6 Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Where we are?

India missed the 2005 deadline of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education. However, the country has hastened progress and the Gender Parity Index (GPI) for Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER) in primary and secondary education has risen. Given current trends, India is moderately or almost nearly on track. However, as the Government of India MDG Report 2009 notes, “participation of women in employment and decision-making remains far less than that of men, and the disparity is not likely to be eliminated by 2015.” Achieving GPI in tertiary education also remains a challenge. In addition, the labour market openness to women in industry and services has only marginally increased from 13-18 percent between 1990-91 and 2004-05.

UNDP's work in India

  • Elected women representatives like Suneetha (left) and Sulochana (right) are initiating socio-political change

    UNDP Enhancing Women’s Role and Participation in Governance

    India has more women elected representatives than all other countries put together and now with the parliamentary representation of women going up to 10 percent in May 2009 Lok Sabha election, efforts to help women lead socio-political change seem to be bearing fruit. more

Ongoing projects

An integrated approach to women’s empowerment in eastern Uttar Pradesh

A partnership between UNDP and the IKEA Foundation aims to strengthen all dimensions of women’s empowerment -- social, economic, political and legal across 500 villages in eastern Uttar Pradesh. more

2.61 years
remaining
until 2015

1990 2015
Achieving the MDGs by 2015: Policy Action for Human Freedoms
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With a few years left to achieve the MDGs, this document provides a quick snapshot of India’s progress towards the MDGs and highlights key recommendations made during a roundtable discussion 'Achieving the MDGs by 2015: Policy Action for Human Freedoms.'

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Millennium Development Goals: India Country Report 2011
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This report by the Government of India assesses the country’s progress towards achieving the MDGs. It focuses on performance against measured outcomes and assesses where the country is likely to be by 2015. In doing so, it attempts to provide a roadmap for future action.

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Targets for MDG3
  1. Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015
    • Ratios of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education
    • Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector
    • Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament
    Show Indicators