laxmi  Bai  Atmaraksha  Prashikshan  and  stipend  for  girl children with special needs.
-  Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been opened in educationally backward blocks for girls belonging to disadvantaged groups.
-  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC)  and  All  India  Council  for  Technical Education  (AICTE)  are  implementing  various  fellowship/scholarship  schemes. 159 Women Studies Centres have been established in various Universities and Colleges  to  undertake  research  and  develop  curricula  in  the  areas  of  gender equity, economic self-reliance of women, girls' education, etc. In order to improve Gender  Balance  in  Undergraduate  Programmes  in  IITs,  5039  supernumerary seats for female students have been created since 2018-19.

## Health and Nutrition

-  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.
-  Pradhan  Mantri  Matru  Vandna  Yojna  aims  to  provide  maternity  benefit  to pregnant and lactating mothers.
-  Implementation  of  Reproductive,  Maternal,  Newborn,  Child,  Adolescent  Health plus Nutrition (RMNCAH+N)
-  Rollout  of  Comprehensive  Primary  Health  Care  including  health  promotion through Ayushman Bharat-Health & Wellness Centers (AB-HWC)
-  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.
-  Janani  Suraksha  Yojana  (JSY)  to  provide  financial  assistance  to  pregnant women for encouraging institutional delivery.
-  Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) to provide assured, dignified, respectful and quality healthcare at no cost and zero tolerance for denial of services
-  Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) to provide comprehensive and quality ANC to pregnant women on the 9th of every month.
-  LaQshya initiative to improve the quality of care in Labour room and Maternity Operation Theatres.
-  Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana empowers women and protects their health by providing LPG cylinder free of cost.

## Political Participation

-  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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