Women of the Ramabai Nagar slums in Ghatkopar are getting their first taste of cashless living. An NGO is trai... Read More

NEW DELHI: India has witnessed an impressive jump in financial inclusion of women , with 53% of the female population now having bank accounts as compared to a mere 15% a decade ago, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS).

The study made public on Tuesday reveals a heartening increase in the number of women operating their savings bank accounts, owning houses and participating in decision-making in households as well as well as opting for antenatal check ups and hygienic methods for protection during menstrual period. The data also show that violence against married women has come down. The The percentage of women facing marital violence has dropped from 37.2% to 28.8%.

The survey also shows only 3.3% such women faced violence during pregnancy. This indicator seems to reflect a better awareness of their rights and improved social standing.

The 38% jump in women with bank accounts is complemented by the survey finding that 84% married women in the age of 15-49 years are increasingly participating in decision-making as compared to 76% in the third round of NFHS conducted in 2005-06. The data also show 38.4% of women own a house and or land — alone or jointly with others.

Not surprisingly, improvements in banking and an enhanced role in the household are accompanied by an increase in the female literacy rate that has gone up to 68.4% as compared with 55.1% in the previous survey. The female literacy rate, however, continues to lag men who have a literacy rate of 85.6%. Women with more than 10 years of schooling also grew from 22.3% to 35.7% between NFHS3 and NFHS4.

