India’s world’s most dangerous place for women
NEW DELHI: India has been ranked as the most dangerous country in the world for women, reigniting the debate over women’s safety.
The Thomson Reuters Foundation – the philanthropic arm of Reuters media company – on Tuesday released a study that ranked India as the most dangerous place due to its high incidences of sexual violence, lack of access to justice in rape cases, child marriage, female feticide and human trafficking.
India outranked countries such as Syria and Afghanistan – second and third – that are currently at war.
Experts interviewed for the poll said India topped the list because its government had done little to protect women since the controversial rape and murder of a student in 2012 prompted widespread outrage and changes in the country’s rape laws.
“India has shown utter disregard and disrespect for women… rape, marital rapes, sexual assault and harassment, female infanticide has gone unabated,” said Manjunath Gangadhara, an official in the southern state of Karnataka.
The poll – based on a survey of 548 experts on women’s issues – ignited an immediate firestorm of controversy on Indian social media. Critics blasted it as based on opinion, not facts. But the report noted that reported cases of crimes against women rose 83% between 2007 and 2016 – with four rapes every hour.
In addition, India has the most child brides in the world – around a third of all girls are married before their 18th birthday.
India’s government estimated earlier this year that there are 63 million “missing” women owing to sex-selective abortion as well as 21 million unwanted girls. Reported rapes in India – 38 947 in 2016 – are on the rise, but its rate of rape per 100 000 people remains far lower than some Western countries, which experts ascribe to fear and underreporting. A political debate erupted when India’s chief opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, was criticised for tweeting that while the prime minister is “making Yoga videos” – a reference to Narendra Modi’s recent fitness video – “India leads Afghanistan, Syria & Saudi Arabia in rape & violence against women. What a shame!”