Dr Vibhuti Ubbott
I began writing this year’s International Women’s Day with much exhilaration, went into mixed feelings in the middle and lasted into skepticism by the time it ended. As the year 2025 is a momentous occasion marking 30 years of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, it calls for additional plea to demand action to make the world more equitable and better for women. This demand for unravelling opportunities and rights for women envisions a time whereno one is left behind and hence the theme of this year- “For all Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”.
International Women’s Day
On 25th anniversary of the Beijing conference, in the year 2020, a report of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) revealed that the overall percentage of women in parliaments had reached 24.9 per cent in 2020, up from 11.3 per cent in 1995. So, a quarter of a century after the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, the drive to achieve gender parity in politics grew globally. Back home, in India, with Women Reservation Bill passed in the country, one Woman Chief-minister replacing another in the National Capital and a tribal woman President as the Head of the State, I was well placed to write a positive note on this Women’s Day. A cursory glance at the highlights of the Economic Survey 2024-25 of the country also divulged that not only the Government has invested in a lot of women centric schemes and programs emphasizing on skilling and reskilling of women but it has also yielded returns also as women’s participation increased from 9.8% (fY16) to 13.3% (FY24) in National Skill Training Institutes or it is and women’s share grew from 7.7% (FY17) to 22.8% (FY25) in National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. So, things seemed moving in right direction so far as the women are concerned.
But, then same report of IPU disclosed that Argentina and close home, Nepal applied gender quotas before 1995. Moreover by 2020, elections in 81 countries were being held under legislation that provides for gender quotas. For that matter, the report also revealed that the developing countries of the world are leading the project of Political Empowerment of women. 16 countries in Latin America have enacted the quota laws. For most of these countries, the thirty percent (30%) objective no longer stands. They are moving towards parity. In such scenario, our country looks very late entrant in the pursuit of Gender Equity.
At the same time, where the current labor force participation rate for women is under 47% compared to 72% for men globally, in India women’s workforce participation is 23.5% compared to a much higher rate for men at 57.5%in 2020-2022. Moreover, according to a survey by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, about 35% of women in rural areas and only 18% of women in urban areas are formally working in India. Women’s participation in labor force and access to decent work is a pre-requisite to an inclusive and sustainable development.India ranks 120 among 131 countries in female labor force participation ratesStatistics also show that gender equality and a country’s achievements in human development carry strong connection. In such case, a lot needs to be done in India, on this front also.
Fighting gender discrimination and biases as also dismantling gender stereotyping can only make the world equitable, diverse and inclusive. Equitably dividing household responsibilities between men and women, viewing girls at homes as future professionals, changing norms around marriage, work and household duties, saying no to gender based violence, fostering interest of girls in science subjects, creating new jobs and providing for child and elder care can be few steps towards this direction. The Beijing Declaration was the first Global policy document on women that focused on girls’ rights.This year, as we shall celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action by looking back to assess the achievements and progress made by different nations in the field of Gender equality, it would be an opportunity to remind ourselves that the true progress and prosperity lies in everybody’s empowerment. The International Women’s Day is the most apt juncture to make the appeal for action to the Policy makers, Governments and society to dispense the promises made by the Declaration. Youth, especially young girls, could be instrumental in bringing this vision into reality.
Assistant Professor in Political science,
Govt. MAM College, Jammu
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