Gender Equality

What is Gender Parity

Gender parity refers to the equal contribution of women and men to every dimension of life, whether private or public. It concerns the numbers and proportions of women and men, girls and boys, and is often calculated as the ratio of female-to-male values for a given indicator.
Gender Inequality in India : On the Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022, India stands at rank 108 out of 193 countries. • According to NITI Aayog, women spend 9.8 times the time that men do on unpaid domestic chores. • According to the National Family Health Survey Women in India constitute 48 per cent of the population, but contribute only 18 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country. • The study added that advancing gender equality could potentially lead to a 30 per cent increase in India's GDP.
India continues to target the elimination of all forms of discrimination, violence, and the recognition of unpaid care and domestic work, ensuring women's full participation and access to leadership, universal access to sexual and reproductive health, equal rights to economic resources, and the use of enabling technology to promote gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Breaking Stereotypes & Biases : To end such stereotypes in the society, we must: • Actively nominate women for opportunities, establish pipelines for future female leaders, and select them as spokespeople to enhance their representation. • Recognize the significant power of media in shaping societal perceptions and utilize media platforms to portray empowering narratives and role models. • Support women's economic empowerment, such as through entrepreneurship programs like Unilever's Shakti program, which has trained thousands of rural women as micro-entrepreneurs.
Advocating for Change Education and awareness campaigns are essential to challenge gender biases and stereotypes. Gender- sensitive policies for equal pay, workplace protection, and support for women's health and reproductive rights, must be enforced through robust legal frameworks. Public Interest Litigations (PILs) can further significantly advance gender parity by enforcing existing gender equality laws, challenging discriminatory practices, and advocating for legal reforms. PILS raise public awareness and generate media attention, fostering greater societal understanding and support for gender equality.
Let's Make a Difference Empowering women requires a firm and unwavering commitment. Let us unite in our collective demand for progress and take shared responsibility to achieve true gender equality in India.