By Diya Mehta
In 1948, Dr. Hansa Mehta, an Indian delegate to the United Nations, played a pivotal role in altering the Universal Declaration of Human Rights language, changing “all men” to “all human beings.” This momentous change underscored India’s commitment to gender equality on a global stage, a commitment that India has since aimed to reflect both domestically and internationally. India has implemented numerous gender policies to address issues within the country. However, despite these efforts, its gender inequality ranking continues to decline. Furthermore, while India has many state and national schemes to address gender issues, it lacks a robust foreign policy on Women, Peace, and Security to reflect their commitment internationally.
Why Gender Equality Matters
Gender equality is a fundamental aspect of human rights and is crucial for the overall development of a nation. It enhances economic growth, promotes social stability, encourages peace, and ensures the inclusive participation of all citizens in the development process. For India, a country with an ever-growing economy and rising status on the international stage, achieving gender equality is not just a moral imperative but a necessity for sustainable progress domestically and globally.
Current Scenario in India
Despite numerous policies and initiatives aimed at improving gender equality, India still faces significant challenges. The country has seen some progress, as evidenced by the improvement in its ranking from 122 in 2021 to 108 in 2022 in gender equality indices. However, issues like gender-based violence (spousal violence, physical violence during pregnancy, and sexual violence against young women), honor crimes, and forced marriage remain prevalent, particularly in rural areas. The data by the National Crime Records Bureau shows that crime against women has been increasing over decades, and the sex ratio— fueled by sex-selective abortions and increased violence against women— is still skewed despite the promises to achieve gender balance.
In terms of political representation, women make up only a small fraction of the decision-makers. As of 2024, women hold just 14.7% of the seats in the Lok Sabha. The Indian Council of Ministers includes only 7 women out of 72 members, highlighting the underrepresentation of women in key political positions.
India’s Efforts on the Global Stage
Internationally, India has made several commitments to gender equality. The country ratified the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1993 and has supported various United Nations initiatives, including sending all-women peacekeeping contingents. Additionally, India has been elected for a seat on the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women for the past four years. However, these efforts often face criticism for being superficial and not translating into substantive changes on the ground. India still has not developed and enacted a National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and Security and its partial ratification of CEDAW, without its optional protocol, reflects the gaps between its international commitments and domestic implementations.
Impact on India’s Global Image
India’s struggles with gender equality impact its global reputation. While the country is recognized for its economic and technological advancements, its gender inequality issues sometimes overshadow these achievements. The downgrades in the Global Gender Gap Report, where India slipped to 129th in 2024 from 127th in 2023, particularly in educational attainment and political empowerment, highlight ongoing challenges.
India’s reluctance to fully embrace international frameworks like the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda further complicates its image. This reluctance, justified by claims of non-applicability to India’s context, raises questions about the country’s commitment to gender equality. Additionally, high numbers of women in the total workforce of the Indian Foreign Service does not translate into high numbers of women being posted at high governance positions. This is likely tied to deeply seated patriarchal beliefs that a majority of Indians still believe about the value of women in traditionally male roles.
Modern Policy for a Modernizing Country
India needs an approach that goes beyond policy formulation to actual implementation, enforcement, and societal change to address these issues. This includes strengthening domestic policies by ensuring stricter enforcement of existing laws and programs and introducing new measures to protect women’s rights and promote gender equality in all spheres of life. Further, India must increase the representation of women in political and decision-making positions to ensure women’s perspectives and realities are considered in policy-making processes. Additionally, the Indian government must work toward fostering a culture of gender equality in the country through education and awareness programs that challenge traditional patriarchal norms and promote the value of women’s contributions to society. Finally, fully ratifying international protocols and frameworks, such as the optional protocol of CEDAW is essential to demonstrate a genuine commitment to gender equality on the global stage. The country’s religious, ethnic, and linguistic diversity, socio-economic disparities, deeply ingrained cultural norms, and complicated history make this task particularly daunting. However, these challenges should not serve as excuses but rather as motivations to strive for a society worthy of the millions of Indians.
India stands at a crucial intersection. The nation can either continue to grapple with increasing gender inequality and fail on its many promises or take decisive steps toward creating a more inclusive and safe society. By addressing both domestic and international dimensions of gender equality, India can improve the lives of its women and strengthen its global standing. It is time for India to translate its commitments into actions and lead by example in the quest for gender equality.
Bio: Diya Mehta is a rising senior at the Elliott School of International Affairs. She has worked in several NGOs working towards women’s rights and peacebuilding. She is completing research this summer in India as part of the Deans Scholars program. This article was written as a part of the Sigur Center Student Research Fellowship received by Ms. Mehta.
