Women & Gender Issues

Overview

Gender equality requires addressing violence, economic participation, representation and social norms; laws and schemes provide a framework but norms change slowly.

Key points

• NFHS-5 reported an overall sex ratio of 1,020 women per 1,000 men; sex ratio at birth remains a concern.
• Laws: Dowry Prohibition Act (1961), Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (2005), POSH Act (2013, after the Vishaka guidelines of 1997).
• The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 extended paid leave to 26 weeks.
• The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (106th Amendment, 2023) reserves one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and assemblies for women, to apply after delimitation.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (2015) targets the child sex ratio and girls’ education.
• Female labour force participation has been low but is rising.

Practice MCQs

1. From the perspective of definition and scope, which one of the following statements about Women & Gender Issues is correct?

   1. Gender outcomes are influenced by education, health, work, assets, safety, care responsibilities, representation and social norms.
   2. A single increase in female enrolment is sufficient evidence that gender inequality has ended.
   3. Women & Gender Issues is unrelated to institutions, processes or real-world applications.
   4. Women & Gender Issues has no exceptions or limitations in exam analysis.

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   Answer: (a) Gender outcomes are influenced by education, health, work, assets, safety, care responsibilities, representation and social norms.. Gender outcomes are influenced by education, health, work, assets, safety, care responsibilities, representation and social norms.

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2. Consider the following statements on Women & Gender Issues, focusing on definition and scope: 1. Gender outcomes are influenced by education, health, work, assets, safety, care responsibilities, representation and social norms. 2. A single increase in female enrolment is sufficient evidence that gender inequality has ended. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. 1 only
   2. 2 only
   3. Both 1 and 2
   4. Neither 1 nor 2

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   Answer: (a) 1 only. Statement 1 is correct; Statement 2 is a common misconception.

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More topics in this chapter

• Post-Independence Consolidation
• Society and Diversity
• Population and settlement