The Gender Gap in India

Women in Rajasthan cover their faces in public once married

Plan works closely with communities to ecourage the role of women in Indian society, where there is a wide gender gap in literacy, employment, and mortality.

The low status of females results in the common practice of sex-selective abortion (female feoticide), and the deliberate neglect of the education and health of the girls and women.

Putting female foeticide on the public agenda

Though illegal, the pressure to restrict family size coupled with a deeply entrenched cultural preference for sons has made way for the easy availability of sex-selective abortions across India.

Daughters are generally considered to be a liability since they require a dowry, leave their homes after marriage and their labour is devalued. Sons are preferred due to their economic, social and religious values. As a result, the risk of dying between the ages of one and five is 43 per cent higher for girls than boys.

In the 2001 census it was observed that the sex ratio of children aged 0-6 years had dropped from 945 females per 1000 males in 1991, to 927. In Punjab, it was as low as 793 females per 1000 males. The main reason for this was the killing of female foetuses (foeticide) and infants (infanticide), the neglect of girls and the death of mothers during childbirth.

Plan took up the challenge of communicating both the situation and dangers of sex selective abortions. We have used print and electronic media, posters  and film to reach poeple at all levels, including the dissemination of letters to 20,000 medical professionals, cabinet and parliament members.

We co-operated with India’s government to produce a 28-minute film, 'Atmajaa'. The film explores and challenges the reasons why people from all classes continue to prefer sons to daughters and it is an innovative method of addressing the issues behind female foeticide and infanticide in India.

It has been translated into many Indian languages and is being shown on national and regional television stations. 'Atmajaa' has become an icon for the campaign against female foeticide all over the country, being played regularly at a variety of organisations’ workshops and meetings.

As a result, there has been wide television, radio and newspaper coverage of the issue, and it has been estimated that the film itself has reached 86 per cent of the population.

Women continue to be in marginal employment and have minimal opportunities to gain new skills. Their contribution to society is largely 'invisible'.

Plan is working with communities and at all levels to recognise and raise the status and role of women, in order to: 

• give them an equal chance at life
• enable them to participate fully in society