The gender gap in education is a pressing issue where boys and girls do not have equal access to learning opportunities. Despite progress over the years, many girls around the world still face barriers to education, such as poverty, cultural norms, and lack of resources. These obstacles prevent them from attending school and achieving their full potential. Closing the gender gap in education is crucial because it empowers girls, promotes equality, and contributes to the overall development of society. By ensuring that all children, regardless of gender, have the chance to learn, we can build a brighter and more equitable future for everyone.
Tags: GS – 2, Social Justice- Issues Related to Children & Women– Global Gender Gap Report 2024
Context:
- The World Economic Forum’s 18th edition of the Global Gender Gap Report for 2024, which benchmarks gender parity across 146 economies, ranked India at 129th.
- India’s decline in the education sector contributed to its fall by a few positions this year.
What is the Global Gender Gap Index?
About:
- The Global Gender Gap Index benchmarks countries based on progress towards gender parity in four key dimensions: health, education, economy, and politics.
- Scores range from 0 to 1, where 1 represents full gender parity and 0 signifies complete disparity.
- Established in 2006, it is the longest-standing index tracking progress in closing gender gaps over time.
Objectives:
- To monitor and track the relative gaps between women and men across health, education, economy, and politics.
- To provide a tool for stakeholders to set priorities and address gender disparities within each country’s specific economic, political, and cultural context.
Key Findings of the Global Gender Gap Report 2024:
- Overall Findings:
- The global gender gap score is 68.5%, indicating 31.5% of the gap remains unaddressed. Progress has been minimal, with only a 0.1% improvement from 2023.
- At the current pace, achieving full gender parity will take 134 years, significantly beyond the 2030 SDG target.
- The largest gaps are in Political Empowerment (77.5% unaddressed) and Economic Participation & Opportunity (39.5% unaddressed).
- Top-Ranking Countries:
- Iceland (93.5%) is the most gender-equal country for the 15th consecutive year, followed by Finland, Norway, New Zealand, and Sweden.
- Seven of the top 10 countries are from Europe: Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, and Spain.
- Other regions represented include Eastern Asia and the Pacific (New Zealand at 4), Latin America and the Caribbean (Nicaragua at 6), and Sub-Saharan Africa (Namibia at 8).
- Spain and Ireland notably advanced into the top 10, rising 8 and 2 ranks, respectively, compared to 2023.
- Regional Performance:
- Europe leads with 75% of its gender gap closed, followed by Northern America (74.8%) and Latin America & Caribbean (74.2%).
- The Middle East and North Africa have the lowest closure rate at 61.7%.
- Southern Asia ranks 7th out of 8 regions with a gender parity score of 63.7%.
- Economic & Employment Gaps:
- Women’s workforce representation stands at 42% overall and 31.7% in senior leadership roles.
- The “leadership pipeline” shows a 21.5% point drop from entry-level to managerial positions for women globally.
- The hiring of women into leadership roles has declined in 2023-24 due to worsening economic conditions.
- Care Burden Impact:
- Women’s workforce participation is recovering from increased caregiving responsibilities, underscoring the need for equitable care systems.
- Although equitable care policies like paid parental leave are improving, they remain inadequate in many countries.
- Technology & Skills Gaps:
- Women are underrepresented in STEM fields (28.2%) compared to non-STEM roles (47.3%).
- Gender gaps persist in critical skills areas such as AI, big data, and cybersecurity, which are crucial for the future of work.
India’s Performance in the Gender Gap Report 2024:
- India’s Rank:
- India has fallen two places in the global rankings to 129th out of 146 countries in 2024, compared to 127th in 2023.
- Within South Asia, India is ranked fifth, behind Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan. Pakistan is at the bottom of the region.
- Economic Parity:
- India is among the countries with the lowest economic parity levels, alongside Bangladesh, Sudan, Iran, Pakistan, and Morocco.
- The gender parity in estimated earned income is less than 30%.
- Educational Attainment:
- India has achieved the best gender parity in secondary education enrollment.
- Political Empowerment:
- India is ranked 65th globally in political empowerment of women and 10th in terms of parity in years with female/male heads of state over the past 50 years.
- Despite this, women’s representation remains low at the federal level, with 6.9% in Ministerial positions and 17.2% in Parliament.
- Gender Gap Closure:
- India has closed 64.1% of its gender gap as of 2024.
- The decline in ranking from 127th to 129th is attributed to minor decreases in ‘Educational Attainment’ and ‘Political Empowerment,’ although there were slight improvements in ‘Economic Participation’ and ‘Opportunity.’
Key Findings and Statistics Regarding Education Attainment:
Enrolment and Literacy Rates:
- Overall Enrolment: Women have high enrolment rates in primary, secondary, and tertiary education.
- Literacy Rate Gap: The literacy rate gap between men and women is 17.2 percentage points.
- School Population: Girls make up 48% of the school population. While there is a slight decline in secondary education enrolment, the retention rate at the higher secondary level is higher.
