Dr. Paramita Majumdar presented on implications of gender on the status of women. The presentation covered basic concepts like gender, sex, gender stereotypes and gender bias. It discussed how gender stereotypes and bias lead to discrimination against women in various areas like education, employment, health and politics. This results in a gender gap and inequality between men and women. The presentation emphasized moving towards gender neutrality, equality and equity. It highlighted the need for gender mainstreaming in policies to address issues of discrimination and the gendered impact of COVID-19. The presentation argued for institutionalizing democratic and gender-sensitive policing to promote accountability.

1. Implications of Gender on
Status of Women
Dr. Paramita Majumdar
Independent Gender Consultant and Think Tank Member, Development Initiative
for Change, New Delhi
Gender Sensitisation Training of Police
District Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh
29-30 January, 2021

2. Presentation Outline
2/1/2021
2
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
 Gender : Basic Concepts
 Implications of Gender in terms of bias &
discrimination
 Moving Forward

3. Sex and Gender
Sex
(Nature)
Gender (Nurture)
Sex is
natural
Gender is socio-cultural.
It is man made
Sex is
biological
Refers to masculine and
feminine qualities,
behavior patterns, roles
and responsibilities
Sex is
universal
Gender is culture
specific; variable
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/unders
tanding-sex-and-gender-they-are-connected-
not-interdependent-44437
2/1/2021
3
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar

4. 2/1/2021
4
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
GENDER : BASIC CONCEPTS

5. Basic Concepts
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
5
Gender
Stereotype
Bias
Discrimination Neutral & Gap
Equality, Equity
Mainstreaming

6. Gender Stereotype (रूढ़िवादी / रूढ़िबद्ध
धारणा)
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
6
Stereotypes
A gender
stereotype is a
set of beliefs or
fixed ideas about
men’s and
women’s
characteristics
and capabilities,
and how men
and women
should behave
based on their
gender
MEN are WOMEN are

7. Understanding Gender Stereotype
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
7

8. Gender Stereotype - Understanding Unpaid care
work
2/1/2021
Understanding Gender and Process of GRB.....
8
Cooking
Cleaning
Washing
Washing
Baby
care
Farm
Work
Teaching
Milking
Ironing
Learning
24X7 24X7

9. Total time in different activities in a day
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
9
Self care and
maintenance,
50.20%
Producton of
goods for own
final use, 1.60%
Employment
and related
activities,
4.20%
Unpaid
Domestic
Services,
16.90%
Unpaid care
giving services,
2.60%
Unpaid
volunteer,
0.10%
Learning ,
5.80%
Socializing,
community
participation
and religious
practice, 8.80%
Culture, leisure,
mass media,
and sports
practices,
9.80%
Self care and
maintenance,
50.60%
Producton of
goods for own
final use,
1.90%
Employment
and related
activities,
18.30%
Unpaid
Domestic
Services,
1.70%
Unpaid care
giving services,
0.80%
Unpaid
volunteer,
0.20%
Learning ,
7.10%
Socializing,
community
participation
and religious
practice, 9.30%
Culture, leisure,
mass media,
and sports
practices,
10.10%
MEN
WOMEN

10. Gender Stereotypes……changing slowly
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
10

11. Gender Bias (पक्षपात)
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
11
 Gender bias occurs because of
personal values, perceptions, and
outdated traditional views about men
and women
 Bias is a subjective way of thinking that tells only one side
of a story, sometimes leading to inaccurate information or
a false impression
 The term gender bias is more inclusive than the term
sexism, as it includes both prejudice (attitudes) and
discrimination (behavior) in its definition.

