follow us:
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has released a report on the status of women's empowerment in India, developed by its Gender Centre.
The Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has released a report on the status of women’s empowerment in India, developed by its Gender Centre. Based on Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) parameters, the report highlights subnational (district) variations.
Titled “Women’s Empowerment at the Subnational Level: Towards Achieving Gender Equality (SDG 5),” it introduces the Women Empowerment Index, offering a comprehensive district-level analysis to promote gender equality.
The report highlights the distinct challenges women face across various regions and communities, including limited access to education, economic independence, and difficulties in achieving work-life balance.
It aims to facilitate targeted interventions at the district level. The study analyzed data from the National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) and NFHS-5 for women aged 15 to 49 across 705 districts nationwide.
Among the 705 districts surveyed, 67.5% reported that women are empowered in decision-making and mobility. There has been a notable rise in women’s participation in decisions related to their healthcare, household purchases, and management of their husband’s income.
The percentage of women making decisions alone or jointly with their partners has increased. Additionally, the proportion of women owning assets (land or house) either individually or jointly with their partners rose from 29.09% in NFHS-4 to 35.00% in NFHS-5.
While women’s literacy rates have improved, only 46.1% of districts reported educational empowerment, and just 32.25% of women respondents felt they could achieve a work-life balance, underscoring the persistent issue of unpaid domestic work.
In higher education, the average number of women completing degrees rose from 11.43 per 100 women in NFHS-4 to 14.42 per 100 women in NFHS-5, though primary and secondary education showed minimal change.
Additionally, interest in mass media has risen from 69.12% in NFHS-4 to 76.24% in NFHS-5, with more women engaging with various media forms, such as listening to the radio, watching television, and reading newspapers. This increase reflects greater exposure to mass media among women.
