India’s Gender Gap Ranking in 2025
India’s position in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025 has deteriorated, ranking 131 out of 148 countries. This marks a decline from 129 in 2024. The report, released on June 12, 2025, marks India’s gender parity score of 64.1%. This score places India among the lowest in South Asia. The Global Gender Gap Index assesses gender equality across four dimensions – Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.
Economic Participation and Opportunity
India’s score in this dimension has improved slightly, rising by 0.9 percentage points to 40.7%. However, it still ranks 144 globally. The parity in estimated earned income also saw a modest increase from 28.6% to 29.9%. Despite stagnant labour force participation at 45.9%, this remains India’s highest figure.
Educational Attainment
India achieved a remarkable score of 97.1% in educational attainment. This reflects improvements in female literacy and tertiary education enrolment. Such gains contribute positively to the overall gender parity score.
Health and Survival
India’s score in health and survival improved to 95.4%. This increase is attributed to better sex ratio at birth and enhanced healthy life expectancy. However, the overall life expectancy for both genders has decreased, indicating ongoing challenges.
Political Empowerment
India experienced a decline in political empowerment, with a score drop of 0.6 points. Female representation in Parliament fell from 14.7% to 13.8%. The share of women in ministerial roles also decreased from 6.5% to 5.6%. This trend continues a downward trajectory in political representation for women.
Comparative Performance in South Asia
Bangladesh has emerged as the best performer in South Asia, jumping 75 ranks to position 24 globally. Other regional rankings include Nepal at 125, Sri Lanka at 130, Bhutan at 119, Maldives at 138, and Pakistan at 148.
Global Context and Trends
The Global Gender Gap has narrowed to 68.8%, marking the most progress since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, full parity remains 123 years away at current rates. Iceland continues to lead the rankings, achieving 92.6% gender parity for the 16th consecutive year.
Key Gender Indices
Several indices measure gender equality. The Gender Inequality Index (GII) assesses reproductive health, empowerment, and labour market participation. The Gender Development Index (GDI) evaluates health, education, and economic resources. The Global Gender Parity Index (GGPI) and Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) also provide vital information about women’s status in society.
| Related | |
|---|---|