12. Gender Bias (पक्षपात)
Preference towards one gender
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
12
Gender
Bias
Household
Education
Economy
Health
Media
Sports
Head of the Family – Men (i.e. power &
control
Bread earning husband & Homemaker wi
Schooling, text books,
behaviour of teachers,
discouraging STEM
subjects
Women are encouraged to go
into traditional ‘‘women’s jobs
rather than traditional men’s
jobs, limited opportunities,
promotion, pay
Doctors, Pharmacist, Lab attendants
etc., Lack adequate health insurance
facilities because of their lower status
in jobs, lack of research/focus on
women’s health
Mostly reporters and feature
writers and lack of female
Editorial Staff, religion, caste
bias, poor wages, transport….
Discouraged to play, lack of
female coaches, fewer sports
for female

13. Gender Discrimination (भेदभाव)
2/1/2021
13
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
Unwanted Girls
Caste Discrimination

14. 2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
14
Gender discrimination describes the situation in
which people are treated differently simply because
they are male or female, rather than on the basis of
their individual skills or capabilities.
Sexual Harassment
Gender Discrimination (भेदभाव)

15. Gender Neutral
2/1/2021
15
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/a-step-towards-gender-neutral-policing-37-
woman-cops-trained-assigned-duty-of-beat-marshal-under-aurangabad-rural-jurisdiction-
7137575/
Gender Neutral - not
referring to either sex but
only to people in general
gender
neutral language
It refers to Policy,
programme or situation
that has no differential
positive or negative
impact in terms of gender
relations or equality
between women and
men
A step towards gender neutral policing: 37
woman cops trained, assigned duty of beat
marshal under Aurangabad rural jurisdiction

16. Gender Gap (असमानता)
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
16
The gender gap is the difference
between women and men as reflected in
social, political, intellectual, cultural, or
economic attainments or attitudes

17. Gender Gap (असमानता)
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
17
Pay Gap (19%, 2019 WEF)
Women’s Representation only 7.28% in Police (SPIR
2019)
As per the Internet and Mobile Association of India Report, 2019, 67%
men and 33% women had access to internet. In rural areas it was
72% and 28% for men and women, respectively. According to NSS
Report on Education 2017-18, only 8% of the HH members aged 5-24
years had both a computer and internet connection.
27% don’t have basic mobile Phone & 72% lacks smart
phones in rural areas. In urban areas it is 14% and 63%
(GSMA 2018)

18. Gender Gap INDIA - Data Speak (असमानता)
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
18 Index Indicators Ranking/ Scale
Human Development Index,
UNDP
1. Level of Income
2. Life expectancy
3. Education (Expected years of
schooling and Mean years of schooling)
Value = 0.647
Rank = 129/189 (2019)
Medium Human Dev.
Gender Dev. Index ,
166 Countries divided into 5
groups by absolute deviation
from gender parity in HDI values.
Ratio of female to male HDI values 0.829; Group – 5 (2019)
(Group 5 comprises countries with
low equality in HDI achievements
between women and men)
Gender Inequality Index (GII),
UNDP
1. Reproductive health,
2. Empowerment,
3. Labor market participation
Value = 0.501
Rank =122 (2019)
Global Gender Gap Index
World Economic Forum
1. Eco. Participation & Opportunity
2. Educational Attainment
3. Health and Survival
4. Political Empowerment
Value = 0.668
Rank = 112/153 (2020)
1. 149 (0.354)
2. 112 (0.962)
3. 150 (0.944)
4. 18 (0.411)
Social Institutions and Gender
Index (SIGI), OECD
1. Discriminatory family code.
2. Restricted physical integrity.
3. Son bias.
4. Restricted resources & assets.
5. Restricted civil liberties.
Value = 34% (2019)
Category = Medium
180 Countries

19. Gender Inequality
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
19
Equal treatment
of persons in
unequal
situations will
operate to
perpetuate
rather than
eradicate
injustice.

20. Understanding Equality vs. Equity vs. Justice
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
20
Equality – same
support
Equity – affirmative
action
Justice – cause of
inequity addressed

21. Gender Mainstreaming (मुख्य धारा)
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
21
 Gender mainstreaming is the process of assessing the
implications for women and men of any planned action,
including legislation, policies or programmes in all areas
and at all levels.
 It is a strategy for making women’s as well as men’s
concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the
design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
policies and programmes in all political, economic and
societal spheres so that women and men benefit equally
and inequality is not perpetuated.
 The ultimate goal is to achieve gender equality.

