Persistent Gender Bias in Indian Households Despite Progress in Representation: Survey

According to a survey conducted by Azim Premji University and Lokniti across 12 states in India and the National Capital Region of Delhi, on the attitudes of Indian society towards gender roles and women's rights, household work is still predominantly associated with women in India and South Asia. At least 35 per cent of the respondents stated that women should prioritise home over work, and 65 per cent said women should be equally responsible for child-rearing.

The survey also highlighted that there is a preference for women's confinement to the domestic sphere in much of India and South Asia. Mizoram had the strongest agreement with the proposition that women should prioritize work over home, at 53 per cent, with Tamil Nadu behind by 8 per cent points, and Uttar Pradesh following closely at 45 per cent. Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab were at 41 per cent. Only in Delhi was there a strong disagreement on this question, at 39 per cent.

The opinions also varied from urban to rural areas. More men in rural areas think that a woman's place is at home than their counterparts in urban areas.

The survey found that workforce participation for women may not completely depend on education, but rather on the economic necessities of women themselves or the economic condition of a family. There is a distinct bias against the education of girls, with at least 30 per cent and 29 per cent of male and female respondents agreeing with this idea.

However, the survey also found that there is an overwhelming societal sanction for women to choose whether to get married or not. Both genders largely support the idea of a woman's right to decide, with men in Nagaland (90 per cent), Mizoram (87 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (77 per cent) and women in Nagaland (90 per cent), Mizoram (88 per cent) and Kerala (78 per cent) displaying the highest support for this idea.

Overall, the survey highlights the complex attitudes towards gender roles and women's rights in India, with a mix of traditional and progressive ideas existing simultaneously.