Gender Inequality in India

Abstract

Now, in the present scenario of 21st century India is facing many issues. The foremost and the major issue is Gender inequality or may be called as gender discrimination among the male and female citizen of India. In real it is a major problem for Indians as they create the inequality in the different fields like in the field of education, opportunity for job, economic participation when only male candidates can take part or male candidates have more and more sets as compared to women. The root of inequality is the traditional culture of India. Since last 2 to 3 decades women are trying but faced lots of difficulties to become equal with them in every sector like education, job opportunities and economic participation etc. But there is little development in these regards. This paper aims to analyze the gender discrimination in the present scenario of India.

Headnote

Abstract

Now, in the present scenario of 21st century India is facing many issues. The foremost and the major issue is Gender inequality or may be called as gender discrimination among the male and female citizen of India. In real it is a major problem for Indians as they create the inequality in the different fields like in the field of education, opportunity for job, economic participation when only male candidates can take part or male candidates have more and more sets as compared to women. The root of inequality is the traditional culture of India. Since last 2 to 3 decades women are trying but faced lots of difficulties to become equal with them in every sector like education, job opportunities and economic participation etc. But there is little development in these regards. This paper aims to analyze the gender discrimination in the present scenario of India.

Key words: Education, Employment, Discrimination, gender Inequality, Health.

Introduction

Gender inequality meant the discrimination between the male and female of India or in a particular society. Women are believed to be the low grade, they are weak, and they can't do anything without the help of a man. As per their thinking, these women should look good at household activities and they don't bother for the office work or company jobs. At the age of 0-6 group the sex ratio is declining continuously till 1961. There after the ratio fall from 927 in 2001 to 914 in 2011. The situation was the worst since the independence of India. Gender inequality in the form of education attainment, job opportunity and the most important the sex ratio. India ranked 127 out of 157 countries for the Gender inequality. As Government of India is taking steps for the increase in women power and equality for both men and women but it does not take place and gender inequality was not been solved till now.

Objective of the study

1 To analyze Gender Inequality in India.

2 To analyze various issues which the women are facing in India.

3 To suggest guidelines for eradication of gender Inequality in India.

Collection of data: The study is based upon the collection of secondary data and this data was collected from various sources i.e. UNDP, World Economic forum, Census of India, Magazine, Journals etc.

Reality of Gender Inequality in India

The Census 2011 shows the reality of Gender Imbalance in India. Overall sex ratio increase to 940 in 2011 as against 933 in census 2001. This is good but not satisfactory. Child sex-ratio (0-6) age group is 914 which is the lowest level since Independence. Kerala, Mizoram, Meghalaya has the highest sex ratio while Haryana, Panjab has the lowest sex ratio.

Gender Inequality and India:

Gender Inequality in India is related to health, education, economic and political participation between Men and Women. As per the world economic forum in the matter of gender gap index, placed India in 114th position out of 142 countries and this index most particularly examine gender gap in four areas.

Female literacy rate in India is lower than male literacy in both rural and urban areas. Girls lack access to education it is not always related to scarcity of place in school. It also emerge from expectation, attitude, social, traditional and cultural beliefs.

Barriers to education in India

1. Geographical- transport, distance, physical safety.

2. Cultural- early marriage, son preference.

3. Gender based violence.

4. Social and cultural beliefs.

Census of India shows that literacy rate of female is 65.46% as compared to male which is 82.14%. Not only in education but also in food it is the male who get all the nutrition while the girl get whatever is left behind after male member have taken their meal. This situation is clear from this table.

In India, many of the girls and women have got rid of employment opportunities because of lack of education. They are unable to get better job opportunities. Women experiences low labour force participation rate. This gender based inequality is prevalent in both rural and urban areas. The labour force participation rate of women was 80.7% in 2013 in India.

This table indicates that more no of women are engaged is Agricultural sector than that of men. On the other hand the percentage rate of women is less in service sector and manufacturing sector as compared to man. Including in the fields like education, health, job opportunities and mostly is politics the participation of women is less. Even though bill have been passed for women reservation, the rate still do not grow number of males are still more than female as before rarely a women became the minister in the political scenario. Since independence less of women have became prime minister or president but the no of male are more. Women can do everything, only proper empowerment and opportunities should be provided without any discrimination.

Suggestion for removal of Gender Inequality

Constitutional provisions for women were made in India to provide them equal opportunities as mentioned in Article 14. In every field women and men can work together. They should be provided equal right the fields like political, economic and social spheres. Men and women should be paid equally for equal in works as mentioned in Article 39. Even though the constitution provide equal opportunity for men and women, but discrimination is there. In order to overcome the gender inequality some major steps should be taken to provide equal rights for women. Mostly it arises from the social traditional views of our elderly people. We have to remove it from the roots change in the mindset of elder people in very much essential

* Education opportunity should be given to both boys and girls and parents have to be made responsible for it.

* Wages should be provided equally for equal work.

* Jobs opportunities for women should be provided equally.

* Proper sanitation and Health facility should be given to women.

* Women should know about their right under the newly operated government schemes and should be benefitted from it.

* Social violence for the girls and women should be curbed altogether.

* Seats for women should increase in parliament.

* Laws related to women should be implemented strictly by the government.

Conclusion

Gender inequality in all the sphere of India has existed even if the sex ratio is very down in India in comparison to many developing and developed countries. Although India ranks in the developed countries but problems of social discrimination still persist. Out of 142 countries, India ranks 114 in the matter of gender inequalities. Gender inequalities should be eradicated from India and every citizen of India should have a feeling of equality for the women. All laws pertaining to women should be implemented. Favorable social opinion and support is needed for doing any type of activity for the nation development and should create awareness about gender equality. It the time of youth mostly the girls who became women later it's their time to fight for their own right and for others also. They should be empowered properly and be supported by the male. So that gender discrimination or gender inequality can be removed to a great extent in India.

References

References

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