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Women in Punjab can also be known as Punjabans or Punjabi women. They are the female inhabitants of state of Punjab in India. They belong to diverse economic, social, cultural and caste backgrounds, but their residence in a common state gives them a shared identity. Women have made significant progress in Punjab but they still remain underrepresented in various fields due to the patriarchal structure still remaining intact in Punjabi society.
During the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, schools for girls were also opened in many places. [1] In 1870, to stop female infanticides, the British government passed a legislative act called Female Infanticide Prevention Act, 1870. This act banned the murder of female infants in Punjab and some other provinces. Names of some of the women from Punjab who participated in the freedom struggle of India are Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Gulab Kaur, Adarsh Kumari, Kishan Kaur, Amar Kaur, Dalip Kaur, Shushila Devi, Har Devi, Purani and Pushpa Gujral. [2]
On 17 June 1956, Hindu Succession Act came into force. It gave the women right to inherit property. [3]
In 1993 and 1994, the 73rd and 74th Amendment Acts were passed that reserved one-third of seats in Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) for women. These acts were passed to ensure equal participation for women. Rajinder Kaur Bhattal served as the first female Chief Minister of Punjab from November 1996 to February 1997. She took office after the resignation of Harcharan Singh Brar. She was the eighth female Chief Minister in Indian history. [4]
On 14 October 2020, Punjab government passed ‘Punjab Civil Services (Reservation of Posts for Women) Rules, 2020’. This gave 33% reservation to women in direct recruitment to posts in state government, boards and corporations. [5]
In April 2024, Panjab University in Chandigarh became the first university associated with Punjab government to grant menstrual leave to female students, starting from the session 2024-25. The policy will allow leave of one day per one calendar month of teaching and maximum of four days leave per semester. [6] [7]
As of 2011 census, women constitute 47.23% of total population of Punjab, as compared to 48.5% at the national level. In the same year, the sex ratio of Punjab was 895, which was lower than the national average of 943. As of 2011, the child sex ratio of children between the ages of 0 to 6 years was 846, which was lower than the national average of 914. [8]
The table below shows the sex ratio of Punjab through the years. [9]
| Year (Census) | Sex Ratio |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 895 |
| 2001 | 876 |
| 1991 | 882 |
| 1981 | 879 |
| 1971 | 865 |
| 1961 | 854 |
| 1951 | 844 |
| 1941 | 836 |
| 1931 | 815 |
| 1921 | 799 |
| 1911 | 870 |
| 1901 | 832 |
As of 2011, among the different districts of Punjab, the sex ratio was highest in Hoshiarpur at 961 and lowest in Bathinda at 868. [10] The table below shows the sex ratio of Punjab by district, according to the 2011 census.
| Sr. No. | District | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoshiarpur | 961 |
| 2 | SBS Nagar | 954 |
| 3 | Rupnagar | 915 |
| 4 | Jalandhar | 915 |
| 5 | Kapurthala | 912 |
| 6 | Gurdaspur | 907 |
| 7 | Tarn Taran | 900 |
| 8 | Sri Muktsar Sahib | 896 |
| 9 | Fazilka | 894 |
| 10 | Moga | 893 |
| 11 | Ferozepur | 893 |
| 12 | Patiala | 891 |
| 13 | Faridkot | 890 |
| 14 | Amritsar | 889 |
| 15 | Sangrur | 885 |
| 16 | Mansa | 883 |
| 17 | SAS Nagar | 879 |
| 18 | Barnala | 876 |
| 19 | Ludhiana | 873 |
| 20 | Fatehgarh Sahib | 871 |
| 21 | Pathankot | 869 |
| 22 | Bathinda | 868 |
| Punjab | 895 |
| District | Females (Urban) | Males (Urban) |
|---|---|---|
| Gurdaspur | 1,68,563 | 1,92,059 |
| Pathankot | 1,33,923 | 1,64,243 |
| Amritsar | 6,23,469 | 7,11,142 |
| Tarn Taran | 66,748 | 75,047 |
| Kapurthala | 1,32,083 | 1,50,379 |
| Jalandhar | 5,44,750 | 6,16,421 |
| SBS Nagar | 60,243 | 75,173 |
| Hoshiarpur | 1,60,382 | 1,74,587 |
| Rupnagar | 84,411 | 93,396 |
| SAS Nagar | 2,56,342 | 2,88,269 |
| Ludhiana | 9,55,336 | 11,14,372 |
| Ferozepur | 1,32,034 | 1,53,433 |
| Fazilka | 1,25,093 | 1,41,996 |
| Faridkot | 1,01,162 | 1,15,889 |
| Sri Muktsar Sahib | 1,18,771 | 1,33,420 |
| Moga | 1,07,030 | 1,20,216 |
| Bathinda | 2,30,504 | 2,68,713 |
| Mansa | 77,056 | 86,548 |
| Sangrur | 2,42,589 | 2,73,376 |
| Barnala | 88,373 | 1,02,312 |
| Patiala | 3,59,558 | 4,03,722 |
| Fatehgarh Sahib | 84,737 | 1,00,745 |
| Punjab (whole) | 48,53,157 | 55,45,989 |
As of 2020, the percentage of deaths due to heart disease was higher in women than men, 41.8% for females compared to 32.2% for males. In the same year, the percentage of deaths due to covid-19 was lower for women compared to men, 13.4% for males and 9.9% for females. [14]
The table below shows the state nutrition profile of Punjab for women between the ages of 15 and 49 years.
