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By Sunil Asnani, Research Analyst, Matthews International Capital Management, LLC
Week Ended: March 26, 2010
India’s upper house of parliament recently supported a historic bill that would reserve one-third of its legislative seats for women. The passing of this contentious bill is an early step in the process of amending the country’s constitution.
The bill, which had been stalled for over a decade by political opponents on various grounds, now requires lower house (Lok Sabha) and state legislature approval before it can become law. Its passage in the upper house marks a historic event in the political sphere as it seeks to empower women to actively take part in India’s most critical decisions by reserving national and state governmental seats on a rotational basis for 15 years. Once passed, India’s top legislative bodies would have participation by more women than even the United States, which claims 17% participation by women in Congress.
Though India’s Constitution is quite progressive when it comes to gender issues, Indian women still face inequality in many areas. Fewer women than men receive proper schooling and nutrition, and women suffer from the ills of fetal homicide and infanticide. They are also subjected to violence, and even homicide, related to dowry disputes.
While there is some correlation between gender equality and economic development, it is interesting to compare the gender issues prevalent in India and China, which have adopted different paths to prosperity. China seems to have engaged more women, who make up nearly half its workforce, compared to India, where women make up about a quarter of the workforce. However, China also requires women to retire five years earlier than men, unlike India, which does not impose gender discrimination on a policy level (with the exception of the armed forces). On the political front, about one-fifth of China’s parliament is comprised of women, compared to about
one-tenth in India’s case, but the real seat of power in China lies within the Communist party, whose top leadership consists of an all-male ruling body. China’s one-child policy—designed to rein in population growth—freed up many women from having to care for a large family, but the policy has had the effect of distorting the ratio of male-to-female births as there appears to be pressure to produce male heirs. No wonder more than 118 Chinese boys are born for every 100 Chinese girls. The average for most industrialized economies is 107 boys for every 100 girls. India’s gender ratio at birth is slightly less tilted than China’s, but certainly not a cause of pride. The male child continues to bring more celebration than do little girls.
India has a long way to go before it can claim gender equality success, but placing more women at the top of the political chain should be instrumental in furthering equality in other aspects of Indian society.
Sunil Asnani
Research Analyst
Matthews International Capital Management, LLC
