This high-profile rape trial in a developed nation shocked the global community, once again putting rape culture under scrutiny and raising questions about why women worldwide, including those in the most advanced societies, continue to struggle with these issues.
Closer to home in India, earlier this year, the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital sparked nationwide outrage, prompting protests by medical professionals. According to the NCRB, crimes against women continue to rise, with 4,45,256 reported cases in 2022—averaging 51 incidents every hour.
Among the numerous incidents over the past decade that have deeply shaken India are the Nirbhaya Rape Case, the 2019 Hyderabad Gang Rape and Murder, and the Badaun Rape Case, among others. All of these share a troubling pattern:
(1) The use of sexual assault to reinforce gender norms
(2) Perpetrators seeking to assert gender superiority due to income or religious disparities
“Education plays a crucial role in shaping attitudes towards gender equality and consent. Studies have shown that higher levels of education are associated with lower incidences of rape. A lack of education, particularly among males, may perpetuate traditional gender norms and stereotypes, fostering a culture of male dominance and entitlement, which contributes to the normalisation of sexual violence.
Socioeconomic factors such as poverty, income inequality, education levels, and gender norms contribute to the occurrence of rape incidents in India (Rashada & Sharaf, 2016),” explains a research paper titled ‘Impact Of Socioeconomic Factors On Rape Incidents In India‘ by Anuradha Waghmode from ILS Law College, Pune.
Given these patterns — where sexual violence is often rooted in gender stereotypes and power imbalances — there is a pressing need to address harmful norms and attitudes early on. Research consistently points to the pivotal role education plays in shaping perceptions of gender and consent. By introducing structured gender sensitisation programs in Indian public schools, it is possible to instill values of equality, respect, and mutual understanding from a young age, thereby laying the groundwork to reduce and prevent sexual violence in the long run.
NEP 2020 and Budget 2024-25
The government’s 2024–2025 budget for primary school education stands at ₹73,008 crore — its highest-ever allocation for the Department of School Education and Literacy — reflecting a 0.7% increase over the previous year, though still below the recommended 7% of the overall budget as proposed by NEP 2020.
While prominent measures include the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan (which prioritises vocational training along with formal education), PM-POSHAN, and allocations for KVS and NVS, there is no dedicated funding to address one of India’s most pervasive social issues — rape fueled by gender insensitivity and bias. Specifically, the budget lacks explicit provisions for essential interventions at the primary level, such as comprehensive sexual education, gender equality and empowerment programs, inclusivity initiatives, menstrual education, sexual crime awareness workshops, or self-defense training.
Gender bias enforced at homes
“As a member of Pratham’s early childhood team, my work involves partnering with government-supported preschool centers in Delhi,” says Samyukta Subramanian. “During one of my visits, a teacher asked the children what they did at home. A young girl replied that her older brother played all day while she and her sisters helped their mother with household chores. This was just one of many observations I made in Delhi preschools, revealing how children’s exposure to gender-insensitive school environments is often reinforced by gender-biased roles at home.”
In India, disregarding the systemic gender bias that women face from a very young age — both at home and in school — can have dire consequences for future generations. Although girls from middle-class or upper-middle-class families are more likely to continue their education, those from impoverished backgrounds still have the highest dropout rates after primary school.
If children, regardless of gender, are not taught to treat each other as equals in school, they carry these harmful biases into adulthood. Eventually, this ingrained prejudice makes it difficult for some men to accept women in socially or economically powerful positions, leading them to wield the only “weapon” they believe they have in this gender-based conflict — rape.
Societal biases enforced through traditional examples
On one hand, girls are often conditioned into subservient roles within the home, while on the other, traditional social norms place them on a pedestal. This contradictory narrative can lead young minds to uncritically accept existing norms — never questioning whether they are morally right or wrong. Moreover, it glorifies a certain ideal of womanhood, inadvertently reinforcing traditional roles, behaviors, and patriarchal beliefs and structures.
Proposed inclusions in upcoming Budget 2025-26 for primary education
It is crucial that the upcoming Budget recognises education not just as a tool for developing vocational skills — important though they are — but also as a vehicle for cultivating civic responsibility and gender sensitivity. Such an approach will help harness the nation’s potential and promote equitable growth across all segments of society.
By integrating curriculum reforms, teacher training and capacity building, classroom activities, community engagement, and thorough monitoring and evaluation, India can help ensure that the next 400 million young people —soon to join the middle class — develop a more rational, safe, and respectful outlook toward women, who comprise 50% of the country’s population.
—The author, Aishwarya Sawarna Nir, is a female entrepreneur, who has founded and is actively involved in managing Global Beauty Secrets- a luxury beauty brand. She’s also a Director at Aishwarya Healthcare – a pharmaceutical company. The views expressed are personal.
