gender inequality in sports in india research paper

• Corpus ID: 110046578

Gender Inequality in Sports in India. Issues and Causes

• Mejar Singh
• Published 2014

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16 References

Footballs versus barbies: childhood play activities as predictors of sport participation by women, sport, men, and the gender order: critical feminist perspectives, sports participation and self-esteem: variations as a function of gender and gender role orientation, changing the rules of the game: reflections toward a feminist analysis of sport, gender stereotyping in televised media sport coverage, gender role conflict, gender-typed characteristics, self-concepts, and sport socialization in female athletes and nonathletes, sports photographs and sexual difference: images of women and men in the 1984 and 1988 olympic games., physical self-concept and sports: do gender differences still exist, girl-friendly sport and female values, are we winning yet how women are changing sports and sports are changing women, related papers.

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Gender Discrimination in Indian Sports

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Student at KIIT School of Law, India

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The society has changed, now it argues towards equality among men and women but when it comes to equality in sports silence prevails. Women’s sports are less broadcasted than male sports events by the media. Women face various constraints in sports in comparison to men. To name some, meager payment, lack of female coaches, biasness in awards, lack of family support. It’s high time that they should be given equal opportunity in this arena. This paper highlights the challenges and possible measures which can be implemented for better participation of women in sports.

• role of media
• women’s sports
• sexual harassment

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International Journal of Law Management and Humanities, Volume 4, Issue 5, Page 963 - 972

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Sports in 2020: When gender inequality was starkly highlighted again but this time, people noticed

Women’s sport has gained in prominence and popularity in recent years, which means any partial treatment is no longer considered the norm, but a discrepancy..

The year 2020 witnessed a paucity of live sport like we have not seen in decades. For fans, it meant staying away from stadiums for a large part of the 12 months. For the writers at Scroll.in, it meant a chance to reflect to on events in the past and taking stock of what’s to come. This year-end series is a personal take on what covering sports in 2020 was like.

To discuss the value of pro sport in a year where a global pandemic changed the world may seem strange from the outside.

The total shutdown of global sport was seen as just one relatively less cruel consequence of the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, sport was among the first things to return to near normalcy once protocols were in place. Almost all other major sporting tournaments which were delayed or curtailed took place in some form or the other.

Bottom line was that pro sport did not suffer as much, despite dealing with profound economic effects. But look deeper and you’ll see that what got left behind, inadvertently or by design, was women’s sport.

Often relegated to the back benches, the shutdown brought the gender inequality in sport into starker contrast this year, especially in India. When push came to shove, it was the financially more lucrative men’s sport that got the preference by most organisations. Pro sport is an industry after all. But for those of us who constantly try to highlight women’s sport in the media, this was particularly disappointing.

This is not to say that women’s sport was completely disregarded. In Europe, North America and Oceania, women’s competitions were held, often on the same scale. The WNBA took place in a bubble and Lyon won the Women’s Champions League for the fifth straight time. The England and Wales Cricket Board, who were the first to restart cricket in a bio-bubble, ensured the women’s team had a series to play and bore the costs while Cricket Australia put up a full-strength Women’s Big Bash League.

But the glaring inequity was evident, deliberate or otherwise.

The FA Women’s Super League was called off after consultation with clubs while its male counterpart, the Premier League, returned even as Liverpool were all but confirmed champions. The gender discrimination case by the US women’s football team saw a frustratingly sexist judgment with Megan Rapinoe, among others, having to repeatedly defend equal pay.

Tennis, one of the more gender-balanced sports with the women’s tour having an independent governing body, also suffered due to the latter swing of the WTA being almost exclusively in Asia. While the men’s tennis calendar remained largely the same with major tournaments in Europe, women barely got a chance to compete in big-ticket events post French Open.

But the most jarring discrepancy was closer home. Understandably, India could not host tournaments due to the rising Covid-19 cases and this was in no way an Indian problem alone. Still, it was hard to witness the Indian sportswomen lag behind the men.

