Global Gender Gap Report 2024 - Gokulam Seek IAS Academy (2024)

Global Gender Gap Report 2024

Introduction

The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released the 18th edition of its annual Global Gender Gap Report for 2024, comprehensively benchmarking gender parity across 146 economies worldwide. The report reveals that India has slipped two places to 129th position on the Global Gender Gap index, while Iceland has retained its top spot. Within South Asia, India is ranked fifth, trailing behind Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, while Pakistan is positioned last in the region. Globally, Sudan is ranked last on the index, and Pakistan has dropped three places to 145th. This report provides critical insights into the persistent challenges and progress in achieving gender parity across key dimensions, including economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.

Global Gender Gap Report

• The Global Gender Gap Report is an annual publication by the World Economic Forum (WEF). It measures gender equality across various countries, providing a comprehensive assessment of the gap between men and women in four key areas.
• Economic Participation and Opportunity: This subindex evaluates differences in labor force participation, wages, and advancement opportunities between genders.
• Educational Attainment: This subindex assesses the gender gap in access to education, including literacy rates and enrollment rates across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
• Health and Survival: This subindex measures differences in life expectancy and sex ratio at birth.
• Political Empowerment: This subindex examines the disparity between men and women in political representation and decision-making roles, such as the presence of women in parliament and in ministerial positions.
• Scoring System: The report scores countries on a scale from 0 to 1, where 1 indicates perfect equality.
• Objectives
  • Compass for Progress: To serve as a compass to track progress on relative gaps between women and men in health, education, economy, and politics.
  • Setting Priorities: Through this annual yardstick, the stakeholders within each country are able to set priorities relevant to each specific economic, political, and cultural context.

Key Findings of 2024

• Overall Global Gender Gap: The global gender gap stands at 68.4%, meaning 31.6% of the gap remains to be closed. At the current rate, it will take approximately 134 years to achieve full gender parity globally.
• Top Performers: Iceland remains the top-ranked country for the 15th consecutive year, having closed 93.5% of its gender gap. Other high-ranking countries include Norway, Finland, New Zealand, and Sweden.
• Subindex Performance
  • Educational Attainment: This subindex is close to parity, with a global average of 94.9%. At the current rate, it is projected that full parity in education will be achieved within 20 years.
  • Health and Survival: This subindex is also near parity at 96%, although progress has been relatively static over the years.
  • Economic Participation and Opportunity: This subindex shows a significant gap, with a global average of 60.5% closed. It is estimated to take 152 years to achieve parity in economic participation.
  • Political Empowerment: The largest gap exists here, with only 22.5% of the gap closed. This dimension is expected to take 169 years to reach parity.
• Regional Insights
  • Nordic countries continue to lead in gender equality, with Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden ranking high.
  • Latin America shows promising progress and is projected to achieve gender parity faster than Europe if current trends continue.
• Sectoral Analysis: There is a notable gender gap in sectors like technology and manufacturing, where fewer women are represented. Conversely, sectors such as education and healthcare have higher female participation but still show significant gaps at senior levels.

Key Findings about India

• Global Ranking: India has slipped two places in the global rankings to 129th in 2024 from 127th in 2023 out of 146 countries.
• South Asia Ranking: Within South Asia, India ranked fifth after Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. Pakistan ranked last in the region.
• Economic Parity: India is among the countries with the lowest levels of economic parity, similar to Bangladesh, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, and Morocco, with less than 30% gender parity in estimated earned income.
• Educational Attainment: India showed the best gender parity in secondary education enrolment.
• Political Empowerment:
  • India ranked 65th globally in the political empowerment of women and 10th in parity of years with female/male heads of state over the past 50 years.
  • However, women’s representation at the federal level, in Ministerial positions (6.9%), and in Parliament (17.2%) remains low.
• Gender Gap Closure: India has closed 64.1% of its gender gap as of 2024. The slip in ranking from 127th to 129th was primarily due to small declines in ‘Educational Attainment’ and ‘Political Empowerment’ parameters, although ‘Economic Participation’ and ‘Opportunity’ scores saw slight improvements.

Indian Initiatives to Reduce Gender Gap in Social, Economic and Political Life

• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: A national campaign aimed at improving the welfare and education of girls.
• Mahila Shakti Kendra: Empowerment centers providing support and services to rural women.
• Mahila Police Volunteers: Volunteers assisting police in bridging the gap between the police force and local communities on women’s issues.
• Rashtriya Mahila Kosh: A fund established to provide microcredit to women entrepreneurs and self-help groups.
• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojna: A savings scheme encouraging parents to save for their daughters’ future education and marriage expenses.
• Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya: Residential schools for girls from disadvantaged communities, focusing on secondary education.
• Political Reservation: 33% reservation of seats for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and one-third reservation in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies as per the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023.
• Female Entrepreneurship: Government initiatives like Stand-Up India and Mahila-e-Haat to promote female entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (ESSDP) to develop entrepreneurial skills.

