Women empowerment, miles to go

INDIAN women's empowerment is still a long way if the World Economic Forum's report, which has put the country among the bottom 10 when it comes to their participation in economic agenda, is any hint. According to the World Economic Forum's latest Gender Gap Index report released over the weekend, India has been ranked at 114th position after taking into account economic, political, and educational and health parities, among a total 128 countries. In terms of "economic participation and opportunity" alone, India has fared even worse at 122nd position, pushing it into the bottom ten. In the overall ranking, the country has slipped from 98th rank in 2006 when the index included a total of 115 countries. This year's Gender Gap Index has been topped by Sweden with a gender equality of 81.5 per cent, followed by Norway , Finland , Iceland and New Zealand . The countries ranked below India include Bahrain, Cameroon, Burkina Fa's, Iran, Oman, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, Benin, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Pakistan, Chad and Yemen with the. Lowest gender equality of 45.1 per cent.

According to the WEF report, India has an overall 59.4 per cent gender equality, while for economic participation and opportunity it stands at 39.8 per cent. Compared to its 122nd rank for economic participation, India has fared much better in terms of political empowerment at 21st position. The country has 106 women in Parliament, 118 in ministerial positions and has seen four years with a female head of state in the last 50 years. India is ranked at fourth position with 43-per cent gender equality when compared in terms of a women state head. The economic parity index is based on four parameters labour force participation, wage equality for similar work, income, legislators, senior officials and managers and professional and technical workers. In terms of wage equality, India 's rank "is much better at 59th with a 67 per cent gender equality, while for professional and technical it is 97th (27 per cent equality). It has been ranked below 100th positions for the other three parameters. WEF said that India has 36 per cent female participation in overall labour force, while for professional and technical workers it is 21 per cent.

In terms of economic participation and opportunity, Mozambique has been named as the top country with best gender equality of 79.7 per cent, followed by Philippines (78.9 per cent), Ghana (78.1 per cent), Tanzania (78 per cent) and Moldova (77.8 per cent). On economic parameters, the only six companies faring worse than India are Iran (123rd), Bahrain (124th), Oman (125th), Pakistan (126th), Saudi Arabia (127th) and Yemen (128th).  (Source:   Political and Business Daily, November 12, 2007)