A girl in India
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Gender Inequality Index | |
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Value | 0.563 (2014) |
Rank | 130th out of 188 |
Maternal mortality (per 100,000) | 174 (2015) |
Women in parliament | 12.2% (2014) |
Females over 25 with secondary education | 27% (2014) |
Women in labour force | 29.0% (2014) |
Global Gender Gap Index | |
Value | 0.683 (2016) |
Rank | 87th out of 144 |
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. With a decline in their status from the ancient to medieval times, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful. In modern India, women have held high offices including that of the President, Prime Minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Leader of the Opposition, Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and Governors.
Women’s rights are secured under the Constitution of India — mainly, equality, dignity, and freedom from discrimination; further, India has various statutes governing the rights of women.
As of 2011[update], the President of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of the parliament) were women. However, women in India continue to face numerous problems, including violent victimisation through rape, acid throwing, dowry killings, marital rape, and the forced prostitution of young girls. In 2012, the Thomson Reuters Foundation ranked India as the worst G20 country in which to be a woman.