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Context
India is positioned as a rising global power—economically dynamic, digitally driven, and home to the world’s youngest population. Yet, the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum, which ranks India 131 out of 148 countries, reveals a serious contradiction: gender inequality continues to be a fundamental barrier to inclusive progress.
Understanding the Gender Gap: Structural Failures
Key Areas of Concern:
India''s lowest scores come from:
- Economic Participation and Opportunity
- Health and Survival
Despite notable progress in educational access, this hasn’t translated into improved employment, well-being, or economic autonomy for women.
Persistent Structural Issues:
- Skewed sex ratio at birth reflects deep-rooted son preference.
- Declining healthy life expectancy for women points to chronic underinvestment in women''s health—particularly in reproductive and preventive care.
Skewed Health Outcomes: A Crisis in Waiting
Anaemia Crisis:
Over 57% of Indian women (15–49 years) are anaemic, undermining:
- Cognitive development
- Maternal health
- Workforce readiness
Policy Inadequacies:
- Primary and reproductive health services remain underfunded and inaccessible, especially for rural and poor women.
- Structural neglect of women’s health erodes the foundation of economic inclusion.
Economic Exclusion and the Invisible Burden
Disparity in Labour Participation:
- India ranks 143rd on the Economic Participation subindex.
- Women earn less than one-third of what men earn.
- Formal workforce participation remains abysmally low.
Missed Opportunity:
A 2015 McKinsey report predicted that closing the gender gap could boost India’s GDP by $770 billion by 2025—a goal now out of reach.
Unpaid Labour and Underrepresentation:
- Women do 7 times more unpaid care work than men (Time Use Survey).
- This vital labour remains unrecognized in national accounting.
- Representation of women in decision-making roles—from corporate boards to legislatures—remains minimal.
Demographic Crossroads: The Urgency of Inclusion
India’s demographic landscape is shifting:
- Fertility rates are now below replacement level.
- By 2050, the share of elderly—especially widowed women—will double.
- The dependency ratio will rise, putting more pressure on a shrinking workforce.
What This Means:
- Gender inclusion is not just a moral issue—it is a demographic and economic imperative.
- Without integrating women fully into the workforce, India risks eroding its growth potential.
From Slogans to Systems: The Need for Structural Reform
India has the policies and frameworks—what’s missing is real investment and implementation.
Key Actions Needed:
- Strengthen public health systems with a focus on reproductive and preventive care.
- Expand care infrastructure as part of social protection.
- Use gender budgeting and time-use data to inform policymaking.
- Recognize women as economic actors, not just welfare recipients.
Conclusion: A Call for Transformative Action
India’s ambition to become a global superpower will remain unrealized if it excludes half its population.
- Gender inequality in health, labour, and care is more than a social challenge—it is a drag on national progress.
- The Global Gender Gap Report (2025) is not just a ranking—it’s a wake-up call.
What India Needs Now:
- A whole-of-government approach
- Systemic reform, not tokenism
- Women at the core of economic and demographic strategy
The era of slogans has passed. It’s time for real, measurable investment in gender equity.
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