Aparna Uma Raman
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a universal blueprint to
achieve peace and prosperity for people and the planet by 2030. Central to these goals is the
recognition that gender equality and women’s empowerment are not just standalone objectives
(SDG 5) but cross-cutting priorities influencing every other goal—from ending poverty and
hunger to achieving climate resilience and peace. For India, home to over 680 million women
and girls, the SDGs present both an urgent challenge and an unparalleled opportunity to
reshape legal, policy, and governance frameworks for inclusive development.
SDG 5: Gender Equality as the Heart of the Agenda -SDG 5 explicitly focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. It targets critical areas such as eliminating gender-based violence, ensuring access to education, reproductive health, political participation, and equal economic opportunities. However, gender equality is also embedded in goals like:
- SDG 1 (No Poverty): Women are disproportionately affected by poverty due to wage gaps, unpaid care work, and lack of land rights.
- SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Maternal health and reproductive rights remain central to women’s health outcomes.
- SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Women’s participation in the labour force can boost GDP growth significantly.
- SDG 13 (Climate Action): Women are frontline agents of climate adaptation, yet face heightened vulnerability to environmental risks.
India’s Progress: Policy Interventions and Challenges
India has taken significant steps toward integrating the SDGs into national planning. Flagship programmes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have sought to address critical aspects of women’s empowerment. Legal reforms, including enhanced maternity leave and criminalisation of triple talaq, have provided stronger protections.
Despite this, progress is uneven:
- Women’s labour force participation remains low (around 24% in 2023).
- Gender-based violence persists, with NCRB data reflecting high rates of domestic and sexual violence.
- Digital and financial inclusion gaps hinder women’s access to emerging opportunities.
These gaps underscore the need for systems thinking—addressing interlinked structural issues
rather than isolated policy fixes.
Global-Local Nexus: Learning from International Commitments
India is a signatory to major international frameworks like CEDAW (Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and the Beijing Platform for Action. Aligning SDG implementation with these commitments offers a robust framework for
accountability. Countries like Rwanda and Iceland, which have pioneered gender-responsive
budgeting and equal representation laws, provide models worth adapting to India’s federal and
socio-cultural context.
Intersectionality and Marginalised Women
A critical dimension of SDG realisation is addressing intersectional inequalities. Dalit women,
Adivasi women, women with disabilities, and those from rural and conflict-affected areas face
multiple, overlapping barriers. Policies must therefore be tailored, ensuring that empowerment initiatives do not privilege urban, upper-class women alone but genuinely uplift those at the margins.
Emerging Technologies and ESG Lens
The rise of digital tools and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks opens
new pathways:
- Digital platforms can enhance women’s access to education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship opportunities.
- AI and data analytics can track SDG progress and highlight gender gaps in real time.
- Sustainable business practices can mainstream gender equality in corporate governance,
supply chains, and investment decisions.
Recommendations for a Gender-Responsive SDG Roadmap
- Integrate Gender Across All SDGs – Move beyond SDG 5 and ensure every policy explicitly addresses gender dimensions.
- Strengthen Data Systems – Disaggregate data by gender, caste, disability, and region to
identify real gaps. - Enhance Legal Literacy and Access to Justice – Simplify laws and empower women at the
grassroots to claim their rights. - Promote Gender-Responsive Budgeting – Ensure government spending prioritises women’s needs in education, health, and livelihoods.
- Foster Public-Private Partnerships – Leverage corporates and social enterprises to scale
inclusive solutions. - Embrace Community-Led Models – Women’s self-help groups and cooperatives can drive local SDG implementation.
At the end for the coming generations achieving the SDGs for women is more than fulfilling a
global pledge—it is about transforming lives, dismantling centuries-old inequities, and creating a just and resilient future for all. As India stands at the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda, prioritising gender equality within legal, policy, and governance frameworks will determine not just the fate of women, but the trajectory of the nation’s development itself.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not
necessarily to the organisation.
About the Author
Prof Raman is a visiting professor and consultant at several universities and institutions. She is also a fellow of LPPYF Cohort 5
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