India's 2047 Development Goal: Overcoming Gender Inequality

India aims to be a developed nation by 2047 but faces a significant hurdle: gender inequality. With over 468 million women of working age, only 38.2 million are employed. The labor force participation rate for women stands at 33%, far below countries like the U.S., China, Japan, and Germany.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal is to grow India into a $5 trillion economy. However, economists warn that without addressing gender disparities, this target may be unattainable. Women's safety remains a critical issue, with incidents like the rape and murder of a trainee doctor sparking national outrage and protests.

Sunaina Kumar, from the Observer Research Foundation, notes that despite improvements in literacy, fertility rates, urbanization, and economic growth, women's participation in the workforce has not significantly increased. Safety concerns, including fear of sexual harassment, limit women's mobility and career opportunities.

The World Bank's Girija Borker highlights how female students in Delhi choose safer, often lower-quality colleges to avoid harassment. This compromises their career prospects. Harvard's Eliana La Ferrara emphasizes the impact of such incidents on parental investment in daughters' education.

Jayati Ghosh, an economics professor, argues that deep-seated patriarchy and misogyny must be addressed. The World Economic Forum ranks India 129 out of 146 for gender parity.

Encouraging women into the workforce requires better safeguards and education from a young age. Gynecologist Nisha Kotwal stresses the need to change the psychology of boys. Ghosh adds that government policies must support women's entry into the workforce.

India's journey to development hinges on overcoming these gender barriers.