Before the shutdown in March, women’s cricket had set a new record for biggest crowd when Australia won an unprecedented fifth T20 World Cup title. The high-scale tournament was supposed to be the catalyst for the game, and it still could be.

But the team that lost the T20 World Cup final – India – is a classic example of just how much women’s sport suffered by the combined factors of coronavirus and callousness.

The Indian women’s cricket team has not played a single match since and has no official future calendar planned, international or domestic. This, despite having a golden opportunity as the ECB offered to ferry and host India for the scheduled series in England. But the BCCI refused, saying it would be difficult to assemble the team in India due to the pandemic.

The same board later organised the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates, which was a massive exercise admirably pulled off. Admittedly, they hosted a four-day Women’s T20 Challenge as part of it. But it all felt an act of tokenism when the quarantine period in India and UAE was longer than the actual tournament, and the timing of it robbed the better players of a chance to play in the WBBL.

Still, we were told that the women’s team got four whole exhibition matches to play in the year, and that was supposed to be celebrated.

It was a similar story with Indian football.

With the Fifa Under-17 World Cup postponed, host India’s team was left to fend for itself and a couple of players from Jharkhand struggled to even get square meals, before help came in.

There was much to cheer when Bala Devi became the first Indian woman to sign a professional contract in a top-flight European club and later in the year, scored a goal for Rangers FC. But the Indian Women’s League, the country’s top-flight football league for women, was left behind even as the Indian Super League restarted in one venue behind closed doors.

The All India Football Federation has highlighted a future roadmap for women’s football, with the World Cup as focus, and the hope will be that it grows beyond the virtual presentation.

By contrast, both the senior men’s and women’s hockey teams were in national camps while individual Olympic sports like boxing, wrestling, badminton and shooting conducted training camps for the core groups as well, despite logistical troubles.

Another way to look at it will be that this inequality being highlighted is also a step forward for women’s sport. In the last few years, women’s sports have been taking center stage worldwide. This gain in prominence and popularity means any partial treatment is no longer considered the norm, but a discrepancy.

But no matter which way you look at it, the bottom line is that while the virus itself didn’t discriminate, the recovery from the pandemic was anything but for women in sport. Rather, the pandemic just served a stark reminder of the inequality that was always there. The silver lining to this cloud is that it will be spoken about, highlighted until a change takes place.

• Sports in 2020
• women's sport

The Contribution of Sports to Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment1

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The Roots of Gender Inequality in India

8 Pages Posted: 28 Jan 2017

St.Mary's College, Tuticorin

Date Written: January 27, 2017

Man and woman both are equal and play a paramount role in the creation and development of their families in a particular and the society in general. Indeed, the struggle for equality has been one of the major concerns of the women’s movement all over the world. The difference in sex and physical form denotes no difference in status. Woman is the complement of man, and not inferior. In India, since long back, women were considered as an oppressed section of the society and they were neglected for centuries. The birth of the son is being celebrated while the birth of a daughter is filled with pain. Boys are encouraged to be tough and outgoing but girls are encouraged to be homebound and shy. All these differences are gender differences and they are created by society. It has adverse impact on development goals and consequently reduces economic growth. It hampers the overall well-being because blocking women from participation in social, political and economic activities can adversely affect the whole society. Gender inequality is, therefore, a form of inequality which is distinct from other forms of socioeconomic inequalities. Gender inequality in India is a crucial reality. In modern times, women are performing exceptionally well in different spheres of activities. Still majority of Indian women are facing the problem of gender inequality and discrimination. As per UNDP report, India ranks 132 out of 187 countries on gender inequality index (GII). India ranks low partly because of its skewed ratio, with only 914 females for every 1000 males, according to Indian government data. As per UNDP report, only 29% of Indian women above the age of 15 in 2011 were part of labour force, as compared to 80.7% men. In parliament, only 10.9% of law makers are women, while in Pakistan it is 21%. In India, 200 women died for every 100,000 child births and 80% of Indian women didn’t have bank account in 2016 as per UNDP report Every day 39000 girls are forced for early marriage i.e. 27 girls are married a minute. This paper is trying to bring out the factors that are responsible for gender inequality and suggests measures to eradicate this problem.

