From women’s development to women-led development: The journey to Viksit Bharat

From Women’s Development to Women-Led Development: Institutional Analysis and Roadmap for Viksit Bharat

The conceptual framework underpinning this transformation is rooted in the shift from welfare-centric “women’s development” to empowerment-driven “women-led development.” Women’s leadership in decision-making, economic participation, and governance is increasingly seen as pivotal for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and building Viksit Bharat. This evolution reflects a transition from passive beneficiaries of schemes to active drivers of societal change. Critically, this approach aligns with the global discourse on gendered social progress and India’s domestic aspirations of inclusive development.

UPSC Relevance Snapshot

• GS Paper I: Women Empowerment – Role of women in development.
• GS Paper II: Governance – Social justice policies and frameworks, inclusive governance.
• GS Paper III: Economic development – Employment and gender parity in workforce participation.
• Essay Paper: Topics on gender equality, social justice, and national development models.

Institutional Framework: Enabling Women-Led Development

Several institutional mechanisms aim to integrate women’s leadership into the governance and development landscape. Legislative provisions, programmatic interventions, and institutional reforms have collectively formed the backbone of this strategy in India. Globally, gender-inclusive governance models provide benchmarks for measuring success in this domain.

• Key institutions: Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), National Commission for Women (NCW), NITI Aayog Gender Inclusion Index.
• Legislative provisions: Maternity Benefit Act, 2017; Equal Remuneration Act, 1976; 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments ensuring one-third reservation for women in local self-governments.
• International frameworks: SDG Goal 5 (Gender Equality), UN Women’s Generation Equality initiatives.
• Funding structure: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (₹1,444 cr allocation FY 2021-22), National Rural Health Mission (NHM) with gender-targeted expenditures.

India’s efforts in gender-inclusive governance are comparable to global benchmarks. For instance, discussions on One Nation, One Election highlight the importance of inclusive political participation, which aligns with women-led development goals.

Key Issues and Challenges

Structural and Institutional Barriers

• Representation Gaps: Despite constitutional provisions, women occupy only 15% of Parliamentary seats (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2023).
• Economic Exclusion: Women’s labor force participation rate is 29.4% (World Bank WDI, 2023), far below global benchmarks.
• Poverty Links: NFHS-5 indicates that women from lower wealth quintiles face greater economic barriers to education and healthcare.

Efforts to address these gaps must also consider regional disparities, as highlighted in rural job act regulations, which often fail to account for gender-specific barriers.

Awareness and Participation Challenges

• Awareness Gap: Legal awareness remains limited—CAG’s audit on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao found only 35% awareness among rural women in target states.
• Patriarchal Norms: Social resistance continues to hinder acceptance of women in leadership roles.

Awareness campaigns must be strengthened, similar to the efforts seen in parliamentary reforms, which emphasize inclusivity and transparency.

Delivery and Implementation Gaps

• Logistical Inefficiencies: Low utilization rates of schemes like PM Matru Vandana Yojana due to poor beneficiary identification.
• Regional Disparity: Gender inequality indicators (Gender Development Index 0.705) vary sharply between states like Kerala and Bihar.

Addressing these gaps requires innovative solutions, akin to India’s strategies for alternative crude supplies, which focus on adaptability and efficiency.

Comparative Gender Progression: India vs Nordic Countries

India’s strategy demonstrates substantial commitment, but comparisons with Nordic countries highlight critical gaps in representation and economic empowerment.

India’s efforts to close these gaps could benefit from lessons learned in global economic alignments, such as the Canada-India economic alignment, which emphasizes inclusive growth.

Critical Evaluation

The transition to women-led development is ambitious but faces systemic constraints. While institutional provisions and programmatic interventions have created an enabling framework, execution remains marred by patriarchal social structures and uneven regional benefits. CAG audits repeatedly highlight underutilization in flagship schemes, while NFHS-5 reflects glaring inequities in access to education and healthcare. Counterarguments often stress the need for gender-neutral policies to avoid reverse discrimination. Unresolved debates include mechanisms to balance "special measures" with economic efficiency and universal governance principles.

Similar debates can be seen in international contexts, such as U.S. tariff policies, which reflect the challenges of balancing inclusivity with economic pragmatism.

Structured Assessment

• Policy design adequacy: Recent initiatives like Mahila Samman Bachat Patra (2023) show promise but require scaling and regional customization.
• Governance/institutional capacity: Inadequate monitoring and accountability have weakened flagship programmes, as per CAG audits.
• Behavioral and structural factors: Persistent patriarchal resistance necessitates deeper social change alongside legislative reforms.

Innovative policy designs, such as duty cuts in essential drugs, demonstrate how targeted interventions can address systemic barriers effectively.

Way Forward

To achieve women-led development and Viksit Bharat, India must adopt actionable measures that address systemic challenges:

• Enhance gender budgeting across all ministries to ensure adequate allocation for women-centric programs.
• Strengthen legal awareness campaigns, particularly in rural areas, to improve scheme utilization and participation.
• Expand reservation for women in governance beyond local self-governments to include state and national levels.
• Invest in skill development programs tailored to women, particularly in emerging sectors like technology and renewable energy.
• Promote public-private partnerships to create gender-inclusive workplaces and reduce economic exclusion.

These steps, combined with ongoing efforts, can pave the way for a truly inclusive and empowered society.

Practice Questions