India slips to 131st position in Global Gender Gap Index 2025

In News:

India has slipped to 131st position in the Global Gender Gap Index 2025, released on June 12, 2025.

Why is India in News?

• India ranked 131/148, down from 129 in 2024.
• Parity score 64.1%, among lowest in South Asia.
• Improvements seen in economic participation, but political empowerment declined.

What is the Global Gender Gap Index?

• Published annually by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
• Measures gender parity across four pillars:
  1. Economic Participation & Opportunity
  2. Educational Attainment
  3. Health & Survival
  4. Political Empowerment

India's Performance (2025 Report)

• Overall Rank: 131/148
• Score: 64.1%
• Absolute improvement: +0.3 points

Economic Participation

• Improved by +0.9 points → 40.7%
• Earned income parity: 28.6% → 29.9%
• Labour force participation: 45.9% (unchanged; highest so far)

Educational Attainment

• Score 97.1%
• Growth in literacy & tertiary enrolment for women

Health & Survival

• Higher parity due to better sex ratio at birth & life expectancy

Political Empowerment (Declined)

• Women MPs: 14.7% → 13.8%
• Female ministers: 6.5% → 5.6%
• Far below highest level of 30% (2019)

Global Insights

• Global gap closure: 68.8%
• Full parity estimated in 123 years
• Top Countries: Iceland (1st), Finland, Norway, UK, New Zealand
• South Asia Ranking: Bangladesh (24), Bhutan (119), Nepal (125), Sri Lanka (130), India (131), Maldives (138), Pakistan (148)

Significance

• Highlights persistent gender inequality in leadership and power structures.
• Shows progress in education & income, but weak representation in governance.
• Indicates need for policy-backed structural reforms.

Challenges

• Low share of women in parliament/cabinet.
• Large burden of unpaid domestic labour.
• Income and workforce participation gap remains wide.

Way Forward

• Enhance women representation via electoral & ministerial reforms.
• Increase labour force opportunities with skill & employment schemes.
• Reduce pay gap and unpaid labour via supportive social infrastructure.
• Promote long-term health, education & political empowerment measures.

Updated – 12 June 2025 ; 01:14 PM IST | News Source – The Hindu