Gender Equity — Better than Before

A positive development in Indian education is that the difference between male and female literacy rates is narrowing. This shrinking gap signals real progress towards gender equity.

Even so, there is still a strong case for actively promoting the education of women in India, for several reasons. Educating women improves their economic independence and raises their social status. It also has effects that reach beyond the individual woman: women's education has a favourable impact on the fertility rate and on the health care of women and children. …