Syllabus
GS Paper 1 – Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Context
The launch of the Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality signifies India’s proactive role in driving collective action towards women-led development worldwide.
Source
The Hindu | Editorial dated 15th February 2024
A global alliance to bridge the gender equity gap
Equality and inclusion stand as the pillars of India’s developmental journey, underscored by initiatives such as the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration and the recent launch of the Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality. India’s commitment to prioritizing inclusion across various domains reflects a concerted effort toward fostering women-led development and advancing socio-economic empowerment on a global scale.
Initiatives Driving Women-Led Development
- The passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill, ensuring a third of seats for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, signifies a revolutionary step towards women’s empowerment in governance.
- Allocations of $27 billion under the gender budget in 2023-24 underscore the government’s commitment to advancing women-led development.
- Increased female labour force participation rates, higher education enrollment, and significant representation in STEM courses highlight India’s progress towards gender equality.
- Participation of over nine crore women in 83 lakh self-help groups in rural areas showcases grassroots efforts to improve socio-economic conditions.
India’s Global Contributions
- India’s success stories in various domains, including space exploration, sports, entrepreneurship, and UN peacekeeping operations, garner global acknowledgment and interest.
- The We-Lead Lounge at Davos serves as a platform for meaningful discussions on inclusive development, reflecting global recognition of India’s initiatives.
- The Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality, anchored by the CII Centre for Women Leadership, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to drive collective actions for women empowerment globally.
Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality
The Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality is a recently launched initiative aimed at accelerating progress towards gender equality on a global scale. It was announced at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2024, with the support and endorsement of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Government of India.
Goals of the Alliance
- Bring together global best practices: The Alliance aims to create a platform for sharing and learning best practices in promoting gender equality from around the world. This includes initiatives in areas such as education, health, economic empowerment, and political participation.
- Foster knowledge sharing: The Alliance will facilitate knowledge sharing among stakeholders, including governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and individuals. This will help to build capacity and accelerate progress towards gender equality.
- Attract investments: The Alliance aims to attract investments in key areas that promote gender equality, such as education, health, and entrepreneurship. This will help to mobilize resources and support for gender equality initiatives
- The Alliance aims to develop scalable solutions for advancing women-led development in ed-tech, medical capacity building, agrotech, women enterprise development, and capital unlocking.
- Leveraging India’s expertise in pharmaceuticals and digital technology, the Alliance seeks to provide shared direction to global stakeholders.
While achievements are lauded, issues like Sabarimala temple entry underscore the ongoing struggle to eliminate discriminatory practices related to menstruation and promote gender equality.
Reality of Gender Equality
Gender discrimination in India is a complex and multifaceted issue with deep historical and cultural roots. It manifests in various ways across different aspects of life, impacting women and girls disproportionately.
- Discriminatory practices related to menstruation: While menstruation is a natural phenomenon, societal attitudes and policies often trivialize its impact, perpetuating gender disparities.
- The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021 indicates a widening gender gap, with women facing lower workforce participation and fewer leadership opportunities.
- The participation of women in the labour force is significantly lower than that of men, and even fewer women hold leadership positions
- Lesser pay for equal work :at the workforce level, a woman earns 84 cents for every dollar that a man makes.
- The National Family Health Survey highlights the challenges faced by women in accessing menstrual hygiene products, leading to health risks and social exclusion.
- Women continue to face challenges in various sectors including exclusion from combat roles in the military.
Paid period leave and gender equality
The demand for paid leave for menstruation, while well-intentioned, can inadvertently undermine efforts towards gender equality.
- Granting special status for menstruation may perpetuate social stigma and exacerbate period shaming, hindering women’s empowerment efforts.
- Countries like Japan offer unpaid menstrual leave, yet it remains underutilized due to fears of stigma and discrimination
| Case Study – Japan Japan that provide leave for painful menstruation- but it is mostly unpaid, and unused. Women claim that they are reluctant to avail this leave and ‘broadcast’ that they are on their period, for the fear of sexual harassment. This is the situation (today), even though this policy was introduced in Japan more than seven decades ago. Data show(s) that a mere 0.9% of women in the workforce avail menstrual leave days in Japan. |
- Implementing paid menstrual leave raises questions about enforcement and potential misuse, as highlighted by incidents of forced menstruation checks in India.
- In 2020, 66 girl students in an institute in Bhuj in Kutch, Gujarat, were forced to strip to check who was menstruating
- In 2017 in Muzzafarnagar, where 70 girls in a residential school were compelled to undress by staff to check for menstruation.
Way Ahead
- Recognising the diverse nature of menstrual experiences is essential. Tailoring support and being accommodative on a case-by-case basis promotes inclusivity, while also addressing the individual needs of those navigating their (difficult) periods.
- Industry worldwide can share and adopt best practices to promote women’s entry and growth in the workspace.
- Investment in proven programs and initiatives can enable scalability and foster inclusion as a business conversation.
- Collaborative efforts with the global community, including industry, think tanks, and investors, can enhance women’s engagement and leadership within the economy.
Conclusion
India’s commitment to “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future” and its ethos of inclusive development underscore the significance of the Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality. Positioned as a formidable force on gender-related issues, the Alliance reflects India’s dedication to fostering global collaboration for women-led development.
RELATED TOPICS
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam
The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, reserves one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha, State legislative assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, including those reserved for SCs and STs.
Key features of the Bill
- Reservation for women: The Bill reserves, as nearly as may be, one-third of all seats for women in Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies, and the Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. This will also apply to the seats reserved for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha and states legislatures.
- Commencement of reservation: The reservation will be effective after the census conducted after the commencement of this Bill has been published. Based on the census, delimitation will be undertaken to reserve seats for women. The reservation will be provided for a period of 15 years.
- Rotation of seats: Seats reserved for women will be rotated after each delimitation, as determined by a law made by Parliament.
References
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Practice Question
Examine the role of Alliance for Global Good – Gender Equity and Equality in fostering women-led development domestically and globally. [250 words]