Social, Cultural and Developmental Context of Gender Balance in Gujarat

Abstract

Gender equality is now universally regarded as an important aspect of inclusive development. This paper analyses gender balance in Gujarat through a micro perspective by analysing gender balance across districts, social class, literacy and work participation. It reveals that gender balance in the State is highly unfavourable to females, especially in main workers, in the urban areas and in the developed districts like Surat, Ahmedabad and Rajkot. The analysis reflects limited work opportunities available for the participation of females in productive activities. However, an opposite scenario is observed in terms of opportunities available for education, i.e., the gender balance is unfavourable to females in the least developed districts and in the rural areas. Gender balance in the whole population is also unfavourable to females, and the variation in the proportionate share of females in different population sub-groups is also substantial.Gender balance is also unfavourable to females in children aged 0-6 years which indicates impending problem of further skewed sex ratio.