(a) whether as per the report of `World Economic Forum` the Indian
Economy is the most gender discriminatory in the world;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Indian economy is worst among Ten world economies with regard
to the participation of women in economy;
(d) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government
and
(e) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to increase the
participation and prospects of women in Indian economy?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(SHRI PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL)
(a) to (d): The Global Gender Gap Report 2007 brought out by the World
Economic Forum, Geneva, an independent international organization, has come
to the notice of the Government. But the Government has not reviewed the
Report. The Report ranks India at 114 among the 128 countries ranked on
the basis of the overall Global Gender Gap Index 2007. In the area of
economic participation and opportunity, as per the Global Gender Gap Report
2007, India ranks 122 with a Gender Gap Sub-Index score of 0.398.
(e) The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing
various programmes and schemes like the Support to Training and
Employment Programme (STEP); Swawlamban Programme; Swayamsiddha
Project and Swa-shakti Project for the all round empowerment of
women besides the schemes of other Departments like Sampoorna
Grameen Rozgar Yojana, Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (40
per cent of the benefits under this programme are earmarked for
women), Swarnajayanti Shahari Swarozgar Yojana, Development of
Women and Children in Urban Areas (DWCUA), etc to strengthen the
income generation capacity and economic security of women. Women
are also being encouraged to organize themselves into self-help groups
and resources are channelized to these groups.