Keywords: gender differences, infanticide, undignified treatment, sexual harassment, occupational hazards

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St.mary's college, tuticorin ( email ).

Associate Professor of Economics, St. Mary's Coll Thoothukudi, Tamilnadu 628001 India 9442091588 (Phone)

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Gender Inequality in Sports in India. Issues and Causes

Women's sports incorporate novice and professional competitions in for all intents and purpose all sports. An imperative aspect about women's sports is that women usually don't contend on equivalent terms against men. Concern over the physical strength and stamina of women prompted the discouragement of female investment in all the more physically intensive sports, and in some cases prompted less physically requesting female versions of male sports. Women's rights in sports are paramount because, despite the fact that women today appreciate their flexibility playing sports, there were women that endeavored to increase that opportunity for the women who have a passion for sports now.

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A Study On Gender Issues In Sports In India By : Bharatiya Stree Shakti

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Five things to know about women and sport

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Women's sports are on a winning streak, reaching new heights and shattering records. From the Olympics achieving gender parity to the growing audience for women's sports, there is much to celebrate and explore. Yet many gender gaps remain. Here are five key things to know about women and sport: 

1. Women’s sport is growing 

For the first time in Olympic history, women athletes will have as many places in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as male athletes . This achievement shows the extraordinary trajectory of women’s sport since the first modern games featuring female athletes in 1900, where women represented just 2.2 per cent of competing athletes . 

Audiences are also growing , with 7 out of 10 people now tuning into women’s sport. Almost 73 per cent say they watch women’s sports at least a few times a year, not far behind the percentage who watch men’s sports with the same frequency (81 per cent). The FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 was a huge success with record attendance . The event attracted the largest audience for women’s sports in history, reaching approximately 2 billion people, highlighting the growing popularity and changing attitudes towards women's sports. 

2. Girls who play sport gain life-long benefits

Girls who play sport tend to stay in school, delay pregnancy, and get better jobs. Playing sport boosts their confidence, resilience, and teamwork skills. These benefits extend into their daily lives, empowering them to take initiative and attempt things they never imagined were possible.   

A recent survey found that 80 per cent of female Fortune 500 CEOs played sports in their formative years , emphasizing the impact of early exposure to sport on the development of young women. A 2023 Deloitte report also revealed that 85 per cent of surveyed women who played sports as children believed the skills they developed were crucial to their professional success . This rises to 91 per cent for women in leadership roles, and 93 per cent for those earning USD 100,000 or more. Additionally,  92 per cent of global audiences agree it is important for girls to play sports , with 61 per cent considering it “very important”.  

Despite the positive data, girls drop out of sports by age 14 at twice the rate of boys due to social expectations, lack of investment in quality programmes, and other factors. For example, 21 per cent of female professional athletes have experienced sexual abuse at least once as children in sport , compared with 11 per cent of male athletes. Efforts to track and respond to such cases are increasing worldwide, but gaps in the magnitude and prevalence of violence in sports persist, and prevention efforts are often lacking.  

3. Women athletes are impactful role models 

Although media coverage of female athletes has nearly tripled in the last three years, women still receive far less coverage (just 16 per cent of total sports coverage) than their male counterparts. Increasing the visibility of female athletes is essential to providing more role models in sports who can inspire girls to continue playing. 

A recent survey by Parity Now found that  88 per cent of sports fans regard pro women athletes as impactful role models for young women . There is also a commercial imperative, as fans are 2.8 times more likely to purchase a product recommended by a woman athlete rather than by another type of influencer . According to World Athletics, female athletes enjoy a 14% larger social media following than male athletes and recorded a four per cent spike in the number of Google news searches of female athletes in 2023 compared to 2022 .   