Issues and Challenges

Economic Participation and Opportunity

• Low Female Labor Force Participation: Despite slight improvements, women’s participation in the labor force remains significantly low, limiting economic growth and empowerment.
• Wage Disparity: There is a substantial gap in earnings between men and women, with less than 30% gender parity in estimated earned income, reflecting persistent wage inequality.
• Lack of Advancement Opportunities: Women face barriers to career advancement, with fewer opportunities for leadership roles and promotions compared to men.

Educational Attainment

• Secondary and Tertiary Education Disparities: While gender parity in secondary education enrolment is strong, disparities remain in tertiary education, particularly in fields like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
• Dropout Rates: Higher dropout rates among girls, particularly in rural areas, due to socio-economic factors and cultural norms that prioritize boys’ education.

Health and Survival

• Health Access Inequality: Limited access to healthcare services for women, especially in rural and marginalized communities, leading to poorer health outcomes.
• Sex Ratio Imbalance: Persistent issues with sex-selective practices and cultural preferences for male children contribute to an imbalanced sex ratio at birth.

Political Empowerment

• Low Political Representation: Women’s representation in federal and state political bodies remains low, with only 6.9% in ministerial positions and 17.2% in Parliament.
• Implementation of Political Reservations: Challenges in effectively implementing the one-third reservation for women in Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Social and Cultural Barriers

• Patriarchal Norms: Deep-rooted patriarchal norms and gender stereotypes continue to restrict women’s participation in various spheres of life, including economic, political, and social domains.
• Violence and Safety Concerns: High incidence of gender-based violence and safety concerns hinder women’s mobility and participation in public life.

Technological and Sectoral Disparities

• Underrepresentation in Technology and Manufacturing: Significant gender gaps exist in sectors like technology and manufacturing, where women are underrepresented and face barriers to entry and advancement.
• Lack of Support for Female Entrepreneurs: Despite initiatives, women entrepreneurs face challenges in accessing funding, markets, and mentorship, limiting their growth potential.

Regional Disparities

• Varied Progress Across States: Significant disparities in gender equality across different states, with some regions showing progress while others lag behind, particularly in Northern and Central India.

Policy Implementation and Monitoring

• Ineffective Implementation of Policies: Gaps in the effective implementation and monitoring of gender equality policies and initiatives, leading to uneven progress and limited impact on ground realities.
• Resource Allocation: Insufficient allocation of resources and funding for gender-focused programs, hindering their scalability and effectiveness.

Way Forward

• Promote Female Labor Force Participation
  • Flexible Work Arrangements: Implement policies for flexible working hours, remote work options, and affordable childcare facilities.
  • Skill Development Programs: Enhance vocational training and skill development tailored for women.
• Enhance Access to Education
  • Scholarships and Incentives: Provide scholarships, incentives, and financial support to encourage girls’ enrollment and retention in secondary and tertiary education.
  • STEM Education Initiatives: Promote STEM education among girls through targeted programs and campaigns.
• Improve Health Access and Address Sex Ratio Imbalance
  • Healthcare Infrastructure: Strengthen healthcare infrastructure in rural and marginalized areas.
  • Awareness Campaigns: Conduct campaigns to combat gender-biased sex selection and promote the value of girl children.
• Increase Women’s Political Representation
  • Support for Women Candidates: Provide training and support for women candidates to encourage their participation in elections.
  • Effective Implementation of Reservations: Ensure effective implementation of political reservations for women in legislative bodies.
• Challenge Patriarchal Norms and Enhance Safety
  • Education and Sensitization Programs: Implement programs to challenge patriarchal norms and promote gender equality.
  • Strengthen Laws Against Gender-Based Violence: Enforce laws against gender-based violence and ensure swift justice for victims.
• Support Female Entrepreneurs and Promote Gender Equality in Technology and Manufacturing
  • Access to Finance: Improve access to finance for female entrepreneurs through dedicated funds and microcredit schemes.
  • Encourage STEM Careers: Promote careers in technology and manufacturing for women through scholarships, mentorship, and internships.

Conclusion

The 2024 Global Gender Gap Report highlights significant strides and persistent challenges in achieving gender parity worldwide. Despite some progress, India’s slip in the rankings underscores the need for intensified efforts to bridge gender gaps, particularly in economic participation, political empowerment, and educational attainment. The stark regional disparities within South Asia and the broader global context reveal deep-rooted structural and cultural barriers that continue to hinder gender equality. Moving forward, it is imperative for policymakers to implement targeted interventions, promote inclusive policies, and foster a societal shift towards gender equity. Achieving full gender parity is not only a moral imperative but also a crucial driver for sustainable economic growth and social development.

Source: The Hindu

Related PYQ

Discuss the desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary to ensure diversity, equity and inclusiveness. [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Mains]

Practice Question

Evaluate India’s standing in the Global Gender Gap Index 2024, highlighting areas requiring enhancement. Propose strategies to expedite the achievement of gender parity in the country. [250 words]

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