Gender Gap / Gender Inequality

Now that Americans too have started ‘reforming’ India due to the targeted global hatred towards Indians, an American tweet got me thinking again about gender, something I've written about often on this blog. Rumble of Thoughts: Gender Inequality I’m sure no one is reading, but at least I can now see how much India has progressed since I began writing in 2007.

So where does India stand now? (Since Indian census is much overdue, the data collected must be from Sample Registration System (SRS), National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and Central Registries) One hopes to validate these claims once the census is conducted.

But before I look at India, let me remind you that Kerala continues to be a beacon of hope; 1,084 females per 1,000 males (highest ratio). I have tried deciphering Kerala over the years and am confident that Kerala girls got educated, started working and became assets rather than liabilities. Culturally, Malayalees continue to prefer boys, but economic factors have outweighed this preference, and migration has likely contributed to the shift.

Over the decade India’s national sex ratio has increased from 943 females per 1000 males to 1020 females per 1000 males but since this progression is not uniform (rural areas are better than urban in some states) one can assume that unborn girls are still killed.

India Sex Ratio | Progression Over the Decade 2011 to 2024 | eDivas

Here’s a snapshot of the state-wise sex ratio in India based on the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2020–21) estimates for 2025:

🧭 Sex Ratio by Indian States (Females per 1000 Males)

State/UT	Total	Urban	Rural
Kerala	1121	1138	1105
Rajasthan	1099	968	1022
Tamil Nadu	1088	1062	1113
Bihar	1090	982	1111
Himachal Pradesh	1040	936	1057
Karnataka	1034	1034	1035
Telangana	1049	1015	1070
West Bengal	1049	1016	1065
Odisha	1063	1010	1074
Manipur	1066	1077	1060
Meghalaya	1039	1118	1020
Mizoram	1018	1043	988
Uttar Pradesh	1017	961	1036
Uttarakhand	1016	943	1052
Assam	1012	982	1017
Tripura	1011	1024	1029
Jharkhand	1050	989	1070
Andhra Pradesh	1045	1024	1055
Maharashtra	966	954	977
Gujarat	965	929	991
Punjab	938	918	950
Haryana	926	911	933
Delhi (NCT)	913	914	859
Chandigarh	917	918	868
Daman & Diu	827	775	875

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Kerala leads with the highest sex ratio.
• Haryana and Punjab continue to show lower ratios, reflecting persistent gender imbalances.
• Urban areas generally show lower sex ratios than rural ones, likely due to male-dominated migration and socio-economic factors.

Gender-Focused Schemes in India (2007–Present)

Here’s a year-wise timeline of major Indian government schemes and initiatives aimed at addressing gender gaps from 2007 onward. These programs span education, health, employment, and social empowerment:

2007–2009

• Gender Budgeting Expansion (2007–08): The Gender Budget Statement (GBS) covered 33 demands for grants under 27 ministries and departments.

• Ujjawala Scheme (2007): Launched to combat human trafficking and rehabilitate victims.

• SWADHAR Greh (2008): Shelter and support for women in distress.

2010–2014

• National Mission for Empowerment of Women (2010): Coordinated efforts across ministries to improve women’s status.

• Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls – SABLA (2011): Focused on nutrition, health, and vocational skills for girls aged 11–18.

• Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (2010): Conditional maternity benefit scheme later merged into PMMVY.

2015–2017

• Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (2015): Flagship campaign to improve child sex ratio and promote girls’ education.

• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (2015): Savings scheme for the girl child.

• Mahila E-Haat (2016): Online platform for women entrepreneurs to sell products and services.

2018–2020

• Mahila Shakti Kendra (2018): Empowerment centers at block and district levels.

• One-Stop Centre Scheme Expansion: Integrated support for women affected by violence.

• Women Helpline Scheme: 24/7 emergency response and counseling.

2021–2023

• PM Awaas Yojana (Urban & Rural): Encouraged property ownership in women’s names.

• POSHAN 2.0 (2021): Nutrition-focused scheme with gender-sensitive components.

• Stand-Up India (Expanded): Continued support for women-led enterprises.

2024–2025

• Lakhpati Didi Scheme (2024): Empowers Self-Help Group (SHG) members to pursue entrepreneurship.

• Cervavac Vaccine Push (2025): Inclusion of cervical cancer vaccine in broader immunization efforts.

One can see the shift from welfare-based support to empowerment-driven strategies.