| Indicators | 2019–21 | 2015–16 | 2005-6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underweight | 13% | 12% | 19% |
| Anemia (non-preg) | 59% | 54% | 38% |
| Anemia (pregnant) | 52% | 42% | 42% |
| Hypertension | 31% | 15% | NA |
| Diabetes | 15% | NA | NA |
| Overweight/Obesity (BMI ≥25.0 kg/m2) | 41% | 31% | 30% |
In 2019, the female cervical cancer incidence rate in Punjab was 13 per 100,000 women in all ages. This was less than the rate of 14.75 in 1990. The female cervical cancer mortality rate was 7.14 per 100,000 women of all ages in 2019. This was lower than the rate of 9.34 in 1990. [15]
Between 2013 and 2017, the life expectancy at birth for women in Punjab was 74 years, compared to the total of 72.4 years and 71 for males. [16]
The table below shows the life expectancy in Punjab by gender and residence in 2013–17.
| Residence | Female | Male | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural | 72.9 | 70.1 | 71.4 |
| Urban | 76.6 | 72.4 | 74.1 |
| Total | 74 | 71 | 72.4 |
Estimated from civil registration and vital statistics system (CRVSS) data, the table below shows the life expectancy by gender in the districts of Punjab, in 2012.
| District | Female (Years) | Male (Years) |
|---|---|---|
| Amritsar | 69 | 64 |
| Bathinda | 81 | 71 |
| Barnala | 76 | 70 |
| Faridkot | 73 | 67 |
| Fatehgarh Sahib | 77 | 72 |
| Firozpur | 80 | 74 |
| Gurdaspur | 76 | 70 |
| Hoshiarpur | 75 | 68 |
| Jalandhar | 69 | 63 |
| Kapurthala | 84 | 74 |
| Ludhiana | 77 | 69 |
| Mansa | 76 | 69 |
| Moga | 74 | 70 |
| Muktsar | 66 | 69 |
| Patiala | 72 | 68 |
| Rupnagar | 75 | 69 |
| SAS Nagar | 76 | 70 |
| Sangrur | 76 | 70 |
| SBS Nagar | 75 | 64 |
| Taran Taran | 73 | 66 |
In 2019–21, 94.3% of the births were institutional births in Punjab, which was an increase from 90.5% in 2015–16. Of this, 53.9% were institutional births in public facility, which was up from 51.7% in 2015–16. In rural areas, the births in public facility were 57.6%, compared to 47.0% in urban areas, for year 2019–21. The percentage of home births that were conducted by a skilled health personnel was 2.6%, it was 3.0% for urban areas and 2.3% for rural areas. In 2015–16, this percentage was 4.5%. Of the total, 95.6% births were attended by a skilled health personnel, 2019–21. For urban areas, this rate was 93.7% and 96.6% for rural areas. [18]
Of the total births in Punjab, 38.5% were delivered by caesarean section in 2019–21. This number was 24.6% in 2015–16. For private health facilities, 55.5% of the births were by caesarean section, in 2019–20, compared to 29.9% for public healthcare facilities. In 2015–16, this number was 39.7% for private and 29.9% for public health facilities. For private health facilities, the rate was 57.0% for rural areas and 53.4% for urban areas in 2019–21. For public health facilities, the rate was 29.1% in rural areas and 31.1% in urban areas, in the same year. [18]
The table below shows the maternal mortality rate per one lakh (1,00,000) per year, through the years.
