NEW DELHI: India has been included in the medium human development group of countries as per the Human Development Index, and among nations classified as low on women empowerment. The positions were determined in the twin indices for women empowerment (WEI) and global gender parity (GGPI) brought out by UNWomen and UNDP.
This is not the first incident a Westinfluenced world body is trying to run down India in recent times, without proper research or ground evaluation.
In December, Union Minister of Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs Smriti Irani had questioned the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Index that ranked India at 135th place in terms of gender parity, saying it did not incorporate women working at the grassroots level.
The minister explained that the assessment was using Western standards. While assessing political empowerment, she said, the WEF Global Gender Index does not take into account women who serve across panchayats, municipalities as councillors, including women who serve as zilla parishad adhyaksha and sarpanchas.
Bridging gender gap
According to the recent twin reports of the UN bodies, India scored 0.52 on the WEI index and 0.56 on GGPI. Contrarily, however, India is giving utmost priority to bridge the gender gap, reducing disparity between men and women, improving the health of women, increasing their socioeconomic status and participation in various fields.
Major initiatives have been taken by the Modi Government for parity in all aspects of social, economic, and political life.
To bring women in the mainstream of political leadership at the grassroot level, 33 per cent of Panchayati Raj institutions’ seats are reserved for women.
Empowering women
Capacity building of panchayat stakeholders, including elected women representatives, is conducted with a view to empowering women to participate effectively in the governance processes. Initiatives like Mission Poshan 2.0, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandna Yojna, Janani Suraksha Yojana, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram, Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan, among others, assure quality healthcare and nutritional services.
Another flagship programme of the Government is Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, which ensures the protection, survival and education of the girl child.
In the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India can move forward only by respecting, empowering, and making women feel equal.
