Gender Gap report: Massive inequalities in India

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'Girl and women make up half of the world's population and without their engagement, empowerment and contribution, we cannot hope to achieve a rapid economic recovery nor effectively tackle global challenges such as climate change, food security.'

CJ: abhishekb

Mon, Nov 09, 2009 13:41:47 IST

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India News :

INDIA HAS been ranked quite low on the Global Gender Gap Report released on Monday by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in New Delhi. The country is placed at 114^th place out of the 134 measured, indicating that women fare quite badly as compared to their male counterparts vis a vis health, employment, education and similar development factors.

WEF's India Gender Gap Review presents the results of a comprehensive survey assessing the current state of gender-related corporate policies and practices in India.

“Girls and women make up one half of the world’s population and without their engagement, empowerment and contribution, we cannot hope to achieve a rapid economic recovery nor effectively tackle global challenges such as climate change, food security and conflict,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, WEF.

As per the survey only 14 per cent of the companies questioned had 40 per cent or more women among their employees. These women employees are mainly present at the entry and middle levels of management, while very few women attain senior management level. Most companies do not track salary gaps, despite the clear wage gaps between women and men – only 4 per cent of the companies surveyed are attempting to monitor salary gaps.

“Women, as half of the human capital of India, will need to be more efficiently integrated into the economy in order to boost India’s long-term competitive potential. The World Economic Forum’s survey of some of the biggest companies in India shows that, to achieve this integration, Indian companies will need to set targets, improve policies to close salary gaps and promote work-life balance,” said Saadia Zahidi, Co-author of the Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2009 and Head of the Forum’s Women Leaders and Gender Parity Programme.

India holds last place among the BRIC countries on the Index, behind Russia (51), China (60) and Brazil (82).

In South Asia, the sub-continent is in second-to-last place behind Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and ahead of Pakistan. Sri Lanka leads in the rankings by far, holding 16th position, followed by Bangladesh (94), Maldives (100), Nepal (110), India (114) and Pakistan (132).

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