Making Policy Gender Sensitive

Gender-sensitive policymaking acknowledges and addresses the distinct and often disproportionate impacts of policies on various genders, particularly in societies marked by historical and systemic inequalities. In India, incidents like the Anna University sexual assault case have underscored the urgent need for such policies. Institutional insensitivity in these situations often amplifies the trauma faced by survivors, highlighting broader societal challenges. This calls for a transformative approach to policymaking. Gender-sensitive policies aim not only to address immediate disparities but also to serve as foundational tools for fostering long-term socio-economic and cultural equity by creating fair and inclusive frameworks.

Why Is Gender-Sensitive Policy Making Necessary?

Persistent Gender Disparities

Female Labour Force Participation:
According to the Economic Survey 2023-2024, India’s female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rose to 37% in 2022-2023 from 23.3% in 2017-2018. However, this remains significantly below global and regional benchmarks, such as China’s 61.5%.
This limits women’s economic independence and negatively impacts national productivity.

Wage Inequality:
The Gender Gap Index 2024 reveals that India’s economic parity stands at 39.8%, indicating women earn only ₹39.8 for every ₹100 earned by men. Despite this, India has closed 64.1% of its overall gender gap.
Wage disparities undervalue women’s contributions, reinforcing economic dependency and reducing investments in critical areas like education, healthcare, and personal development.

Educational Gaps:
While literacy rates among women have improved, systemic barriers continue to restrict access to higher education for many girls.
Notably, although India produces the highest percentage of women STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduates globally (40%), their representation in STEM-related jobs remains low at just 14%, according to the CSIR Report 2022.
Socio-economic challenges like poverty, poor infrastructure in rural areas, and societal norms prioritizing male education exacerbate these disparities.

Political Underrepresentation:
In the 18th Lok Sabha, women constitute only 13.6% (74 seats), a decline from 14.4% (78 seats) in the 17th Lok Sabha.
This lack of representation reduces advocacy for women-centric policies and limits the diversity of perspectives in governance

Socio-Cultural Barriers

Patriarchal Norms:
Deeply entrenched patriarchal attitudes restrict women’s mobility, decision-making power, and access to resources.
For instance, only 47% of Indian women report having a say in household financial decisions, highlighting gendered power imbalances.

Intersectional Discrimination:
Women from marginalized communities, such as Dalits and Muslims, face compounded discrimination based on gender, caste, and religion.
According to the 2011 Census, the worker population ratio for Muslims was 32.6%, compared to Hindus (41%) and Christians (41.9%).

Violence and Safety Concerns:
The NCRB 2023 report notes a 4% rise in crimes against women in 2022, including abductions, assaults, and sexual violence.
Many incidents remain unreported due to societal stigma, mistrust in the justice system, and fear of retaliation, further exacerbating vulnerability.

Economic and Developmental Imperatives

Economic Growth Potential:
Enabling women’s equal participation in the economy could boost India’s GDP by 16%, adding $700 billion by 2025 and increasing annual growth by 1.4 percentage points.
Achieving this requires removing barriers to women’s economic participation through targeted policies.

Healthcare Outcomes:
Gender-sensitive healthcare policies significantly improve maternal and child health outcomes.
India’s maternal mortality ratio stands at 97 per 100,000 live births, and targeted interventions can further reduce this figure while ensuring equitable healthcare access.

Human Development:
Addressing gender inequities is essential for meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5, which prioritizes gender equality as a foundation for sustainable development.

Moral and Legal Dimensions

Legal Barriers:
Gender-insensitive policing remains a significant hurdle in justice delivery.
The Madras High Court criticized the Tamil Nadu Police for victim-blaming in the Anna University sexual assault case, underscoring the urgent need for reform in law enforcement practices.

Constitutional Mandate:
The Indian Constitution explicitly guarantees gender equality through Articles 14, 15, 16, 39(d), and 42, which ensure equal rights, prohibit discrimination, and promise social security for women.
Effective governance must uphold these provisions.

Global Commitments:
As a signatory to international conventions like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), India is obligated to implement policies that promote gender equity and safeguard women’s rights.

Major Steps Taken Towards Gender-Sensitive Policy Making

Legislative Framework

• Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017:
  Increased maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks to support postnatal care and ensure better work-life balance for women. It also mandates creche facilities in workplaces with over 50 employees to promote women’s workforce participation.
• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013:
  Requires organizations to form Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) to address grievances related to sexual harassment, providing women with a formal mechanism for seeking redressal.
• Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013:
  Introduced stringent punishments for crimes like sexual assault and stalking, demonstrating a strong stance against gender-based violence.
• Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006:
  Seeks to eliminate child marriage by enforcing legal penalties and raising awareness, especially in rural and marginalized areas where this practice is more prevalent.

