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India way behind neighbours in gender equality: Human Development Report
Business Line : Industry & Economy / Economy : India way behind neighbours in gender equality: Human Development Report
New Delhi, Nov. 2:
It may be an emerging economic powerhouse, but as far as the state of women is concerned, India needs a lot of catching up to do with neighbours such as Pakistan and Bangladesh.
According to the Human Development Report 2011, India ranks 129 out of 146 countries on the Gender Inequality Index, below Bangladesh and Pakistan, which are ranked at 112 and 115, respectively.
“In fact, Afghanistan is the only country ranked below India in the South Asian region on the Gender Inequality Index. Among BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) nations, India has the highest inequalities in human development,” said Ms Seeta Prabhu, Senior Advisor, United Nations Development Programme.
Releasing the report here on Wednesday, the Union Minister of Rural Development, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said, “The representation of women in the Indian Parliament is very low, a meagre 10-11 per cent. In Bangladesh and Pakistan, their representation is much higher. However, if we were to include in the index women's representation at the Panchayat level, then our ranking will shoot up.”
He said while fertility rates were a cause of concern, low participation of women in the labour force was more due to them opting for higher education.
According to the report, the human development index (HDI) positions India at 134 out of 187 countries and territories. Bangladesh and Pakistan are ranked at 146 and 145, respectively.
On the Multidimensional Poverty Index (deprivations such as in health, education and living standards) 53.7 per cent Indians have been placed in the bracket of multi-dimensionally poor (612 million), the largest concentration of such poor persons in the world.
“We have made rapid strides in education, while in health our record is mixed. Sanitation, however, is a big washout. Fifty-eight per cent of the world's open defecation is attributed to India,” Mr Ramesh said, and called for larger public spending.
Business Line : Industry & Economy / Economy : India way behind neighbours in gender equality: Human Development Report
New Delhi, Nov. 2:
It may be an emerging economic powerhouse, but as far as the state of women is concerned, India needs a lot of catching up to do with neighbours such as Pakistan and Bangladesh.
According to the Human Development Report 2011, India ranks 129 out of 146 countries on the Gender Inequality Index, below Bangladesh and Pakistan, which are ranked at 112 and 115, respectively.
“In fact, Afghanistan is the only country ranked below India in the South Asian region on the Gender Inequality Index. Among BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) nations, India has the highest inequalities in human development,” said Ms Seeta Prabhu, Senior Advisor, United Nations Development Programme.
Releasing the report here on Wednesday, the Union Minister of Rural Development, Mr Jairam Ramesh, said, “The representation of women in the Indian Parliament is very low, a meagre 10-11 per cent. In Bangladesh and Pakistan, their representation is much higher. However, if we were to include in the index women's representation at the Panchayat level, then our ranking will shoot up.”
He said while fertility rates were a cause of concern, low participation of women in the labour force was more due to them opting for higher education.
According to the report, the human development index (HDI) positions India at 134 out of 187 countries and territories. Bangladesh and Pakistan are ranked at 146 and 145, respectively.
On the Multidimensional Poverty Index (deprivations such as in health, education and living standards) 53.7 per cent Indians have been placed in the bracket of multi-dimensionally poor (612 million), the largest concentration of such poor persons in the world.
“We have made rapid strides in education, while in health our record is mixed. Sanitation, however, is a big washout. Fifty-eight per cent of the world's open defecation is attributed to India,” Mr Ramesh said, and called for larger public spending.