22. 2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
22
IMPLICATIONS OF GENDER
BIAS & DISCRIMINATION

23. 2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
23
Sex selective
abortion ,
Infanticide
Deprived from
Educational
opportunities –
economic
dependence
Adolescence –
abuse,
exploitation,
violence
Child marriage, early
marriage, pre-mature
parenthood, maternal
mortality
Fewer job
opportunities
restrictions, wage
gap –
unemployment &
Ownership of
assets
Old women lack
control of family
resources and face
discrimination from
inheritance
Representation of
women in politics
and decision
making
Unequal
distribution of
Household
Chores and family
/ marriage conflict
Gender
Discrimination
- Implication

24. 2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
24
Failure to
investigate DV,
sexual assault
cases complaints
because of …….
Discounting
intimate partner
violence against
LGBT individuals
Harassing
transgender
people
Hostility by
Police Officers
Failing to test
sexual assault
kits in a timely
manner
Victim’s gender, sexual
orientation, dress,
criminal history,
appearance etc
Gender Bias
in Policing
In
Uttarakhand,
Jharkhand,
Maharashtra
& Bihar,
about 2/3rd
or more’
police
personnel
held the
opinion that
the Muslim
or the Dalit
community
is likely to
be naturally
prone to
committing
violence

25. 2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
25
Gender-biased policing not only denies victims of
domestic violence and sexual assault the equal
protection of the law and protection from harm, but
also destroys trust between law enforcement and the
communities they serve
Gender-Biased Policing perpetuates
Violence, thereby undermining the Criminal
Justice System

26. Gender Bias in Policing
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
26
Yes
72%
No
22%
No
Respon
se
6%
53
21
11
2
58
16 16
10
Completely Somewhat Rarely Not at all
Women Men
Equal treatment to men and
women
Yes
78%
No
22%
Yes
58%
No
42%
Separate Toilet for Women in
PS

27. Gender Bias in Policing
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
27
Statement 1: Being in
Police requires physical
strength and aggressive
behaviour which women
lack
Statement 2: Women
police are incapable of
handling high intensity
crimes and cases
Statement 3: Because of
inflexible working hours, it
is not alright for women to
work in the police force as
they cannot attend to
homely duties
Overall Men Women Overall Men Women Overall Men Women
Fully agree 14 15 10 10 11 7 22 23 17
Somewhat
agree
27 28 19 22 23 15 29 31 24
Somewhat
disagree
19 19 20 25 25 26 19 18 22
Fully
disagree
39 36 48 41 39 51 27 24 35
State of Policing in India Report 2019, Table 5.12, p.103

28. We need to remember CEDAW’s Concept of
Equality
2/1/2021
Understanding Gender and Process of GRB.....
28
http://www.cpahq.org/cpahq/cpadocs/Australia%20committment%20to%20gender%20equality.pdf)
CEDAW’s definition of equality is outlined in the Office for the High
Commission of Human Rights Fact Sheet No.22, Discrimination
against Women :The Convention and the Committee as:
The concept of equality means much more than treating all
persons in the same way. Equal treatment of persons in
unequal situations will operate to perpetuate rather than
eradicate injustice. True equality can only emerge from efforts
directed towards addressing and correcting these situational
imbalances.
It is this broader view of equality that has become the underlying
principle and the final goal in the struggle for recognition and
acceptance of the human rights of women.

29. Moving Forward Towards Systemic
Transformations
2/1/2021
Implications of Gender........Dr. Paramita Majumdar
29
 The Covid-19 pandemic has offered a magnifying lens to the deep-
rooted inequalities and injustices prevalent in our society
 Its high time that we prepare our policies, plans and budgets from a
gender perspective to help establish a more inclusive societal
order.
 Data will continue to be a key priority for gender equality
 Make gender mainstreaming a practice into all conflict prevention,
activities and strategies
 Making Gender Equality and Social Inclusion indicators as well as
Gender Impact Assessments a (new) normal part of policing and
decision making
 Institutionalize Democratic policing which means that police officers
perform their duties under the rule of law, respect human rights and are
accountable to the communities they serve – both men and women
 Gender friendly Police Stations as a pilot to respond to both in-house

30. Thank You !!
For Queries, if any:
drparamitamajumdar@gmail.com / 9891106339