One of the biggest revolutions of the 21st century is the increase in women’s participation. Yet, when the World Economic Forum released the Global Gender Gap Index 2025, India’s 131st position indicates that despite all claims of development, women’s empowerment has remained confined to slogans only. There has been a slight improvement in the field of education and health, but India’s situation in political representation and economic participation is worrying.
The Global Gender Gap Index is released every year by the World Economic Forum and evaluates gender equality in four key areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational achievements, health and life expectancy, and political empowerment. In the 2025 report, India is ranked 131st out of 146 countries, while in 2024 it was ranked 129th. That is, we have fallen two more places.
India has certainly made some progress in the field of education. The enrollment rate of girls at the primary level has almost equalized, but participation in higher education is still unequal. The school dropout rate is higher among girls in rural areas, especially after adolescence. Education is not limited to just going to school; it also provides opportunities, self-reliance, and decision-making ability, which are still not available to the majority of girls.
The picture is even more worrying in terms of economic participation. The female labour force participation rate in India is only around 25%, while the global average is 47%. Despite India’s large population, the limited economic contribution of women hinders the country’s productivity and inclusive growth. Women do not get equal pay for equal work. They work in the informal sector where they do not get any facilities like pension, maternity benefit,s or social security.
India’s position is even weaker in the field of political representation. This is the reason why India has received the lowest marks in political empowerment in the Global Index. The number of women MPs in Parliament is still less than 15%. The picture of state assemblies is no different. Even though there is 33% reservation at the Panchayat level, there too the name of women is mentioned, but the power is in the hands of their husband or father-in-law – that is, words like “Sarpanch pati” have now become a part of our political culture.
India’s position becomes even more worrying when we compare it with our neighbouring countries. Countries like Bangladesh (99th), Nepal (117th), and Sri Lanka (123rd) are ahead of India, while Pakistan (148th) is at the bottom. Bangladesh has strengthened women’s leadership politically and has also improved women’s labour participation. This shows that willpower and change in social thinking is more important than resources.
Politics is not just a centre of power, but a platform for guiding social discourse. Only when there are women in Parliament, the Assembly, and the Cabinet, will their issues—women’s safety, maternal health, education, gender justice—become a real priority. But, in India, the mindset of considering women leaders as “someone’s wife” or “someone’s daughter” still prevails. Lineage and male patrons are seen more than the quality of leadership.
The real situation of women in villages and small towns is even more complex. Even today, incidents like child marriage, dowry, domestic violence, and honour killing are a blot on women’s empowerment. So many women do not know about bank accounts, property rights, or legal protection. Government schemes like Ujjwala or Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao are visible, but their ground impact is not visible in the statistics.
However, there are some rays of light amidst all this darkness. Through campaigns like Startup India and Digital India, many women have started small online businesses. Many women are making India proud on international platforms in the fields of sports, science, and technology. Names like PV Sindhu, Avani Lekhara, and ISRO’s female scientist Ritu Karidhal are examples that, if given the opportunity and confidence, women can change not just their homes but the world.
Now the question is—what to do next? First of all, a law to provide 33% reservation to women in Parliament and the Assembly should be passed as soon as possible. This is not just a question of representation, but a question related to the soul of democracy. Flexible work policies like maternity leave, crèche facility, and gender safety at the workplace are necessary to increase women’s labor participation. There should be special scholarships, hostels, and security arrangements for the higher education of girls. And most importantly, society will have to change its thinking. Daughters will have to be considered an opportunity, not a burden.
India dreams of becoming a global power in the 21st century, but this dream is incomplete due to marginalizing half of the population. Women need not just corrective policies but a mental revolution based on equality. The Global Gender Gap Index is not a foreign conspiracy but a mirror that shows us our reality. Now we have to decide whether to just celebrate or bring about change. (The author is a poet, columnist and social thinker. She writes vocally on rural women’s issues.)