| Year | Rate |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 122 |
| 2016 | 122 |
| 2015 | 122 |
| 2014 | 122 |
| 2013 | 141 |
| 2012 | 141 |
| 2011 | 141 |
| 2006 | 192 |
According to the National Family Health Survey of 2015–16, the percentage of women age 15-19 who have begun childbearing (teenage pregnancy) was 2.6%. [20]
The table below shows the variation the fertility rate (children per woman) according to the education of a woman in Punjab, as of 2019–21.
| Years of schooling | Fertility rate |
|---|---|
| No schooling | 2.5 |
| <5 years | 2.5 |
| 5–9 years | 2.0 |
| 10–11 years | 1.9 |
| 12 or more years | 1.5 |
The table below shows the current use of family planning methods by currently married women between the age of 15 and 49 years, in Punjab.
| Method | Total (2019–21) | Urban (2019–21) | Rural (2019–21) | Total (2015–16) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female sterilization | 22.8% | 18.0% | 25.6% | 37.5% |
| Male sterilization | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| IUD/PPIUD | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.2% | 6.8% |
| Pill | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 2.5% |
| Condom | 22.2% | 26.6% | 19.7% | 18.9% |
| Injectables | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Any modern method | 50.5% | 49.4% | 51.1% | 66.3% |
| Any method | 66.6% | 68.4% | 65.4% | 75.8% |
| Total unmet need | 9.9% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 6.2% |
| Unmet need for spacing | 3.7% | 3.3% | 3.9% | 2.4% |
The table below compares the reproductive health statistics women between the ages of 15 to 45 years in Punjab at the national level.
| Indicators | Punjab (2015-16) | India (2015-16) |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fertility Rate (TFR) | 1.6 | 2.2 |
| Any Method Contraception Rate (CPR) | 75.8% | 53.5% |
| Modern Contraception Rate (mCPR) | 66.3% | 47.8% |
| Total Unmet Need | 6.2% | 12.9% |
| 20-24 year olds who were married before the age of 18 years | 7.6% | 26.8% |
| 15-19 years olds who were already mothers or pregnant | 2.6% | 7.9% |
According to the NFHS-5 (2019-21), the percentage of women between the ages of 15-24 years who use hygienic methods of protection during their menstrual period in Punjab was 93.2%. This was an increase from the 2015-16 percentage of 84.4%. In the year 2019-21, the number was 95.4% for urban areas and 91.9% for rural areas. [23]
According to the 2011 census, the literacy rate of women in Punjab was 70.73%, as compared to 80.44% for men and 75.84% as a whole. [24] The median number of years of schooling completed by females in the state was 6.5 years, as compared to 7.8 for males, as of 2011. [25]
Between 2001 and 2011, the literacy gap between men and women decreased from 11.9% to 9.7%. Among the different districts of Punjab, the literacy rate of women was highest in Hoshiarpur at 80.3% and lowest in Mansa at 55.7%. [10]
The table below shows the difference in the literacy rate by gender in Punjab through the years.
| Year | Female | Male | Gap | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 70.73% | 80.44% | 9.71% | 75.84% |
| 2001 | 63.55% | 75.63% | 12.08% | 69.95% |
| 1991 | 50.41% | 65.66% | 15.25% | 58.51% |
| 1981 | 34.35% | 51.23% | 16.88% | 43.37% |
| 1971 | 26.65% | 42.23% | 17.58% | 34.12% |
The table below shows the difference in the literacy rate of women in rural and urban areas in Punjab.
| Year | Rural | Urban | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 65.70% | 79.20% | 13.50% |
| 2001 | 57.75% | 74.49% | 16.74% |
| 1991 | 43.85% | 66.10% | 22.25% |
| 1981 | 27.63% | 49.70% | 22.07% |
| 1971 | 19.88% | 45.40% | 25.52% |
| 1961 | 11.51% | 37.70% | 26.19% |
The table below shows the women proportion in the total enrolment at different levels of school education in Punjab by years.