4. Women lead the future of sport

Women are taking on more leadership roles in the sports world, driving better policies and increasing investments. This leadership has led to record attendance and coverage of women’s sporting events and increased attention to women’s demands, from narrowing the pay gap to addressing various forms of violence and abuse. 

Despite these strides, barriers and gender bias persist. According to the Sport Integrity Global Alliance’s most recent survey in 2023, only 26.9 per cent of executive positions in international sport federations are held by women . The same study reported that of the 31 International Sports Federations surveyed just three had women at the helm.   

In the International Olympic Committee, 41 per cent of members are female , with more diversity in terms of age and regional representation. Gender-equal representation on IOC commissions was reached in 2022, a historic high and 100 per cent increase since 2013.  

The number of women on the World Athletics Council has grown from eight members to 13 , including one female Senior Vice President, achieving gender parity four years ahead of the body's target set for 2027. There is also a goal to increase the number of female coaches to at least 20 per cent by the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 . 

However, a real gender gap still exists among coaches and leadership roles within the athletes’ entourage. Although Paris 2024 will break new ground, the representation of women holding leadership roles such as Chef de Mission, Technical Official, and coach remains remarkably low. At Tokyo 2020, only 13 per cent of coaches were women .  

5. Equal play for equal pay

Unequal pay in sports is a long-standing inequality. A global sports salary survey by Sporting Intelligence in 2017 showed that, among elite athletes, women earn on average only 1 per cent of what men earn .  No women feature among the Forbes 2024 list of 100 highest-paid athletes in the world and prize money for women’s sport continues to lag behind men's. For example, in 2023 the Women's World Cup awarded USD 150 million in prize money, a 300 per cent increase over 2019, but still only about a third of the USD 440 million the men got in Qatar 2022. 

Prominent athletes and teams have led the push for pay equity . Tennis was the first sport to guarantee equal prize money for major tournaments. The US Open started this in 1973, due to Billie Jean King's advocacy and the creation of the Women’s Tennis Association. Since then, all four major tennis tournaments (US Open, Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon) have adopted equal prize money. The Professional Squash Association , World Surf League , and a handful of other professional sports have also equalised men’s and women’s prize money . 

In the world of football, Norway became the first country in 2017 to offer male and female football players equal pay when representing the country in international games in a standard-setting move that has since been adopted by other football associations across the world including Brazil , Wales, and Australia . In 2022, the US Women’s National Soccer Team secured a landmark equal pay settlement after a years-long legal battle that set an equal pay rate in all international games, including the World Cup, going forward. The settlement also included USD 22 million to compensate players for past discrimination. 

However, many women’s teams still struggle with deep inequality. The average monthly salary for female footballers in Argentina’s Primera División is USD 225, while the men’s national team, winners of the 2022 World Cup, took home USD 42 million . Wage theft is also an issue, with women’s teams in Jamaica, Colombia, Nigeria and South Africa reporting unpaid salaries. A recent study by FIFPRO, the global professional footballers’ union, found that 29 per cent of women players who responded had not received any payments from their national teams for World Cup qualifying tournaments . 

The sky is the limit 

The recent progress and achievements in women's sports are nothing short of extraordinary. As the world stops to celebrate these triumphs, the voices of women in sports must continue to resonate across the planet. Their stories of resilience and determination will inspire future generations of girls to dream big and pursue their passions.  

Keep cheering, keep investing, keep believing in the incredible potential of women in sport. Let’s create a world where every girl knows that the sky's the limit, both on and off the field. 

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Slipping scores: How education knocked India down in the gender gap race

The june report of the world economic forum indicates that new data on educational attainment has caused a dip in india's gender parity levels.

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But where does the gap lie?  

