Bridging Gender Gap: India’s Path To Equality In 2023 Vs 2024

The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report has long been the benchmark for assessing gender parity across the globe. The latest reports from 2023 and 2024 provide a mixed bag of insights, showing both progress and persistent challenges. While there are hurdles to overcome, a positive outlook and actionable solutions can guide us toward a more equitable future.

Global Trends: Progress with a Long Road Ahead
Globally, the gender gap has seen a slight improvement, with the gap closed increasing from 68.1 per cent in 2023 to 68.5 per cent in 2024. Despite this progress, the stark reality remains that full gender parity is still 134 years away—a slight increase from last year's projection of 132 years. This incremental progress, while encouraging, underscores the need for accelerated efforts and innovative solutions to bridge the gap more rapidly.

Iceland, Finland and Norway continue to lead the way, setting exemplary standards with high gender parity scores. Iceland, in particular, has closed over 93.5 per cent of its gender gap, illustrating the impact of comprehensive policies and societal commitment to gender equality.

India’s Performance: A Mixed Picture
India's journey towards gender parity presents a complex picture. The country’s overall gender gap score has slightly declined from 0.643 in 2023 to 0.641 in 2024, causing a drop in its global ranking from 127th to 129th. This decline highlights several critical areas requiring immediate and focused interventions.

Economic Participation and Opportunity: India has shown slight improvement in women’s participation in the workforce, but significant barriers such as wage disparities and underrepresentation in leadership roles remain entrenched. The slight increase from 58.3 per cent to 60.5 per cent closed reflects progress, but much more is needed to level the playing field.

Educational Attainment: The drop in the educational attainment score is alarming. Ensuring equal access to quality education for girls and women, particularly in rural areas, is paramount. Digital literacy programs and STEM education initiatives are critical to reversing this trend and empowering the next generation of women leaders.

Health and Survival: India’s minimal improvement in this subindex signals persistent health disparities. Expanding healthcare access, improving maternal health services, and tackling gender-based violence are essential to closing this gap. Public health initiatives must be inclusive and gender-sensitive to address these critical issues effectively.

Political Empowerment: The slight decline in political empowerment underscores the need for greater representation of women in decision-making roles. Policies that promote women’s political participation and leadership development programs can foster a more balanced and representative governance structure.

Leading by Example: Success Stories
Despite the challenges, India boasts several success stories that serve as beacons of hope. Infosys’s Women’s Inclusivity Network (IWIN) promotes gender diversity through mentoring and leadership development, setting a high standard in the corporate world. Additionally, the Indian government’s Mahila E-Haat initiative empowers women entrepreneurs by providing an online platform to showcase their products, fostering economic independence and entrepreneurship.

Path Forward: Solutions for Accelerating Progress
1. Policy Interventions: Comprehensive policies that prioritise gender equality across all sectors are essential. This includes enforcing equal pay legislation, offering incentives for companies that promote gender diversity, and implementing quotas for women in leadership roles.
2. Educational Reforms: Investing in girls’ education, particularly in underserved areas, is crucial. Programs that encourage girls to pursue higher education and careers in STEM fields can create a new generation of empowered women.
3. Economic Empowerment: Supporting women entrepreneurs through access to finance, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities can significantly enhance their economic participation. Collaboration between the public and private sectors is key to creating more inclusive workplaces.
4. Healthcare Access: Expanding healthcare services to underserved areas and improving reproductive health services can address health disparities. Comprehensive healthcare policies must consider the unique needs of women.
5. Community and Narrative Building: Positive storytelling and community-building initiatives can play a pivotal role in changing societal attitudes towards gender roles. Engaging men and boys as allies in the fight for gender equality can foster more inclusive communities. Creating and sharing success stories through various media can inspire others and drive societal change.
6. Building Positive Narratives: Crafting and promoting stories that highlight women’s achievements and contributions can shift perceptions and inspire action. Media, corporate communication, and grassroots campaigns should emphasise positive narratives to build momentum toward gender equality.

A Positive Outlook
While the 2023 and 2024 Global Gender Gap Reports highlight significant challenges, they also offer a roadmap for progress. India, with its dynamic population and innovative spirit, has the potential to lead by example in the quest for gender equality. By focusing on solution-oriented strategies and fostering a culture of inclusivity, we can accelerate the pace of change and move closer to a world where gender parity is not just an aspiration but a lived reality. Achieving gender equality requires collective action and unwavering commitment. Every effort, big or small, counts. Together, we can bridge the gender gap and unlock the full potential of every individual, driving meaningful change for a more equitable future.

Author is the Director of the MASH Project Foundation