Gender Inequality Index 2022

Gender Inequality Index 2022

GS-3: Human Development Report

(UPSC/State PSC)

Important for Prelims:

Human Development Index-2022, Gender Inequality Index (GII), Social Security Code-2020, Mission Shakti, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP), Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Women's Reservation Act, 2023.

Important for Mains:

Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022 – Key Facts, India's Performance, Key Initiatives of Government of India to improve gender inequality,Conclusion.

19/03/2024

Why in news:

Recently, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) released the Human Development Report 2023-2024 which shows the Gender Inequality Index 2022.

  • This Human Development Report (HDR) has been published with the title 'Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World'.
  • It analyzes countries on the basis of gross national income per capita, education, and life expectancy.
  • Theme of Human Development Index, 2021-22: “Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a World in Transformation”.

Key facts related to the report:

  • India's score in Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022 is 0.437 and India is ranked 108th out of 193 countries.
  • India's score in Gender Inequality Index 2021 was 0.490 and was then ranked 122nd out of 191 countries.
  • There has been a significant improvement of 14 ranks in this index in 2022 compared to 2021.
  • India's adolescent birth rate was 16.3 (births per 1,000 women aged 15-19) in 2022, an improvement from 17.1 in 2021.
  • However, the country still has the largest gender gap in the labor force participation rate – a gap of 47.8% between women (28.3%) and men (76.1%).
  • Denmark has topped this gender inequality index, 2022, followed by Norway, Switzerland and Sweden.

Progressive Reforms of India:

  • Over the last 10 years, India's rank in the GII has steadily improved, indicating progressive improvement in achieving gender equality in the country. In the year 2014 this rank was 127, which has now become 108.

Life expectancy:

  • Life expectancy in the year 2022 was recorded at 67.7 years.
  • India's life expectancy at birth in the year 2021 was recorded at 67.2 years.

School Education:

  • Expected years of schooling reached 12.6 in 2022, while average years of schooling increased to 6.57.
  • Expected years of schooling in 2021 were recorded at 11.9 years and average years of schooling was 6.7 years.

Gross National Income:

  • Per capita gross national income will reach US $ 6,951 in the year 2022.
  • In Indian currency this amount is approximately Rs 5.75 lakh.
  • Per capita gross national income in the year 2021 was US $ 6,590.

About Gender Inequality Index:

  • The GII is a composite measure of gender inequality using three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment and labor markets.
  • Lower GII values indicate less inequality between women and men, and vice versa.

Major initiatives of the Government of India to eliminate gender inequality:

Social Security Code, 2020:

  • Provision for social security of women in various aspects.

Mission Shakti:

  • In the year 2022, 'Mission Shakti' scheme was launched under the Integrated Women Empowerment Programme.
  • The scheme seeks to address issues affecting women across the entire life cycle and bring about transformation in their lives by providing them an opportunity to become equal partners in nation-building through citizen-ownership.
  • Objective:
  • To strengthen support for women's safety, security and empowerment.
  • To promote Women Self Help Groups (WSHG) to undertake various socio-economic activities.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP):

  • Beti Bachao Beti Padhao was launched by the Prime Minister on 22 January 2015 in Panipat, Haryana.
  • The scheme helps prevent declining child sex ratio across the life span and addresses issues related to women empowerment.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana:

  • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana is a maternity benefit program run by the Government of India. It is a conditional cash transfer scheme for first live birth for pregnant and lactating women aged 19 years and above.

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana:

  • Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched 'Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana' as a major scheme with the objective of providing clean fuel like LPG to the rural and deprived families who use fuels like wood, coal, cow dung cake etc. for cooking.

Women's Reservation Act, 2023:

  • The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, the bill reserves one-third of the seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and the Delhi Assembly.
  • This will also apply to seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.

Conclusion:

The efforts of the Government of India towards women empowerment are meaningful. There is a need to develop a proper system to quickly eliminate gender inequality in the future.

Source: AIR

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Mains Question:

Review the Gender Inequality Index 2022.