GENDER DISCRIMINATION

IN INDIA

PRESENTED BY:
HITESH MAHAJAN
2010MBE08
WHAT IS DISCRIMINATION?

Discrimination: Treatment or
consideration based on class or category
rather than individual merit; partiality or
prejudice.
 SOME FACTS
According to UNICEF, up to 50 million girls are
missing from India’s population due to the
country’s gender discrimination.

It is reported that at least 5,000 women and

girls are murdered each year for “honor’s
sake” by members of their own families.
 STATISTICS - INDIA
• Population Pop.
Year
(In millions)
• Males – 532 million
1951 361
• Females – 497 million
1971 548
• Sex ratio 933 women
for every 1000 men 1991 846
Source: Census of India – Office of registrar general
and census commissioner, India
2006 1114
STATISTICS - EDUCATION
 STATISTICS – Women’s employment
• Women’s employment in organized sector
1992 14.4%
1996 15.8%
2000 17.6%

Women comprise 6% in medium and

large industry – of this:

14% in Junior Management

4% in Middle Management
4% in Senior Management
 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE – WOMEN’S
STATUS IN INDIA
• During Vedic period (3000-1200 BC) women
were on par with men.

• During post Vedic period they started loosing

this status.

• During the Mughal rule, women's status was

even more reduced.
• During British rule, reforms were initiated with
respect to status of women.

• In free India legally at least, men and women

are equal.
 Women in Business in India
- Status
While we have progressed in different areas,
there is another side..

 In PSUs women comprise only about 5.68% of

the total workforce

 About 20,905 women managers of whom only

1-2 have made it to the top.
 The other side of the coin…..
Not all women agree….

• Gender gap is closing in new industries like IT

and BPO

• According to industry estimates, IT companies

in India employ 20-25% women while BPOs
employ over 50%
• The flipside is that only 6% reach senior levels.

• Women have now made their presence felt in

male dominated industries like manufacturing,
airlines (pilots), insurance, real estate.
 Why don’t women reach the top?

 Marriage

 Husbands career more important

 Parenthood during critical time of career

 Social expectations of role of
mother/daughter/wife

 Women's income still considered secondary

 Voices of women
• Most men do not share home responsibilities

• Higher positions not taken up by women due greater

responsibilities – this skews gender ratio at the top
levels.

• At interviews, with women, there continues to be a

skepticism due to issues of marriage and transfers.

• Easier for men to make career choices.

 References
• www.unicef.org

• www.yapi.org

• childreninneed.com/../gender.html
THANK

YOU