| Level | 2012 | 2010 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 47.38% | 47.36% | 47.32% |
| Middle | 44.10% | 44.65% | 46.85% |
| Secondary | 43.59% | 43.98% | 46.33% |
| Senior-secondary | 43.74% | 55.23% | 44.58% |
The table below shows the literacy rate of women by district in Punjab.
| District | 2011 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|
| Hoshiarpur | 80.3% | 75.3% |
| SAS Nagar | 79.2% | 72.1% |
| Jalandhar | 78.5% | 73.1% |
| Ludhiana | 77.9% | 71.9% |
| Rupnagar | 76.4% | 68.7% |
| FG Sahib | 74.8% | 68.3% |
| Gurdaspur | 74.8% | 67.1% |
| Kapurthala | 74.6% | 68.3% |
| SBS Nagar | 73.9% | 72.1% |
| Amritsar | 72.0% | 65.2% |
| Patiala | 69.8% | 62.6% |
| Moga | 66.5% | 58.5% |
| Faridkot | 63.9% | 55.0% |
| Barnala | 63.6% | 54.5% |
| Sangrur | 62.2% | 53.0% |
| Bathinda | 61.9% | 53.7% |
| Tarn Taran | 61.9% | 52.3% |
| Firozpur | 61.7% | 51.7% |
| Muktsar | 59.2% | 50.3% |
| Mansa | 55.7% | 45.2% |
| Punjab (whole) | 70.7% | 63.4% |
In 2022 state assembly elections, out of 117 seats 13 seats were won by women, of which 10 were first-timers. [30] Of these 13 MLAs, 11 were from Aam Admi Party (AAP), 1 from Indian National Congress (INC) and 1 from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). [31]
The table below shows the number of women in the Punjab legislative assembly by election years.
| Year | Female members | Female percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 8 | 6.83% |
| 2017 | 6 | 5.12% |
| 2012 | 14 | 11.96% |
| 2007 | 7 | 5.98% |
| 2002 | 8 | 6.83% |
As of 2023, there was 2 women Members of Parliament (MP) in the Lok Sabha representing Punjab, out of the total 13 constituencies in the state. There were no women MPs representing Punjab in Rajya Sabha, out of the total of 7 representatives. [33]
During the 2022 Punjab legislative assembly elections, 71.91% of eligible women voters voted, as compared to 71.99% of eligible male voters. [34]
The table below shows the polling percentage in Punjab legislative assembly elections by gender.
| Year | Female | Male |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 77.90% | 75.88% |
| 2012 | 78.90% | 77.58% |
| 2007 | 75.47% | 75.36% |
| 2002 | 64.27% | 65.92% |
| 1997 | 67.84% | 69.51% |
| 1992 | 21.59% | 25.72% |
| 1985 | 66.72% | 68.20% |
| 1980 | 62.80% | 65.64% |
| 1977 | 63.65% | 66.82% |
| 1972 | 66.64% | 70.36% |
| 1969 | 69.61% | 74.54% |
| 1967 | 68.50% | 73.47% |
As of 2022-23, 25.2% of the women in Punjab are employed, which was an increase from the rate of 21.9% in year 2021-22. But it was lower than the national average of 36%. [36]
As of 2011, the work participation rate of females was 13.9% in Punjab, which was lower than the rate of men at 55.15%. It was also lower than the average female work participation rate of whole India at 25.51%. [37]
The table below shows the work participation rate by gender in Punjab, as 2011 census.
