2022-03-01-皮尤-How_Indians_View_Gender_Roles_in_Families_and_Society_74页_2mb

Summary of Report: "How Indians View Gender Roles in Families and Society"

Methodology

• A large-scale survey of 29,999 Indian adults conducted face-to-face between November 2019 and March 2020, using a probability-based, stratified multistage cluster design.
• Sample size adjusted to ensure representation of religious groups and regions, with data weighted to align with population demographics.
• Questionnaires developed with expert input, translated into 16 languages, and pretested for cultural appropriateness.
• Margin of sampling error ranges from approximately 1% to 15%, depending on the subgroup and variable.

Overview of Key Findings

• Gender Equality in Society: A majority (72%) of Indians view gender equality as very important, aligning with similar global perspectives. Women are commonly accepted as effective political leaders, with 55% believing women and men make equally good leaders.
• Traditional Family Roles: Despite broad support for equality, 80% of Indians agree wives must obey husbands, and 63% believe sons should handle parents' funeral rituals. Sons are preferred for inheritance and childcare, reflecting persistent son preference.
• Attitudes Toward Gender Discrimination and Violence: Perceptions of widespread gender discrimination vary; 23% of Indians say there is a lot of discrimination against women. Three-quarters view violence against women as a major problem. Most (51%) believe safety can be improved by teaching boys to respect women, though responses vary by religion and region.
• Variations by Demographics: Religious groups show significant differences, with Sikhs and Buddhists endorsing more egalitarian views, while Muslims and Hindus hold more traditional roles. Educational attainment and caste also influence attitudes, with college graduates generally less conservative. Regional disparities exist, with Northern Hindi Belt states more traditional than Southern states.

Conclusions

The report highlights a disconnect between India's support for gender equality in public life and strong adherence to traditional gender norms in family settings, influenced by cultural, religious, and regional factors. While global and national trends show embracing women's rights, deeply rooted beliefs, such as son preference and patriarchal family roles, persist. These variations indicate a complex landscape where change is underway but not uniform across India.