Gender Equalityand Women EmpowermentAnjali Agarwal | Kshitij Jain | Tushar Walwadikar

Salient FeaturesWomen EmpowermentImportant Issue in NFHS-3 2006-07Millennium Development Goal 4Four specific indicatorsRatio of girls to boys in primary, secondary, and tertiary educationRatio of literate women to men 15-24 years old Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015 “It is a process through which women gain power over men or as a process that enables women to gain access to decision-making processes and instances of power” - Oxaal & Baden - 1997Public Health ConsequenceStrategic Theme of NPP 2000MDG 3 & 4

Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary, and tertiary education

Ratio of literate women to men 15-24 years old

Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector

Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments

Public Health Consequence

Strategic Theme of NPP 2000

MDG 3 & 4

Focus of PresentationSelected indicators of gender disparity Access and control over resourcesWomen’s decision making roleFreedom of movementAcceptance of gender unequal norms

Gender Disparity in Literacy

Gender Disparity - Media ExposureNot only are fewer women than men literate but fewer are also regularly exposed to media Media exposure leads increases awareness and generates curiosityPercentage of men and women age 15-19 regularly exposed to print media, TV, radio, or cinemaMen 88%Women 71% Gender Disparity 19%

EmploymentAmong the population age 15-49 Men are 2 times as likely to be employed Men are 2.7 times as likely to be employed for cashAmong the employed, 64% of women vs. 91% of men earn cashFemale share of population employed for cash in non-agricultural occupations is 22%

Occupation Disparity59% women are occupied in agriculture as opposed to 33% men

Financial EmpowermentNFHS-3 asked married employed women and men who controlled their own earnings and who controlled the spouse’s earnings Does employment empower women financially?20% of employed married women said they earned at least as much as their husband24% of men with an employed wife said that their wife earned at least as much as them

Control over Women’s EarningsWomen’s report about their own earningsMen’s report about their wife’s earningsMainly husbandHusband & wife jointlyMainly wife

Reluctance to Participate in Spending

Access to any other financial resources

Household Decision Making63% of the women are not empowered to run their own households.

Other hurdles to Gender EqualityLimited Freedom of MovementGender norms that promote men’s control over womenSurvey resultsThe majority of women have little freedom of movement. Only one-third go alone to all three destinations: the market, health facility and outside the village or community.Wife beatingA husband’s right to have sex with his wife irrespective of his wife’s wishes

Wife beating

A husband’s right to have sex with his wife irrespective of his wife’s wishes

“I feel wife beating is justified”54% of the women feel that wife beating is justified!20% of the men feel that they have the right to reprimand their wives.

Measure for Women EmpowermentStopping Female Foeticide– Rampant in MetrosStop by penalizing the Medical clinics and Couples - Under Indian Penal code equivalent to MurderRegulatory bodies to ensure private and government clinics adhere to the rules and restrictions

Improving Female LiteracyIncrease Literacy among women Will increase the awareness towards their benefits & rightsIncrease Literacy through special campaign for promoting Girl child and women educationA scheme in Uttar Pradesh gives a prize amount to parents for every girl who complete higher secondary education

Effective Political ParticipationEffective political participation – increasing political awareness and participation in active politicsConstitutional amendments to ensure participation in municipalities and panchayatsPolitical parties should promote women

Self Help Groups & MicrofinanceSelf Help Groups - A vital organBanks and NGO can give also loans at very nominal interest rateIt will empower women at macro levelMicrofinance and Microcredit's will lead to a healthier, happier and prosperous IndiaPromoting about 20-25 women to form Self Help Group and start a business.

Free Industrial & Vocational TrainingFree Industrial and Vocational Training to make women employable.Exclusive ITIs for women.Short term training sessions should be organized by the government to develop work related skills.

Dilution of strict pro-women lawsThe Logic is more the tougher law is ,more difficult to implement, lesser the conviction rateHighly impracticable law of women harassment in workforce areas which may deter the companies to employ women in order to avoid lawsuitsTherefore the dilution is necessary in order to avoid misuse

Tax BenefitsAs Government is already giving tax benefits to women employees.Government should give tax benefits to service sector which employ large amount of women employeesSector Specific Tax benefits

Regulation of film and fashion industryRegulation of film and fashion industry which are promoting women as productsCosmetic and beauty industry to be kept under checkConsumerism– Detrimental to women at times

Decriminalizing Prostitution and stopping sexual abuseCurb exploitation of sex workers by police & mediaIncorporate living rights and subsistence for sex workers and legalize the business to ensure non-exploitation

Additional Role of GovernmentGovernment should formulate the policy which should motivate women entrepreneurs, women self help groups, women bureaucratsIncrease the number of women officers in armed forces and in police. It will help in breaking the social taboo.

Finally…Change the attitude that men are superior to womenRespect women as you would respect your parentsCompete with women, don’t exploit!

Questions?