38% Indian say it’s more advantage being a man: Survey

New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) As many as 38 per cent Indians agree that there are more advantages in being a man against 24 per cent who feel there are more advantages being a woman, as per Ipsos Global International Womens Day Survey 2019.

"However, 66 per cent Indians say that young women today are better off than the previous generation, though 18 per cent feel their life is same as their parents and 11 per cent are pessimistic and believe that they are worse off," said per the survey report.

"Most optimistic were Chile (75 per cent) and Colombia (69 per cent), while Japan (27 per cent) and France (33 per cent) were found to be least optimistic, saying they are same or worse off than their parents. The optimism extends for Indian men, with 63 per cent Indians agreeing that men of today have better life vis-?-vis the previous generation."

It furher said that six in 10 Indians (59 per cent) hold the view that India has done enough to forge equality among men and women by providing women with equal rights as men.

"Further, 74 per cent Indians (higher than 65 per cent globally) agree that achieving Gender Equality is personally important to them (women versus men who held the view, were 76 per cent and 74 per cent). Countries espousing gender equality most were found to be the Latin American countries of Peru (80 per cent) and Columbia (78 per cent). Japan (36 per cent) and Russia (45 per cent) emerged at the bottom of the heap," it said.

"Some other interesting insights that emerged in the survey are half of Indians polled (50 per cent) say that they are feminists, while over five in 10 Indians affirm that the man who stays at home to take care of his children is no less of a man (though 39 per cent said the contrary and India was second-highest in denouncing stay at home for men after South Korea where 76 per cent felt that the man taking care of children at home was less of a man)."

There are still some perceptions that need to be addressed for ensuring a balanced world, as 35 per cent of Indians polled said they are uncomfortable with a woman boss (highest across all markets), though 58 per cent disagreed, it said.

As many as 69 per cent Indians believe that women alone cannot achieve equality and that it will require actions by men in their support, it said.

"...though 60 per cent Indians realise that there is a much greater expectation from men to support women's equality in India," it said.

"Top three actions named by Indians for achieving Gender Equality were: educating boys and girls about the importance of gender equality in schools (37 per cent), tougher laws to end violence and harassment against women (29 per cent) and equal pay - employers paying women the same as men for the same work (21 per cent)," it said.

"Other actions listed included men shouldering responsibilities at home, men standing up for injustice against women, removing barriers that stop women from occupying senior positions, employers promoting women to senior positions, media portraying women in a positive way and better access to education for women, among others," it said.

"The top actions listed focus on the need to address some of the deep-rooted causes that are barriers to ensuring a balanced world. Educating young minds to understand gender equality and preventing all forms of violence will help in bringing about much needed shift in attitude," it said.

Dissatisfaction with the efforts being put in for equal rights was most in looking after children and home (43 per cent), followed by government and politics (38 per cent), sports (37 per cent), business (35 per cent), media (31 per cent), science and technology (30 per cent) and education (29 per cent).

"Top three issues faced by Indian women were sexual harassment, sexual violence and domestic abuse! Notably, sexual harassment emerged at the top, chosen by 39 per cent Indians; the rest being, sexual violence (35 per cent), domestic abuse (19 per cent), sexualisation of women and girls in media (18 per cent), physical violence (15 per cent), workplace discrimination (14 per cent) and lack of financial/ economic independence (13 per cent)," it said.