Paper short abstract:

Gender gaps in access to resources are rooted in social and cultural practices. Women have to bear the tremendous cost for these inequalities but the cost affects harming everyone in the long run of the society. Thus, gender equality is the vital part of development strategy.

Paper long abstract:

Women are highly differentiated socially, culturally and contextually in the Indian society. There is continuous subordination of women by men in all the spheres of life. Women's stereotyped role has manifold and multiplied impacts on their health, nutrition, education and overall development. Gender gaps in access to resources are rooted in social and cultural practices. Women have to bear the tremendous cost for these inequalities but the cost affects harming everyone in the long run of the society. India holds a very complex scenario with multiple socio-economic classes with gender differences.

Some concerns that arise are that whether freedom and equality mean anything to women in India, whether they exercise their right to live with dignity, whether they have the freedom to develop their potentials and choose what they should do or be, if they have the capability to acquire knowledge, be creative and productive and to live long and healthy lives, if they are protected from the major sources of restrictions of freedom - from violence, discrimination, want, fear and injustice and if they enjoy the same chances and choices as men, equally and on the same terms. Situations are more critical in the case of the women in the marginalized communities such as the fishing communities. Human dignity, self respect, mental and emotional security and the assurance of being valued by others are all immensely important to women's lives, but there is no easy way to quantify them.