Introducing gender in sub-national HDRs: an exercise for Bardhaman district of Bengal

Ray, Jhilam and Rajarshi, Majumder (2015): Introducing gender in sub-national HDRs: an exercise for Bardhaman district of Bengal.

Abstract

While developing the District Human Development Index, one takes into account the average level of economic well being, education level and health care available in a block and makes a comparative assessment between the blocks/ municipalities of a district. However, this index fails to capture the disparity in development between men and women, or even the level of development achieved by the two gender-groups separately. However, it is generally true that in developing countries a huge gap exists between the two groups and most often the females lag far behind the males in almost all the areas of HDI. With almost half the population lagging behind, this acts as a drag on the overall HDI. In addition, the impact of women’s status in the society is a long run one as numerous research papers show that children are influenced more by mothers’ characteristics compared to that of fathers. To account for this, it was thought prudent to discuss gender issues related to preparation of sub-national HDR in this paper. A Gender Parity Index has been prepared using four components – education, health and livelihood, and social.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Gender; Human Development; Gender Parity; GDI; Education; Livelihood; Safe Motherhood
• Subjects: I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I14 - Health and Inequality; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I15 - Health and Economic Development; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy ; Regulation ; Public Health; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J13 - Fertility ; Family Planning ; Child Care ; Children ; Youth; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J16 - Economics of Gender ; Non-labor Discrimination

References

GoI (2011) Census of India

GoI (2014) District Information on School Education – 2013-14

GoI (2015) Health Management Information System

GoWB (2014) Health Statistics, Office of the CMOH, Bardhaman

Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, 2003. "The Human Development Paradigm: Operationalizing Sen’s Ideas On Capabilities," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2-3), pages 301-317