8 April2021IN FOCUSBy WE Team26 PERCENT WOMEN CITE GENDER PAY GAP IN NEW INTERNATIONAL SURVEYGender equality and disparity are still a huge issue in India. In a recent international survey on gender equality opinions and experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the female respondents (87 percent) from India have stated that they feel the risk, or know someone in the circle who feels the same feeling of assault or harassment in some place or another. In the same survey, about 26 percent women stated that they are not paid as much as their male counterparts.According to India-based findings of the report by Women Deliver and Focus 2030, women in India cited public places to be the most common place where they felt at-risk. 55 percent of female respondents feel at-risk, or know someone who feels at-risk, `online', and 40 percent do `in the place where (they) work or study'. "26 percent of female respondents in India feel at-risk, or know someone who feels at-risk, of assault or harassment in their home," said the report. Of the 1,003 respondents surveyed, 48 percent of female respondents in India state that they have had their "freedom of movement restricted against their will by family members or (their) partner".As per the report, 60 percent women find it acceptable for women to refuse sexual intercourse with their partner; and 56 percent find it unacceptable to whistle at a woman in the street, or touch her without her consent. 35 percent think it acceptable to share a sexist joke about a woman with friends or on social media, while 51 percent find this unacceptable.Sexual and reproductive health and rights - When it comes to bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights, 1 in 10 want provision of access to contraception and family planning, good maternal health, and sex education in schools. Female respondents who migrated for a job or better economic opportunities are particularly keen on an increase in access to sexual health services compared to other females. 26 percent of female respondents in India stated that they have had difficulty accessing their chosen method of contraception and 20 percent have had difficulty accessing abortion and post-abortion care, said the report.Economic justice and rights - 17 percent of respondents rank `implement access to well paid jobs, equal pay, financial independence, and property rights' as their number one priority. In order to improve women's economic opportunities and decision-making powers, respondents cite measures like preventing violence and sexual harassment in the workplace, guaranteeing social protection and decent working conditions for women in low paying jobs and achieving equal access to education and professional training for women and men.Notably, according to the report, 26 percent of female respondents in India said that they are not paid as much as male counterparts where (they) work. This figure rises to 32 percent among female respondents aged 45 to 59. Furthermore, 28 percent females feel that they have not had the same access to promotion opportunities as (their) male peers. 26 percent of female respondents have not or will not
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