Gender equality is a fundamental human right and a key to achieving sustainable development. In India, the progress of gender equality has made significant progress on the one hand, but on the other hand, it has persistent challenges. It has made improvements in sectors such as education and health, but deep-rooted cultural norms and systemic barriers continue to impede the full realization of access and progress for girls and women.

The current status of gender equality in India is as follows:

• State performance: According to NITI Aayog, the states of Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Himachal Pradesh are the best performers, while Bihar, Jharkhand, Nagaland and Meghalaya have the furthest to go in achieving the SDGs. Among the Union Territories, Chandigarh is the best performer. The score shows the distance traveled so far in meeting the targets adopted by all members of the United Nations (UN) in 2015 to ensure the prosperity of people and the planet. It also indicates the gap to be covered by 2030.
• Education: Girls are more likely to drop out of school; although data from the All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE 2021-22) shows that the female gross enrollment ratio (GER) increased to 28.5 in 2021-22 from 27.9 in 2020-21. GER for women has shown improvement in recent years.
• Mortality rate: India has a worrying trend where the mortality rate of girls at birth is higher than that of boys, which is atypical for a large country like India.

India’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Index shows states’ scores range from 57 to 79 in 2023-24, marking a substantial improvement from the range of 42 to 69 in 2018. The government has taken specific measures such as educating to the girl child, providing housing and grants, health insurance and small business loans.

Despite improvements, SDG 5 deals with ensuring gender equality and India’s overall score is 49. This observation suggests that a little more than half of the distance needs to be covered to achieve the targets specified in this regard. Underscoring the need for better infrastructure, safe working spaces and minimal gender discrimination, women would continue to face challenges.

Gender inequality is inherently observed at home, in public places, at work and in communities on a regular basis. It is in textbooks, in movies, in the media, and among the men and women who provide their care and support. In the Indian context, gender inequality is deeply rooted in societal norms, affecting opportunities, and while it impacts the lives of both sexes, statistically, girls are the most disadvantaged. The girl child tends to face extensive limitations in mobility, decision-making, and access to education and health services.

Although there are Indian women who are global leaders and who hold positions in various fields, but most of the women and girls in India still face problems and are not able to enjoy and exercise their rights because of their views, norms, traditions and social structures and deeply rooted patriarchal construction. . There are struggles, risks, violations and vulnerabilities that women and girls face because of their gender and most of these are directly related to the economic, political, social and cultural disadvantages they face in their daily lives.

With the prevalence of gender inequality and social norms and practices, they become exposed to the possibility of early marriage, domestic work, sexual abuse, violence and exploitation. Many of these manifestations will not change unless girls are given access to opportunities and are valued more.

Gender equality is central to sustainable development and collectively contributes to economic, social and cultural growth. Empowering women and girls requires focused investment and collaboration to achieve results in the short, medium and long term.

Increasing access to education, nutrition, reduction of anaemia, better sanitation in school premises are some of the short term measures offered by the state level and central schemes and programmes.

The other steps to be taken are engaging men and boys in gender equality discussions to raise awareness. Raising awareness and mobilizing many sectors of society is crucial to changing societal perceptions.

Infrastructure and services must be women and girls friendly. Providing them with services and a safe environment at home, school, public space and workplace can reduce and mitigate the risks they face.

There are various government-run schemes specifically tailored to the needs of girls – with a primary focus on education and life skills development. Access to these programs can strengthen resilience and opportunities for millions of girls.

Achieving gender equality is vital for sustainable development in India. A multi-faceted approach involving education, societal change and supporting infrastructure is needed to empower women and girls, ultimately contributing to the nation’s growth and development. The proposed solutions will promote an inclusive environment where all individuals, regardless of gender, can thrive and contribute to overall development.

This article is written by Paresh Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO, DevInsights.