India's gender gap widens as it drops to 131st spot in Global Gender Gap Index 2025

India has been ranked 131 out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2025, slipping two places from its position last year.
PTI reported that India's gender parity score stands at just 64.1 per cent, placing it among the lowest-ranked countries in the South Asian region, according to the report released on Thursday. In the 2024 edition of the report, India was ranked 129.
The gender-parity score is a measure used to assess the relative equality or disparity between males and females in a particular region.
According to PTI, the Global Gender Gap Index evaluates gender parity across four key dimensions: economic participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.
The Indian economy's overall performance showed a slight improvement in absolute terms, rising by 0.3 points.
PTI reported that 'one dimension where India increases parity is in Economic Participation and Opportunity, where its score improves by 0.9 per cent to 40.7 per cent. While most indicator values remain the same, parity in estimated earned income rises from 28.6 per cent to 29.9 per cent, positively impacting the subindex score.'
Labour force participation parity remained the same as last year at 45.9 per cent, India's highest achieved to date.
In the dimension of educational attainment, India scored 97.1 per cent, reflecting improvements in female literacy and tertiary education enrolment. These gains positively influenced the subindex score.
India also records higher parity in health and survival, driven by improved scores in sex ratio at birth and in healthy life expectancy.
However, the report noted that this parity was achieved despite a reduction in overall life expectancy in both men and women.
India recorded a slight drop in political empowerment, with parity dropping by 0.6 points since the previous edition. Female representation in Parliament fell from 14.7 per cent to 13.8 per cent in 2025, bringing the indicator score below 2023 levels for the second consecutive year.
Similarly, the share of women in ministerial positions fell from 6.5 per cent to 5.6 per cent, bringing the indicator score further from its peak of 30 per cent recorded in 2019, PTI reported.
Among South Asian countries, Bangladesh emerged as the best performer, jumping 75 ranks to reach the 24th position globally.
The report said the global gender gap has closed to 68.8 per cent, marking the strongest annual advancement since the COVID-19 pandemic, reported PTI.
Iceland continues to top the index for the 16th year running, followed by Finland, Norway, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
PTI also reported that the progress made in the 19th edition of the report was driven primarily by steady progress in political empowerment and economic participation, while educational attainment and health and survival maintained the near-parity levels.
However, despite women representing 41.2 per cent of the global workforce, a stark leadership gap persists, with women holding only 28.8 per cent of top leadership positions, the report said.
'At a time of heightened global economic uncertainty and a low growth outlook combined with technological and demographic change, advancing gender parity represents a key force for economic renewal,' Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum, told PTI.
'The evidence is clear. Economies that have made decisive progress towards parity are positioning themselves for stronger, more innovative and more resilient economic progress,' Zahidi said.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

India Today

34 minutes ago

• India Today

Cameras, courts and confidentiality: Inside Election Commission's 45-day rule

While one is hearing whispers from many quarters that videos from the polling stations should be made available, sources with the Election Commission have told India today that this is VOTER SECRECY COMES FIRST - ECIThe Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a firm stance:It will not yield to political privacy and security are will not be released publicly except under court secrecy is a constitutional guarantee, protected under Section 128 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Any violation of this confidentiality is a punishable offence, inviting imprisonment, fines, or FOOTAGE: WHY IT'S STORED AND WHY IT CAN'T BE SHARED Despite mounting pressure from political parties and advocacy groups, polling station footage will not be made public, sources within the Election Commission told India video recordings related to polling are preserved for 45 days after election results are declared in line with the statutory window for filing an Election Petition (EP) under Indian such a petition is filed, the footage is retained until the legal proceedings conclude and may be submitted in court if EXACTLY GETS RECORDED?The Election Commission deploys video surveillance and webcasting extensively to uphold transparency and accountability throughout the election process. Recordings cover:EVM checking and storageMovement and transport of voting machinesActivities inside and outside polling stations on voting dayThe counting processCampaign events and public ralliesadvertisementThis system allows the EC to track expenditures, ensure compliance with the Model Code of Conduct, and address any electoral violations PUBLIC SHARING OF THIS FOOTAGE IS PROBLEMATICDespite its critical role in election monitoring, this footage is not intended for public release. Calls to make it public, although framed as transparency demands, are both misleading and dangerous, the EC cautions. Key Risks Include:Threat to Voter PrivacyPolling footage can unintentionally disclose:Identities of voters entering of individual about voter turnout or access to such data can lead to:Voter profilingTargeted harassment or intimidationRetaliation in areas with low or 'undesirable' turnoutSources in the EC stress that such risks strike at the heart of free and fair LEGAL SHIELD: SECRECY AND THE COURTSSupreme Court Precedent: Right Not to Vote = Right to PrivacyIn the landmark case People's Union for Civil Liberties v. Union of India (2013), the Supreme Court ruled that:Citizens have the right not to right is covered under the right to the act of abstaining from voting must be kept non-voters could expose them to coercion, pressure, or social discrimination, all of which are = A 'LIVE' FORM 17AadvertisementElection footage effectively mirrors Form 17A, a sensitive record maintained at polling stations that logs:Voter arrival roll from polling stations captures similar details, making it equivalent to a 'live' version of Form Rule 93(1) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, Form 17A is protected from public access and can only be examined under court supervision. Since video footage captures similar data, its public release without legal sanction is equally OF MISUSE: A REAL POSSIBILITYMaking this footage publicly accessible can have severe consequences:Political actors may identify and target voters who didn't support may face harassment, inducement, or social can be edited or misused, fuelling conspiracy theories and prevent such scenarios, the EC discourages footage retention beyond 45 days unless a legal challenge necessitates MEANT FOR INTERNAL OVERSIGHT, NOT PUBLIC DISTRIBUTIONWebcasting serves as a real-time monitoring mechanism for the EC, helping prevent malpractice and streamline election its purpose is strictly a court requires this footage during an election petition, the EC will provide it with full assurance that judicial processes also safeguard voter Watch

