Global Gender Gap Index

Context : India’s Gender Gap Worsens in 2025 Global Index

India’s Rank & Gender Gap Index (2025)

• Rank: 131st out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index.

• Decline: India dropped two places compared to 2024.

• Reason: Major deterioration in political empowerment despite stable or improved metrics in economic, health, and education sectors.

Key Areas of Concern:

1. Political Representation:

   • Women in Parliament fell from 14.7% (78 MPs in 2024) to 13.79% (74 MPs in 2025).

   • Women in ministerial positions declined from 6.45% to 5.56%.

2. Future Outlook:

   • 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies was passed in 2023.

   • Will be implemented only after the 2029 Census and delimitation, impacting 2029 and 2034 elections.

   • Reservation is time-bound for 15 years, raising concerns about long-term sustainability.

3. State-Level Gaps:

   • As of 2023, women held only 9% of MLA positions nationwide.

   • Chhattisgarh had highest (18%) and Mizoram had zero women MLAs.

Women Voters vs. Representation:

• Voter Turnout:

  • Gender gap in voter participation narrowed from 17% (1962) to <2% (2014).

  • Women now outvote men in many States, partly due to male migration.

• Political Strategy:

  • Parties are targeting women voters with welfare schemes (e.g., bicycles, monthly allowances).

  • Yet women remain underrepresented in candidate lists (only 8–9% on average).

Despite high voter participation, India lags significantly in political representation of women. Structural reforms like reservation offer hope but face implementation delays and limited duration, requiring deeper political and societal shifts to ensure sustainable gender equity.