| Residence | Female | Male | Gender Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban | 13.2% | 55.9% | 42.2% |
| Rural | 14.3% | 54.9% | 40.6% |
| Total | 13.9% | 55.15% | 41.25% |
In 2022, Punjab registered 517 rape cases, which was an increase of about 10% from the previous year, with 464 cases in 2021. However, the total number of FIRs in various crimes against women dropped slightly from 5,662 in 2021 to 5,572 in 2022. This was a drop of 90 registered cases. These cases included 1,478 for kidnapping and abduction of women and 1,640 of cruelty by husband, in 2022. [38]
As of 2020, the overall share of women in the police force was 9.4% in Punjab, which was lower than the Indian average of 10.5%. At officer level, the share in Punjab stood at 7.1%. [39]
According to the NFHS-5 (2019-21), percentage of women in between the ages of 20-24 years, who were married or in union before the age of 18 in Punjab was 9%, which was lower than the Indian average of 23%. [40]
As of 2014, Punjab has one of the highest frequency of honour killings in India. Perpetrators are mostly the family members of the victim. A study of 100 sample cases of honour killings in Punjab between 2005 to 2012, revealed that the proportion of cases in which only girl was killed was 41%, cases in which only boy was killed was 12% and the cases in which both girl and boy were killed was 47%. [41]
According to the same study, 40% of the girls were in the age group of 15-19 years and 60% in 20-25 years. According to the study, the most common cause of the killing was inter-caste relationship at 44%, followed by relationship within the same village at 28% and family intolerant to the relationship at 28%. [41]
In the same study, of the 100 cases the caste of the accused has been known in 87 cases, which revealed that in the 80 cases among these the accused belonged to Jat caste. By proportion, 91.75% of the accused belonged to Jat caste, 6.89% to Khatri caste and 1.14% to were Dalits. [41]
India is the most populous country in the world with one-sixth of the world's population. According to estimates from the United Nations (UN), India has overtaken China as the country with the largest population in the world, with a population of 1,425,775,850 at the end of April 2023.
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Gurdaspur district is a district in the Majha region of the state of Punjab, India. Gurdaspur is the district headquarters. It internationally borders Narowal District of Pakistani Punjab, and the districts of Amritsar, Pathankot, Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur. Two main rivers Beas and Ravi passes through the district. The Mughal emperor Akbar is said to have been enthroned in a garden near Kalanaur, a historically important town in the district. The district is at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Bathinda district is in Malwa region of Punjab, India. The district encompasses an area of 3,385 square kilometers. By area, Bathinda district is the second-largest in Punjab, after Ludhiana district. It is bounded by Faridkot district and Moga district on the north, Muktsar district on the west, Barnala and Mansa districts on the east, and the state of Haryana on the south. Bathinda is cotton producing belt of Punjab.
Patiala district is one of the twenty three districts in the state of Punjab in north-west India.
Kapurthala district is a district of Punjab state in northern India. The city of Kapurthala is the district headquarters.
Faridkot district is a district lying in the South-Western part of Punjab, India with Faridkot city as the district headquarters.
Ludhiana district is one of the 23 districts in the Indian state of Punjab. It is Punjab's largest district by both area and population. Ludhiana, the largest city in Punjab, is the district headquarters.
Sri Muktsar Sahib district, is one of the 23 districts in the Indian state of Punjab. The capital city of district is Sri Muktsar Sahib. The district itself was historically referred as Khidrane Di Dhaab. There are 4 Tehsils in District which consists of total 234 villages. 1. Sri Muktsar Sahib 2. Lambi 3. Gidderbaha 4. Malout
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Moga district is one of the twenty-two districts in the state of Punjab, India. It became the 17th district of Punjab State on 24 November 1995 cut from Faridkot district. Moga District is among the largest producers of wheat and rice in Punjab, India. People from Moga City and Moga District belong to the Malwa culture. The district is noted for being the homeland for a high proportion of Indian Punjabi expatriates who emigrated abroad and their descendents, which has given it the nickname of "NRI district".
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Barnala is one of the districts of Indian state of Punjab. It was carved out of Sangrur district, in November 2006. It is a centrally located district bordered by Ludhiana district on the north, Moga district on northwest, Bathinda district on west, Sangrur district on east and Mansa district on south. As per census 2011, Population of District Barnala is 5,96,294. Barnala boasts a significant number of colleges that offer a diverse range of educational opportunities in fields such as engineering, arts, medicine, and commerce. Furthermore, the town is renowned for its thriving industrial sector. Two main Industries: Trident Group and a large Industry producing Combines, Standard Combines were also established here.
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Sangrur district is in the state of Punjab in northern India. Sangrur city is the district headquarters. It is one of the five districts in Patiala Division in the Indian state of Punjab. Neighbouring districts are Malerkotla (north), Barnala (west), Patiala (east), Mansa (southwest) and Fatehabad (Haryana) and Jind (Haryana) (south).
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