NATIONAL: WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL: The Unfinished Fight for Women’s Empowerment
Over the years, International Women’s Day has become more of a commercial event than a true reflection on gender equality. The occasion, which should serve as a platform for assessing the progress and challenges faced by women, has largely been reduced to promotional campaigns, greeting cards, and motivational quotes.
In reality, women in India and across the world continue to struggle against systemic barriers that hinder their full participation in society.
A Long Road Ahead for Women’s Empowerment
Despite significant progress in various fields, Indian women continue to battle deep-rooted patriarchal mindsets that seek to restrict their ambitions and contributions.
Gender-based violence, economic disparities, and limited access to education and healthcare remain persistent issues.
While government initiatives such as ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ (Save the Daughter, Educate the Daughter) have raised awareness, they have not significantly transformed the ground realities concerning women’s education, safety, and workplace equality.
Rising Crimes, Failing Convictions
The rising number of crimes against women and the poor conviction rate highlight the failure of the justice system in ensuring their safety.
Gender-based violence continues to be a major concern, with the United Nations (UN) reporting that a woman or girl is killed every 10 minutes by a partner or family member. Additionally, cases of conflict-related sexual violence have surged by 50% since 2022.
The Beijing Declaration: 30 Years On
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark global commitment signed by 189 nations in 1995 to promote women’s rights. While the declaration has contributed to progress, many of its goals remain unfulfilled.
Issues such as economic inequality, political underrepresentation, and workplace discrimination continue to persist.
Women in Leadership: A Global Deficit
Despite global efforts, only 87 countries have ever been led by a woman. Rather than achieving equal rights, misogyny has become more mainstream.
Even in academia, often perceived as a progressive space, gender biases continue to hinder women’s rise to leadership positions. Women educators frequently face male dominance in decision-making, struggle to secure administrative roles, and often find their opinions dismissed.
India’s Workforce Gender Gap
At just 21%, India has one of the lowest female workforce participation rates globally, far below the world average.
Regardless of economic classification—whether compared to high-income nations, developing economies, or least-developed countries—India continues to rank among the worst performers.
The absence of supportive workplace policies, unequal pay, and gender-based discrimination have further discouraged women from entering and staying in the workforce.
New Challenges: Climate Justice & Digital Inclusion
The 2025 theme for International Women’s Day focuses on empowering young women and girls while addressing emerging challenges such as climate justice and digital inclusion.
As economies evolve, ensuring that women are included in technology-driven opportunities and climate action policies is crucial for achieving long-term gender equality.
The Way Forward
Addressing gender disparity requires more than just slogans—it demands systemic reforms in legal frameworks, educational access, and workplace policies.
Governments, businesses, and civil society must work together to eliminate gender-based violence, increase political representation, and create equitable economic opportunities. Only then can we move beyond rhetoric and achieve true empowerment for women.