Business Standard

40 minutes ago

• Business Standard

Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over 'Make in India', cites job concerns

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that despite promises of a "Make in India" factory boom, manufacturing in the country is at a record low and youth unemployment is very high. Gandhi questioned the effectiveness of the "Make in India" initiative, highlighting that manufacturing in the country has fallen to a record low of 14 per cent of the economy since 2014. He also pointed to rising youth unemployment and a doubling of imports from China, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of focusing on slogans rather than real solutions. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi shared a video and wrote, "Make in India" promised a factory boom. So why is manufacturing at record lows, youth unemployment at record highs, and why have imports from China more than doubled? Modi ji has mastered the art of slogans, not solutions. Since 2014, manufacturing has fallen to 14% of our economy." He highlighted the challenges faced by India's youth, sharing in a post that he met two talented young men, Shivam and Saif, in Nehru Place, New Delhi, who remain unable to fulfil their potential. He criticised the country's current economic model and said, "In Nehru Place, New Delhi, I met Shivam and Saif - bright, skilled, full of promise - yet denied the opportunity to fulfil it. The truth is stark: we assemble, we import, but we don't build. China profits." He said that Prime Minister Modi has no new ideas and has given up on growing India's industries. He added that even the important PLI scheme is being quietly stopped. Gandhi called for big changes to help Indian producers with honest reforms and financial support, warning that if India doesn't build its industries, it will keep buying from other countries. "With no new ideas, Modi ji has surrendered. Even the much-hyped PLI scheme is now being quietly rolled back. India needs a fundamental shift - one that empowers lakhs of producers through honest reforms and financial support. We must stop being a market for others. If we don't build here, we'll keep buying from those who do. The clock is ticking," the post reads The Make in India initiative was launched by the Prime Minister in September 2014 as part of a wider set of nation-building initiatives.

News18

an hour ago

• News18

Sri Lanka Thanks India For Evacuating Its Students From Iran Amid Escalating Tensions

Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said that this act of solidarity exemplifies the strong and enduring partnership between both the neighbouring nations. Sri Lanka on Monday thanked the Indian government for evacuating its students from Iran alongside Indian citizens. Hailing the diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Colombo, the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka said, 'Sri Lanka extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of India for the timely assistance to evacuate Sri Lankan nationals from Iran alongside Indian citizens." 'This act of solidarity exemplifies the strong and enduring partnership between Sri Lanka and India, and is deeply appreciated by the people of Sri Lanka," it wrote on X. Meanwhile, a second flight carrying 256 Indian students landed in New Delhi Airport on Saturday as a part of Operation Sindhu. Iran opened its airspace in a special gesture to support the evacuation of the students. The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday informed that so far over 800 Indian nationals have returned from Iran. The MEA shared the update on the status of the evacuation operation in a series of posts on X. Operation Sindhu was launched on Wednesday for the safe evacuation of the Indian citizens in Iran. '#OperationSindhu flight brings citizens home. India evacuated 290 Indian nationals from Iran, including students and religious pilgrims by a charter flight. The flight arrived in New Delhi at 2330 hrs on 20 June and was received by Secretary (CPV& OIA) Arun Chatterjee," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on X. 'Government of India is grateful to the Government of Iran for the facilitation of the evacuation process," he added. Sharing the details, Jaiswar wrote, 'OperationSindhu continues. A special evacuation flight from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan landed in New Delhi at 0300 hrs on 21st June, bringing Indians from Iran home. With this, so far 517 Indian nationals from Iran have returned home under Operation Sindhu. In another post in the evening, Jaiswal informed about the arrival of a separate evacuation flight. '#OperationSindhu Another evacuation flight from Mashhad landed in New Delhi at 1630 hrs on 21 June with 310 Indian nationals from Iran. With this, a total of 827 Indians have been evacuated," he said. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: