The Protagonist of Gender Inequality in India

"In India, women spend 10 times more time on unpaid care work than men (OECD, 2023)." This is a crime to humanity that a woman’s primary role is in the household, no matter her dreams. Indians are culprits to this unjust practise, and there isn’t any hiding whatsoever. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report (2023), India ranks a disappointing 127th out of 146. Also, our space agency contains a below-par 20%-25% woman workforce.

A woman facing the “motherhood penalty” and juggling household duties is still expected to handle her children, because “they are better at it”. The double standards' are unfair, because if a male manages the children, the society says, “What are you? A mother?” A married woman's success is commented with, "She must’ve neglected her family." Meanwhile, if a woman chooses not to marry, she's scrutinized —because "a woman's responsibility is family."

The protagonist is “stereotypes and expectations”. Growing up, I had noticed several things. Why were women only victims of assault? Why were women confined within a household? Why did men go out without a second thought, while women had to justify their reasons? The answers appeared in front of me. “Raksha Bandhan”, a tradition where brothers “protect” sisters, portrays girls incapable of self-defense. Marriage is observed as a woman’s primary objective, limiting her education and financial independence, inability of women to reach different fields leads to “Male-Led Development”.

I have observed that many inspiring women are breaking barriers but the effect is minimal. Women represent 43% of STEM graduates in India but hold only 14% of STEM jobs. What is stopping them to represent themselves? The barriers include pressure from in-laws, crimes questioning workplace safety and commitment to motherhood. Recently, a medical intern was brutally murdered in a workspace. Also, 31,000 cases of rape had been reported in 2021(Police Department Statistics) excluding thousands which went unreported. This embeds a trauma in women regarding safety, forcing them to opt for a household. Indian movies and mainstream media depict women as “attractive” and never courageous. Personally, these incidents undo the work of reformers, by raising the question, “If a woman can’t earn, then what's the importance of women's education?”

Stereotypes and incidents promoting them create a bubble around women. ‘Woman is a woman’s biggest enemy’, the day the inner conquest of success defeats the bubble of stereotypes, the world would flourish.