Discrimination against women in all spheres of life has been a worldwide phenomenon; however, it appears more acute in developing nations like India. According to UN Human Development Report 2013, India has been ranked 136 among 187 countries evaluated forHuman Development Index (HDI). Moreover in Gender Inequality Index India has been ranked 132 among the 148 countries for which data is available. In India, only 10.9 per cent of the parliamentary seats are held by women, and 26.6 per cent of adult women have reached a secondary or higher level of education, compared with 50.4 per cent of their male counterparts. India ranks badly on the Maternal Mortality Ratio as well. For every 100,000 live births, 200 women die of causes related to pregnancy. Female participation in the labor market is 29 per cent, compared with 80.7 percent for men.
Publication Date: 2026-01-31