Human Rights case studies

Question 1

Where is India ranked in the UN’s Gender Inequality Index

Answer 1

India is ranked 135th of 187 countries in UN’s Gender Inequality Index

Question 2

(Gender Inequality Issues in India) Violence against women

Answer 2

52% of Indian women think it is justifiable for a man to beat his wife.
Domestic violence is also tolerated by local communities + often by the state.
Dowry killings are still common, as well as rape + violence outside home, like assault on public transport.
This is due to the very patriarchal Indian society

Question 3

(Gender Inequality Issues in India) Employment opportunity

Answer 3

Women are traditionally expected to remain at home to raise children/do chores or work in subsistence farming. Even women w tertiary education may struggle to fight social norms of early marriage + motherhood, in order to get job

Question 4

(Gender Inequality Issues in India) Workplace discrimination

Answer 4

Maternity benefits are denied by many employers + most women don’t return to work after childbirth (only 25% do in Delhi)

Question 5

(Gender Inequality Issues in India) Modern Slavery

Answer 5

Around 14.3 million people, mostly women + girls, were subject to modern slavery in 2014). Especially includes sex trafficking + forced marriage or labour.

Question 6

(Gender Inequality Issues in India) Property ownership

Answer 6

Women have very few land + property ownership rights + any inheritance is passed to a male.

Question 7

(Gender Inequality Issues in India) Healthcare access

Answer 7

Many households = no access to gov. healthcare services (only 2/3 do in Northern province of Bihar). Discrimination against women in receiving healthcare = closely related to social norms of women having little influence over own life choices.

Question 8

(Gender Inequality Issues in India) Education access

Answer 8

70% of girls attend primary school, but this figure drops significantly at secondary level. Family/community opposition, the need to work to prevent poverty + cultural beliefs prevent girls being educated

Question 9

(Gender Inequality Issues in India) Political participation

Answer 9

Lack of women in gov. positions on every scale. Only 11% of those in India’s parliament = women.

Question 10

What are the consequences of gender inequality in marriage (India)?

Answer 10

• Women killed or disfigured if family cannot meet dowry demands by future husband. In 2014, 8,455 dowry-related deaths
• Women subject to ‘honour killings’ is refuse to go along w arranged marriage
• Marriage often used by men to obtain property + land from woman + their family
• Once married, many women subject to life of domestic violence, servitude + harassment

Question 11

What are the consequences of gender inequality in children (India)?

Answer 11

• Often sex-selective abortions due to patriarchal society + desire for male offspring, meaning girls aborted = distort gender balance in India
• Poverty + poor healthcare = high maternal mortality rate (174 deaths/100,000) as well as infant mortality rate of 43.2%/1,000 live births
• Many women often tricked or coerced into sterilisation schemes - can end in permanent disfigurement or death

Question 12

What is being done in India on a national level to tackle the gender inequality issues?

Answer 12

• Laws passed eg The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (2006), The Dowry Prohibition Act (2008), The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence (2005)
• The Indian Gov. has joined CEDAW (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women)
• Gov. has ratified many human rights treaties, meaning have become national law