West Bengal Gender West Bengal has shown mixed progress on gender. On the one hand, maternal mortality in the state is low and declining. On the other hand, West Bengal’s child sex ratio, which is still above the national average, is declining. Moreover, only a fifth of West Bengal’s women have completed secondary school, which is lower than in most other states in the country. What’s more, female labor force participation in West Bengal is among the lowest in India. On a more positive note, more girls than boys attend primary and secondary school in the state today. Interestingly, there is more non-farm employment for women than men in rural areas. In urban areas, by contrast, both men and women have similar types of jobs. West Bengal’s child sex ratio is higher than the national average Child sex ratio, 2011 (age 0-6) females per 1,000 males 1,000 972 970 970 969 964 962 957 957 956 948 948 950 943 943 942 941 939 936 935 919 918 909 902 900 894 890 890 888 871 862 850 846 834 800 AR MG MZ CG KL AS SK TR WB KA JH NL TN GA OD AP MN BH AI MP HP UP MH GJ UK RJ DL JK PJ HR Low Income States are highlighted in orange, AI is All India. Child sex ratio is declining, albeit at a slow rate, in West Bengal Child sex ratio, (age 0-6) females per 1,000 males 1,000 967 960 956 950 900 850 800 1991 2001 2011 1 June 20, 2017 West Bengal Gender Maternal mortality is decreasing in West Bengal Maternal mortality ratio maternal deaths per 100,000 live births 300 200 194 145 113 100 0 2003 2009 2013 Maternal mortality in West Bengal is lower than in many other states Maternal mortality ratio, 2013 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births 300 300 285 285 244 221 221 222 208 208 200 167 141 127 133 112 113 100 92 79 68 61 0 KL MH TN AP GJ WB HR KA PJ AI BH JH MP CG OD RJ UP UK AS Data for 19 large states and All India. Low income states are highlighted in orange and AI is All India. 2 June 20, 2017 West Bengal Gender The share of women with secondary schooling in West Bengal is lower than in many other states Secondary education attainment among women, 2012 (% adults) 70 60 57 52 50 46 43 41 40 38 38 35 34 34 33 31 30 30 28 28 26 26 26 26 22 21 21 20 20 20 20 16 16 16 15 14 10 0 DL GA NL KL HP MN PJ MH TN HR KA UK MG MZ AR JK AP AI GJ SK AS UP JH WB MP CG OD RJ BH TR Low Income States are highlighted in orange, AI is All India. Less schooling for adult women than men in West Bengal, rural women lag behind urban Education attainment, 2012 (% adults) 40 35 33 Rural Females 30 29 27 42 31 16 11 21 20 20 17 18 Urban Females 10 18 19 20 42 0 Males Females 0 20 40 60 80 100 ■ Illiterate ■ Literate or primary school completed ■ Middle school completed ■ Secondary school or higher completed 3 June 20, 2017 West Bengal Gender More girls than boys in primary and secondary school in West Bengal after 2005 Enrolled in education institutes, (%) 2005 21-23 10 13 3 Female Male 18-20 18 31 13 15-17 48 52 4 Age 12-14 78 78 0 9-11 89 89 0 6-8 82 84 2 100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100 Enrolled in education institutes, (%) 2012 21-23 12 22 10 Female Male 18-20 28 42 14 15-17 73 65 -8 Age 12-14 85 86 1 9-11 95 92 -3 6-8 91 90 -1 100 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 100 4 June 20, 2017 West Bengal Gender Female labor force participation in West Bengal is below that of many other states in India Female labor force participation rate, 2012 (%) 70 63 63 60 55 55 49 50 47 43 41 40 40 38 38 37 37 36 33 33 32 32 31 31 30 30 27 25 25 25 24 20 19 17 15 10 9 0 HP SK CG MG MZ AP RJ NL TN MH AR TR UK MN KA OD JK KL AI MP GJ PJ JH WB UP GA HR AS DL BH Low Income States are highlighted in orange, AI is All India. Low female labor force participation in both rural and urban areas of West Bengal Labor force participation rate, (%) 100 90 87 85 80 82 79 78 Rural Male 60 Urban Male Rural Female 40 Urban Female 29 27 26 20 22 23 21 0 1993-94 2004-05 2011-12 5 June 20, 2017 West Bengal Gender Majority of the rural men in West Bengal work in farming, more self employment among rural women Share of employed, 2012 (%) Rural Males Rural Females 7 15 8 7 42 57 21 43 ■ Farm - All ■ Non-farm Self Employed ■ Non-farm Salaried ■ Non-farm Casual Wage When women urban work in West Bengal, they have similar jobs as urban men Share of employed, 2012 (%) Urban Males Urban Females 3 2 16 13 44 45 37 41 ■ Farm - All ■ Non-farm Self Employed ■ Non-farm Salaried ■ Non-farm Casual Wage 6 June 20, 2017