Government Initiatives

• Gender Budgeting:
  Introduced in 2005-06, gender budgeting integrates gender perspectives into policy formulation and resource allocation.
  The Union Budget 2024-25 allocated over ₹3 lakh crore for schemes benefiting women and girls, focusing on women-led development.
  Ministries and departments have established Gender Budget Cells to monitor spending and assess its impact on gender equality.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP):
  Aimed at improving the sex ratio at birth, which rose from 918 in 2014-15 to 934 in 2019-20, addressing cultural biases favoring male children.
  The initiative integrates efforts across ministries to enhance girls’ access to education, healthcare, and nutrition. However, challenges persist, as the National Statistical Office (NSO) reported a 12.6% dropout rate for students, with 19.8% discontinuing at the secondary level and 17.5% at the upper primary level.
• Schemes Prioritizing Women:
  Initiatives like MGNREGA, Ujjwala Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana empower women by offering preferential access to jobs, financial aid, healthcare, and energy.
  In FY 2023-24, 63.6% of MUDRA beneficiaries were women entrepreneurs.
  Other programs, such as the One Stop Centre Scheme, provide integrated services for women facing violence, including medical, legal, psychological, and police assistance. Similarly, the Support to Training and Employment Programme (STEP) offers training and employment opportunities for economic empowerment.
• Encouraging Participation in R&D:
  Programs like Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI) and Biotechnology Career Advancement and Re-orientation (BioCARe) promote women’s involvement in research and development through grants, fellowships, and career development opportunities in STEM and biotechnology.
• Digital Inclusion Initiatives:
  The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) targets women in underserved areas by offering training in digital payments and e-governance to enhance their financial and civic participation.

Judiciary and Policing

• Gender-Sensitive Policing:
  The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs recommended establishing at least one all-women police station in each district.
  Gender-sensitization training for police personnel is being implemented to improve their understanding of gender issues and ensure empathetic handling of cases involving women.
• Judicial Directives:
  The Supreme Court has issued guidelines mandating gender sensitization in workplaces and educational institutions to promote awareness and inclusive environments.
  Additionally, the Supreme Court released a handbook to eliminate gender stereotypes in judicial decisions and writing, providing guidance for judges on avoiding prejudiced narratives about women.

Civil Society Contributions

• Grassroots Movements:
  NGOs like SEWA (Self-Employed Women’s Association) advocate for labor rights, social security, and financial inclusion for women in the informal sector, amplifying their voices in policy-making processes.
• Awareness Campaigns:
  Community-based programs focusing on menstrual health, domestic violence, and economic literacy empower women to challenge societal norms and advocate for equitable treatment.

Way Forward for Gender-Sensitive Policy Making

Strengthening Institutional Mechanisms

• Expand Gender Budget Cells:
  Broaden the scope of Gender Budget Cells within ministries to ensure systematic planning, resource allocation, and implementation of gender-focused programs.
  Conduct regular audits to evaluate the effectiveness of budgetary allocations in improving the quality of life for women.
• Enforce the Women’s Reservation Act:
  Expedite the implementation of the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, ensuring 33% representation of women in legislative bodies to increase their participation in governance and policy-making.

Workplace Equality

• Ensure Equal Pay Compliance:
  Enforce stricter compliance with equal pay laws and create incentives for organizations to meet diversity benchmarks for gender representation at all employment levels.

Data Collection and Analysis

• Real-Time Gender Data Tracking:
  Implement real-time systems to collect gender-disaggregated data across sectors, enabling evidence-based policymaking and monitoring of gender equity progress.
• Recognize Unpaid Care Work:
  Conduct comprehensive time-use surveys to quantify and highlight the economic value of unpaid care work, which is predominantly performed by women, and develop supportive policies.

Education and Awareness

• Integrate Gender Studies in Curriculum:
  Incorporate gender studies into school syllabi to promote early awareness and sensitivity regarding gender equality among students.
• Nationwide Campaigns:
  Launch awareness campaigns addressing stigmas around issues like sexual violence and reproductive rights, encouraging open dialogue and cultural acceptance.

Digital Empowerment

• Training in Digital Skills:
  Offer targeted outreach programs to train women in cybersecurity, data literacy, and digital tools to bridge the digital divide and facilitate access to education and financial services.
• Encourage STEM Participation:
  Expand training and mentorship programs to increase women’s involvement in STEM fields, promoting their entry into high-growth sectors.

E-Governance for Grievance Redressal

• Digital Reporting Platforms:
  Develop user-friendly and anonymous digital platforms for reporting gender-based violence, ensuring swift grievance redressal and victim protection.

Learning from Global Best Practices

• Adopt Gender-Inclusive Policies:
  Take inspiration from countries like Sweden, which in 2014 adopted the world’s first feminist foreign policy, integrating gender perspectives into all decision-making processes.
  Similarly, countries like Canada, France, and Mexico have implemented gender-inclusive governance models, showcasing the transformative potential of prioritizing gender equity.

Gender-sensitive policy making transcends being a mere governance strategy; it is a critical socio-economic necessity. While India has made notable progress through progressive legislation and initiatives, achieving true gender equity requires sustained efforts to address systemic barriers. By dismantling structural inequalities and promoting inclusive frameworks, gender equity can transition from an aspirational goal to a tangible reality, ensuring justice, dignity, and sustainable development for all.

The End of the Blog- Making Policy Gender Sensitive