Higher Education:
- Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): Women’s GER in higher education is 28.5%, slightly higher than the male GER of 28.3%.
- Increase in Enrolment: Female enrolment in higher education has increased by 32% since 2014-15.
Influencing Factors:
- Infrastructure Development: The construction of more schools since the mid-1990s has significantly boosted girls’ enrolment. However, regional disparities remain, with some states lagging in secondary education infrastructure.
- Female Teachers: The presence of female teachers positively influences girls’ enrolment. Schools with only male teachers tend to have lower female enrolment due to parental concerns.
- Transportation and Sanitation: Free transportation and cycles have increased enrolment, but inadequate sanitation facilities, especially for menstruating girls, remain a significant barrier.
Future Challenges:
- Higher Secondary and College Education: While enrolment in higher secondary education is increasing, concerns are growing about boys dropping out.
- STEM Education: Women constitute only 42.5% of students in STEM fields, indicating a need for targeted encouragement.
- Adult Literacy: The 2011 Census reveals a significant gender gap in adult literacy, with 64.63% of women being literate compared to 80.88% of men.
Recommendations:
- Improving School Infrastructure: Invest in building and maintaining school facilities, especially in rural areas.
- Increasing Female Teacher Presence: Recruit and retain more female teachers to foster a supportive learning environment for girls.
- Enhanced Sanitation Facilities: Ensure proper maintenance of washrooms to prevent dropouts among older girls.
- Focus on Foundational Literacy: Strengthen foundational literacy programs and extend education to rural women to address the adult literacy gap.
Indian Initiatives to Reduce Gender Gap:
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP):
- Objective: Aims to address declining child sex ratio and promote the survival, protection, and education of the girl child.
- Approach: Combines advocacy, awareness, and strengthening of health and education services.
Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK):
- Objective: Empowers rural women through community participation.
- Approach: Provides support through grassroots-level institutions like village-level Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK) for women’s empowerment and development.
Mahila Police Volunteers (MPV):
- Objective: Strengthens women’s safety and security.
- Approach: Enlists female volunteers to assist in addressing issues related to women’s safety and support the police in their duties.
Rashtriya Mahila Kosh (RMK):
- Objective: Provides financial support to economically disadvantaged women.
- Approach: Offers micro-financing to women for starting or expanding small businesses, enhancing their economic status.
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojna:
- Objective: Encourages savings for the education and marriage of the girl child.
- Approach: Provides tax benefits and higher interest rates on savings accounts specifically for the education and welfare of girls.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV):
- Objective: Promotes education for girls in disadvantaged regions.
- Approach: Establishes residential schools for girls from marginalised communities to enhance their educational opportunities.
Political Reservation:
- Panchayati Raj Institutions: 33% of seats reserved for women to increase their representation in local governance.
- Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023: Reserves one-third of all seats in Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi for women, including reserved seats for SCs and STs.
Female Entrepreneurship Initiatives:
- Stand-Up India: Facilitates loans to women entrepreneurs for setting up greenfield enterprises.
- Mahila-e-Haat: An online platform to support women entrepreneurs, self-help groups (SHGs), and NGOs by providing a marketplace for their products.
- Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Programme (ESSDP): Provides training and support for women to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and create job opportunities.
UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)
Prelims:
Q:1 Which of the following gives ‘Global Gender Gap Index’ ranking to the countries of the world? (2017)
- World Economic Forum
- UN Human Rights Council
- UN Women
- World Health Organization
Ans: (a)
Mains:
Q:1 Discuss the desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary to ensure diversity, equity and inclusiveness. (2021)
Source: TH
FAQs
Q: What is the gender gap in education?
- Answer: The gender gap in education refers to the differences in educational opportunities, achievements, and outcomes between boys and girls. It often means that girls have less access to education and face more barriers to completing their studies compared to boys.
Q: Why does the gender gap in education exist?
- Answer: The gender gap exists due to various reasons, including cultural norms, poverty, early marriages, lack of female teachers, safety concerns, and limited access to schools. These factors can prevent girls from attending or staying in school.
Q: How does the gender gap in education affect girls?
- Answer: The gender gap affects girls by limiting their future opportunities. Without a proper education, girls may have fewer job prospects, lower earning potential, and less ability to make informed decisions about their lives. This can perpetuate cycles of poverty and inequality.
Q: What can be done to close the gender gap in education?
- Answer: To close the gender gap, efforts can include providing scholarships for girls, building more schools in rural areas, ensuring safe transportation, raising awareness about the importance of girls’ education, and implementing policies that prevent early marriages. Encouraging community support and changing cultural attitudes are also key.
Q: What are the benefits of closing the gender gap in education?
- Answer: Closing the gender gap benefits society as a whole. Educated girls are more likely to contribute to the economy, improve the health and education of their future children, and participate in decision-making processes. This leads to stronger, more equitable communities and a more prosperous nation.
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