India's Gender Gap: Laws change, minds don't
India has changed laws, expanded women’s political representation and improved access to education, yet its gender gap remains deeply rooted in social attitudes. From son preference and unequal property rights to unpaid care work, safety concerns and workplace discrimination, the challenge extends beyond policy. True gender equality requires not only legal reform, but a fundamental transformation in how society understands women’s rights, roles and freedom.
The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) recently released Global Gender Gap Report 2026 places India at 131st among 145 countries in the global gender parity index. Only 13 countries rank below India, most of them belonging to the West Asia and North Africa regions. The global assessment measures women’s progress across four key dimensions: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. Overall, the report suggests that although some prog...
