India's Gender Balance To Improve: Projected Sex Ratio To Reach 952 Women Per 1000 Men By 2036

The sex ratio in India is projected to improve to 952 women per 1,000 men by 2036, up from 943 in 2011, according to the 'Women and Men in India 2023' report released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Monday.

The report indicates that India's population in 2036 will be more gender-balanced compared to 2011, with the sex ratio expected to rise from 943 to 952. This reflects a positive trend towards greater gender equality.

By 2036, India’s population is anticipated to reach 152.2 crore, with a slightly higher female percentage of 48.8%, up from 48.5% in 2011, the report adds.

The proportion of individuals under 15 years old is projected to decrease from 2011 to 2036, likely due to declining fertility, it stated.

Conversely, the proportion of the population aged 60 years and older is anticipated to substantially increase during this period.

It is evident that from 2016 to 2020, the age-specific fertility rate in the age groups of 20–24 and 25–29 has reduced from 135.4 and 166.0 to 113.6 and 139.6, respectively.

The ASFR for the age range of 35–39 for the above period has increased from 32.7 to 35.6, which shows that after settling into life, women are thinking of expanding their families.

The adolescent fertility rate was 33.9 for the illiterate population and 11.0 for the literate population in 2020.

This rate is considerably lower for even those who are literate but without any formal education (20.0) compared to illiterate women, reemphasising the importance of imparting education to women.

Age-specific fertility rate is defined as the number of live births in a specific age group of women per thousand female populations of that age group.

Maternal Mortality Ratio is one of the SDG indicators and to bring it down to 70 by 2030 is explicitly laid down in SDG framework, it stated.

Owing to ceaseless efforts by the Government, India has successfully achieved the major milestone of bringing down its MMR (97/lakh live births in 2018-20), well in time and it should be possible to achieve the SDG target as well.

Maternal Mortality Ratio refers to the number of women who die as a result of complications of pregnancy or childbearing in a given year per 100,000 live births in that year.

Infant Mortality Rate has been decreasing over the years for both males and females. Female IMR had always been higher than that of male but in 2020, both were equal at the level of 28 infants per 1000 live births.

The Under 5 Mortality Rate data shows that it has decreased from 43 in 2015 to 32 in 2020. So is the case for both boys and girls and the gap between boys and girls has also reduced.

As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey, Labour Force Participation Rate of the persons aged 15 years and above has been increasing from 2017-18 onwards for both male and female population.

It is seen that male LFPR has gone from 75.8 to 78.5 during 2017-18 to 2022-23 and female LFPR has gone from 23.3 to 37 during the same period.

Labour Force Participation Rate is defined as the percentage of persons in the labour force in the population.

Up to the 15th National Election, less than 60% of women electors participated, with men's turnout being 8 percentage points higher.

However, the 2014 elections marked a significant change, with women's participation increasing to 65.6%, and further rising to 67.2% in the 2019 elections.

For the first time, the voter turnout percentage was marginally higher for women, highlighting the impact of increasing literacy and political awareness among women.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has recognized a total of 1,17,254 start-ups since its inception in January 2016 up to December 2023.

Among these, 55,816 start-ups are led by women, constituting 47.6% of the total recognized start-ups. This significant representation underscores the growing influence and contribution of women entrepreneurs in India's start-up ecosystem.

According to the statement, the publication is a comprehensive and insightful document that attempts to bring a holistic view of the situation of women and men in India and provides data on a wide range of topics such as Population, Education, Health, Participation in Economy, Participation in Decision making etc. among others.

It presents data disaggregated by gender, urban-rural divide, and geographical region, which helps to understand the disparities that exist between different groups of women and men.

The publication includes important indicators as derived from published official data of different Ministries/Departments/Organizations.

“Women and Men in India 2023” not only highlights the progress made towards gender equality but also identifies the areas where significant gaps remain.

By examining various socio-economic indicators, the publication offers some analysis of trends over time, thereby enabling policymakers, researchers, and the general public to make informed decisions and contribute to the development of gender-sensitive policies.

The report is a crucial resource for understanding the demographic changes and their implications for both women and men in India. It serves as a vital tool for advocacy and action to promote gender equity and ensure that development efforts are inclusive and sustainable.

(With Inputs From PTI)