Much as the rest of the world would have you believe about the little freedom and respect accorded to women in Islamic countries, India fares worse than both Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to a new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

"81 percent women in Pakistan are treated with respect as compared to 79 percent in India. Even Bangladesh - with 86 percent - fares better on this index than India,” as per the report titled “The Real Wealth of Nations: Pathways to Human Development” a flagship study produced annually by UNDP every year since 1990. 

There are other development markers where India scores lower than Pakistan and Bangladesh. “Life expectancy for females at birth in India is 64.4 years, while in Pakistan it is 67.2 years. In Bangladesh, life expectancy is 66.9 years,” the report noted.

India maternal mortality is around 450 death per 100,000 live births but for Pakistan it is 320. The report also mentions, “In India the adolescent fertility rate is 68 births per 1,000 live births as compared to 45 births per 1,000 live births in Pakistan.

India's is ranked 119 on the Human Development Index (HDI) among 169 countries. The report points out that India’s ranking has improved by only a single spot between 2005 and 2010.

“India has moved one notch higher in the Human Development Index. I feel we have a long way to go. Far too many people are being left out in India’s growth story,” Syeda Hameed, member, planning commission, said at the launch of the report.

According to Patrice Coeur-Bizot UNDP resident representative and UN resident coordinator, “India’s HDI is above the average for countries in South Asia. Economic growth has been impressive but inequality is on the rise. The Report shows that there is a 30 percent loss in HDI value when adjusted for inequality.”

It also introduces three new indices that measure the impact of inequality, gender disparities and “multidimensional” poverty in the 2010 human development index.

Some of highlights of the report:
• India scored 5.5 in overall life satisfaction, Pakistan scored 5.4, Bangladesh 5.3, Nepal 5.3 and Sri Lanka 4.7.
• Nepal emerges as one of the world’s fastest movers since 1970 on human development, coming in third out of the 135 countries.
• Pakistan is ranked 125 on the Human Development Index.

Read the report