What do indian statistics show  , more from this section, matter of immense pride: pm on india's 4th position at int'l maths olympiad, minister atishi sanctions rs 100 crore to fund 12 delhi university colleges, neet-ug results: over 2,000 candidates from sikar score over 650, neet-ug results: 682 highest at haryana centre that saw 6 scoring full, neet-ug row: cbi arrests 'mastermind', 2 mbbs students who acted as solvers, incentives for girls’ education  , next challenge in gender gap  , china premier li qiang warns decoupling will lead to 'destructive spiral', india ranks 63rd on global energy transition index, sweden on top: wef, gender gap index: indian women earn rs 40 for every rs 100 earned by men, pixxel, sarvam ai among 10 indian startups in wef's tech pioneers list, global perception of india is unequal and fragmented: claude smadja.

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What Covid revealed about gender inequality in India

How do you assess the impact of the Covid pandemic on a population?

One way is by examining life expectancy, or the average number of years a person can expect to live.

A team of 10 researchers from the UK, the US and Europe have studied the mortality impacts of the pandemic in India by sex, social group and age. Their peer-reviewed paper has been published in Science Advances, a US journal.

They found that life expectancy at birth in India was 2.6 years lower and mortality was 17% higher in 2020 compared to 2019. This implied 1.19 million excess deaths in 2020. Excess deaths are a simple measure of how many more people are dying than expected, compared with previous years.

The researchers of the new study say life expectancy declines in India were larger and affected a younger age profile compared to high-income countries.

They found that mortality rose among all age groups, but compared to high-income countries, the increase was particularly pronounced in younger age groups, leading to larger declines in life expectancy.

The researchers also found something which was more worrying.

For one, females experienced a life expectancy decline of one year greater than males. This contrasts with patterns in most other countries and may be due to gender inequality, say the researchers from University of Oxford, University of California, Berkeley and Paris School of Economics, among others.

Also, marginalised social groups - Muslims, Dalits, and tribespeople - in India saw larger declines in life expectancy compared to privileged upper caste people, exacerbating existing disparities.

The researchers agree that before Covid, these groups already had significant disadvantages in life expectancy. The pandemic worsened these disparities, with declines comparable to or greater than those seen among Native Americans, Blacks, and Hispanics in the US in 2020, the study says.

“These findings uncover large and unequal mortality impacts during the pandemic in the world’s most populous country,” Sangita Vyas, of CUNY Hunter College and one of the researchers, told me.

More than 4.7 million people in India - nearly 10 times higher than official records suggest - are thought to have died because of Covid, according to a 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) report. India's government rejected the figure, saying the methodology was flawed.

To be sure, the latest study looked at deaths from all causes, not just deaths from Covid. “For that reason we can't conclude that women in India were more likely to die of Covid than men,” says Ms Vyas. “What we can conclude is that the increase in mortality from all causes was greater for women than men”.

The researchers believe these patterns partly stem from gender inequality.

Previous research shows Indian households spend less on healthcare for females compared to males, a disparity which likely worsened during the pandemic. Fewer females appear in India’s official Covid-19 case data , despite surveys showing similar infection rates among males and females.

Furthermore, severe disruptions to maternal healthcare and livelihoods due to lockdowns likely contributed to these trends.

How did the researchers come to these findings? They surveyed data of more than 765,000 people - a sample size that accurately reflects the diversity and distribution of a quarter of India's population - to identify patterns missed by incomplete data and disease surveillance.

India’s National Family Health Survey 5 collected high quality data on recent household deaths and socio-economic characteristics. This allowed researchers to analyse age, sex, and group-specific mortality patterns. They compared mortality in 2019 and 2020 using data from the same households interviewed in 2021.

The researchers believe more research is necessary to explore why females in India experienced higher excess deaths than males, why excess mortality affected younger age groups more in India compared to other countries, and why Muslims saw significant declines in life expectancy compared to other social groups.

"These patterns likely resulted from disparities in healthcare access and underlying health, differing impacts of lockdowns on public health and livelihoods, and increased discrimination against marginalised groups," says Ms Vyas.

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