State-wise data analysis of gender differentiated information in the areas of women's survival, freedoms and visibility clearly indicates wide gaps in the implementation. While a lot has been achieved in some parameters, much needs to be done in others. Similarly, some States have done amazingly well in women's upliftment, but others lag behind.
Interestingly, a small State like Goa is projecting figures above the national average in terms of access to education – high enrolment and low dropout. There is also relatively high percentage of women's access to salaried employment, low percentage of below body mass index among women, low infant mortality, and less crimes against women in both the private and public domain.
At the same time, data also points to the reality that unless a comprehensive multi-pronged approach to gender equality is conceptualized and orchestrated along with dedication and perseverance, a girl's survival will not essentially translate into securing her freedoms and further her visibility. The gender data has been analysed by UN Women in collaboration with the National Commission for Women and brought out in a report titled “Understanding Gender Equality in India-2012.”
States like Assam that have successfully ensured the survival of the girl child have not been able to translate this advantage into reduced maternal mortality. Similarly, Sikkim and West Bengal which have progressed well in the areas of girl's enrolment in schools have not been able to retain girls in schools and are showing a very high dropout rate between Classes 1 to IX. These deprivations have further snowballed in these States into high employment rates and the concentration of women in casual, unskilled and low paid work. These States also record levels of violence against women higher than the national average.
Some States like Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh continue to record huge gender deficits in the areas of women's survival, their freedoms and their visibility. Gender poverty seems to be entrenched in a number of States across the country, the report suggests.
Delhi, Punjab and Haryana may be economically progressive but have a skewed sex ratio compared to other States. Decades of struggle against gender discrimination has borne little with statistics showing that "huge" gender deficits continue to persist in the country, especially in economically developed States, the report suggests.
While there has been a marginal increase in the country's sex ratio from 933 in 2001 to 940 in 2011, significant variations exist among the States, with Kerala and Puducherry recording a sex ratio in favour of women, while Delhi, Chandigarh and Haryana have an adverse ratio.
Interestingly, Delhi, Chandigarh and Haryana are economically quite progressive based on the per capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) which shows that Haryana has a per capita NSDP of Rs 78781 while Delhi and Punjab have per capita NSDP of Rs 116886 and Rs 62153 respectively, it said.
The report also noted that the difference between the number of men and women is lesser in rural areas than in urban India, with the former being pegged at 919 women for every 1000 men and the latter 902 per 1000. The worst hit district is Haryana's Jhajjar with a ratio of 774 to 1000 and next is Mahendragarh with a sex ratio of 778 females to 1000 males.
Figures related to violence against women in the country are also dismal. According to the report, 30 per cent of the women in India experienced physical violence while 8 per cent experienced sexual violence.
While Bihar registered the highest number of cases of physical violence against women, West Bengal tops the list in terms of number of sexual offences.
It is not just at home that women face discrimination. Our Constitution is not spared either. Women occupy less than 8 per cent of the Cabinet positions, less than 9 per cent of seats in high courts and Supreme Court and less than 12 per cent of administrators and managers are women, according to the report. The issue of multidimensional poverty is extremely contextual to the status of women in India because although a lot of work has been done on the condition of women, the position of women still remains unaddressed. Viewing gender concerns through the lens of multidimensional poverty and capability poverty is now a critical imperative. “It is time that we create a framework of analysis so that national programmes move beyond merely addressing income poverty and begin to include an expanded response so that the income generated is used to create capacities that improve women's survival, enhance women's freedoms and make women more visible,” the report says.
