India at bottom in man-woman equality index
India lags far behind in man-woman equality despite its economic progress. The country has been ranked 114th among 134 countries by the World Economic Forum.
New Delhi: India may be the world's second fastest growing economy but when it comes to man-woman equality the country figures at the bottom of the table, ranked 114th among 134 countries by the World Economic Forum.
Worse, sharing concern of Nobel laureate Amartya Sen over female foeticide and 25 million "missing women" in India, the WEF rankings confirm the gender gap on health and survival issues.
The India Gender Gap Review 2009 released at the India Economic Summit here ranked the country at 114th position, behind Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal - showing thereby that women in these countries share resources with men more equally than in India.
The Geneva-based international organisation, known for its global conferences and studies, has made strong remarks against the wide inequalities between the health facilities extended to males and females.
"We find that there are still persistent gaps in health and survival, a fact that contributes to India's 'missing' women," it said.
It said close to 300 Indian women die every day during childbirth or of pregnancy-related causes, and the country has the worst sex ratios at birth in the world, ranking 131st on this variable.
Participating in a session on female talent at the IEF, PEPSICO chairperson and CEO Indra Nooyi said, "If you do not treat women well, society will not progress."
