Gender Equality

India drops to 131st spot in WEF Gender Gap index, down from 129 in 2024

India has ranked 131 out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2025, slipping two places from its position last year. With a parity score of just 64.1 per cent, India is among the lowest-ranked countries in South Asia, according to the report released on Thursday. India ranked 129 last year. The Global Gender Gap Index measures gender parity across four key dimensions: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment. The Indian economy's overall performance improved in absolute terms by +0.3 points. "One of the dimensions where India increases parity is in Economic Participation and Opportunity, where its score improves by +.9 percentage points to 40.7 per cent. While most indicator values remain the same, parity in estimated earned income rises from 28.6 per cent to 29.9 per cent, positively impacting the subindex score," the report said. Scores in labour force participation rate rem

Delhi Assembly to introduce gender-neutral language in rule book: Speaker

Speaker Vijender Gupta said a 100-day report card on Delhi Assembly work will be out June 6, highlighting 12 sittings and 46+ hours of debate - the longest session stretch in 25 years

Company on track to achieve 30% women in workforce by 2030, says Vedanta

Vedanta on Saturday said it is on track to achieve 30 per cent women representation by 2030. Notably, 28 per cent of its women representation is in decision-making roles, highest among metals and mining companies in the country. Vedanta is bridging the talent gap by adding qualified women into its fold, a statement said. Aligned with Vedanta's sustainability goals, the company has implemented progressive people policies to support its workforce, including rich job content, targeted hiring, mentorship programs, accelerated career-growth opportunities in high-growth businesses. Policies such as 'no questions asked' work-from-home option for women, flexible work hours, year-long sabbatical for childcare and spouse hiring among others, support their growth during different life-stages. Vedanta group firm Hindustan Zinc has launched the Women of Zinc campaign, attracting women to metals sector on International Women's Day 2025. The campaign is a bold initiative designed to showcase th

Gender equality only on paper, must be imbibed in families: Maharashtra CM

Gender equality is currently only on paper and there was need to imbibe it in families by teaching the value that girls and boys are equal, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Saturday. Interacting with journalists on the occasion of International Women's Day, the CM also said he was happy to be the parent of a girl, adding "daughter's are God's blessings" and that he was fortunate to have received it. "Gender equality is a value that needs to be taught from childhood that girls and boys are individuals who needed to be treated equally. Gender equality is only on paper and needs to be imbibed within families, while governments can make interventions," Fadnavis said. On the personal front, the CM said he never felt pressure from society or family since he only has a daughter. Asserting that his wife is an independent individual, Fadnavis said, "I may not agree with all her views and actions, but as an independent individual, she is free. She is often trolled and has

International Women's Day 2025: 100, 200 and 300-word speeches for students

International Women's Day is celebrated every year on March 8. Check out the inspiring speeches and quotes that students can share on this day

Women's rights under threat 30 years after equality plan adopted, says UN

Thirty years after world leaders adopted a historic blueprint to achieve gender equality, a new United Nations report says women's and girls' rights are under attack and gender discrimination remains deeply embedded in economies and societies. The report released Thursday by the UN agency focused on women's rights and gender equality found that nearly one-quarter of governments worldwide reported a backlash to women's rights last year. Despite some progress, including on girls' education and access to family planning, UN Women said a woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by a partner or family member and that cases of conflict-related sexual violence have increased by 50% since 2022. The report, released ahead of International Women's Day on Saturday, also noted that only 87 countries have ever been led by a woman. Globally, women's human rights are under attack, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. Instead of mainstreaming equal rights, we're seeing the ...

Committed to 70% female workforce participation goal by 2047: Labour secy

India is committed to achieving 70 per cent female workforce participation by 2047 as the government has extended maternity leave, creche facilities, and equal pay provisions for them, a top official said. Addressing the first G20 Employment Working Group Meeting 2025 under South African Presidency, Union Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra also stated that India's increasing participation of women in high-growth sectors like IT, R&D, and engineering was noted as a critical driver of economic growth. Dawra led the Indian delegation at the meeting being held from February 18-21 at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, an official statement said. The delegation included Thelma John David, Consul General of India in Durban, South Africa, and Piyush Kumar Pathak, Deputy Director from Ministry of Labour & Employment. She emphasized the success of the e-Shram portal, which has registered over 300 million unorganized workers, and the modernization of ESIC and EPFO schemes. The Employment Linked ...

It's everyone's responsibility to keep workplaces women-friendly: NCW chief

National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Friday said every place of work, whether government or private, must ensure a safe and secure environment for women and this is the responsibility of everyone. She was speaking at a review meeting held at the Latur collector's office with members and heads of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) formed under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. Rahatkar said that many women endure harassment at workplaces and hesitate to file complaints. But office heads and the colleagues of women must take proactive steps to instill confidence and create a safe workplace environment, she said. The ICCs must hold quarterly review meetings and ensure fair and timely resolution of complaints, Rahatkar said. "First of all, the places of work must be such that no incidents of sexual harassment take place," she said. Rahatkar also called for public awareness campaigns about th

Women make for 28 mn job applications out of 70 mn in 2024: Report

Women accounted for an impressive 2.8 crore job applications, out of a total of seven crore in 2024, marking a 20 per cent increase from 2023, revealed a new report. "India at Work 2024", conducted by job platform Apna.co, highlights how India's employment landscape is witnessing a historic shift, with women leading the charge in workforce participation. The total of seven crore job applications, which itself is a "25 per cent year-on-year surge", according to the report, is primarily driven by heightened workforce participation among women and youth. "Women contributed 2.8 crore job applications out of a total seven crore. Tier 1 cities like Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai led this surge with 1.52 crore applications, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, and Bhopal contributed 1.28 crore, marking a significant rise in opportunities beyond metro hubs," reads the report. It also observed a "28 per cent increase" in median salaries of women in 2024 compared to the ...

Women hold only 10% key managerial personnel positions in India: Report

Women constitute less than 20 per cent of the overall workforce, and only 10 per cent hold key managerial personnel (KMP) positions even as companies are making efforts for diversity, according to a report. Women constitute less than 20 per cent of the overall workforce and hold just over 10 per cent of KMP positions, while female directors account for less than 20 per cent of the total board director positions, according to the 'Mind the Gender Gap' report by CFA Institute and CFA Society India. The 'Mind the Gender Gap' report is based on insights from 300 Indian companies through their Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) disclosures. The report also revealed that women board members and KMPs receive significantly lower compensation compared to their male counterparts, highlighting a gender pay disparity at the top level. Female directors earn only 44 per cent of the median salary of their male counterparts, while female KMPs receive less than 25 per cent of

We have achieved gender parity in edu, focusing on pay gap: India at UN

India Tuesday said it has achieved gender parity across all levels of education and is now prioritising increasing women's workforce participation in non-conventional sectors and bridging gender pay gaps and the digital divide. Delivering the country statement at the UN Ministerial Conference on women empowerment here, Preetam B Yashwant, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, said India has worked on gender-responsive solutions to reduce "time poverty" of women such as clean cooking fuels, tap water connections and construction of toilets. "Aligned to regional trends demonstrating reduced inequalities in education, today, I am happy to share that India has achieved gender parity across all levels of education. We have one of the highest proportions of women in STEM disciplines globally," he said. Yashwant said that India has adopted a multi-pronged approach to address the issues of women on a life-cycle continuum basis for their educational, social, economic and

Patriarchy didn't stop Indira Gandhi from becoming PM: Nirmala Sitharaman

If patriarchy stopped women from achieving what they want in India, how come Indira Gandhi made it as prime minister, asked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. She met the students of CMS Business School here on Saturday and discussed various measures undertaken by the Centre to support innovation as well as the government schemes available for young people, including the 1 crore internships for the unemployable youth' in the age group of 21 to 24 years old. Replying to a question about women empowerment, Sitharaman insisted that patriarchy is a concept invented by the Left. "Don't get carried away by fantastic jargons. If you stand up for yourself and speak logically, patriarchy will not stop you from achieving your dreams," she advised the women in the audience. However, she admitted that women are not facilitated adequately and that more facilitation is needed. Answering a question about the prospects of innovators in India, the finance minister said the Modi government

India's gender equality advancing; social norms, safety concerns remain: UN

India's progress towards gender equality has accelerated in recent years, with increased investments and focus on women's leadership at the grassroots but social norms, limited workforce participation and gaps in safety measures hinder full gender parity, UN Women officials said. In an interview, Daniel Seymour, UN Women's Director of Strategic Partnerships and Susan Jane Ferguson, Country Representative for UN Women in India, shared insights on the country's strides and the challenges that remain. The conversation highlighted India's increased investments in women's empowerment and gender-responsive policies, yet stressed that deep-rooted social norms and limited financing continue to hamper full progress. "India's progress is significant, but closing the remaining gaps requires targeted efforts across both public and private sectors," Ferguson said. India has seen substantial growth in recent years, especially in gender-responsive budgeting, which has increased to 6.8 per cent, .

Men at home, women at work: The surprising rise of the modern househusband

In 45 per cent of marriages in the US, women now earn as much or more than their husbands, a figure that has tripled in 50 years, according to a 2023 Pew Research report

A safe place for women: Military needs greater gender sensitisation

The military's growing number of women officers highlights the need for gender sensitisation. Recent harassment cases show systemic flaws that must be addressed for true gender equality

Over 850 million women face 'very poor' gender equality conditions: Report

No country has achieved the gender equality targets set by the United Nations for 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals, said the report

EU chief aims for gender parity but commissioner roles remain male-heavy

At first glance, the European Union may seem like a paragon of gender equality what with Ursula von der Leyen heading the all-important executive branch. Still, all the talk this week is about an excess of men poised for top positions at the EU headquarters. Not that von der Leyen, the first woman to hold the position as European Commission president, would want anything other than full gender parity in the body that runs the day-to-day business of the world's biggest trading bloc of 450 million people. One of its key objectives is achieving gender balance in decision-making, the strategy of von der Leyen's outgoing European Commission boldly proclaimed. Her office was committed to lead by example, with the first female Commission president selected in 2019, and the first gender-balanced College of Commissioners during this time. When it comes to gender issues, the 27-nation EU is often seen as perhaps the most progressive grouping of countries in the world, leaving other nations a

Celebration of ideals of liberty, equality, fraternity: V-P on I-Day

The Vice-President in his message called the countrymen to commit themselves to the lofty values upheld by the freedom movement

Paris Olympics nears gender parity, a glance at athlete gender breakdown

The founder of the modern Olympics and former IOC president, Pierre de Coubertin, once said women competing in the Games would be "impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic and improper." Over a century later, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games are targeting gender parity in the same city where women made their Olympic debut in 1900. The IOC set a goal of a 50-50 split among the more than 11,000 men and women, including backups, registered to compete from July 26 to Aug. 11. However, the latest numbers from the IOC suggest organizers might fall just short of that target. Slightly more medal events for men than women. There is still a slight edge toward men among the 329 medal events at the Paris Olympics. The IOC has said there are 157 men's events, 152 women's events and 20 mixed-gender events. Of the 32 sports, 28 are "fully gender equal," the IOC said, including the new event of breaking to music. Rhythmic gymnastics is still for women only but men are allowed to compete in artistic ...

DGCA issues advisory to increase women's representation in aviation sector

DGCA Circular is issued in line with the principle of gender equality that is enshrined in the Constitution of India