Assessing Indian Children & Women's Position with Respect to Disparities and Inequalities - A Goal Post from MDGs to SDGs

Abstract

The present paper is the analysis of situation of children and women in India in terms the disparities that persist among states and different sub-groups of population. This is important and essential for better targeting in terms of improved and pragmatic programme focus. It deals with three key indicators - Child Mortality especially Girl Child Mortality, Maternal Mortality and Girl Child Education as many of the other indicators link to these in the cause and effect chain to assess inequalities. Given India’s entrenched social hierarchy and complex cultural diversity, it is important to evaluate group-specific performance in assessing the achievements in MDGs and gaps prevail to cope of with SDGs. The MDGs then and now SDGs rest on education as the major tool to bring about gender equality. The widespread donor assumption that gender disparities would diminish as enrolments increased has had to be revisited in the present context of SDGs.