Underling that certain religions and cultural norms around the world were preventing women from attaining an equal status in society, a top UN official has cited India as an example saying the government there is making tremendous efforts to uplift the better half of its population. "You also find countries like India where there are traditional practices and yet the state in its approach towards women has always held equality as a basis," Asma Jahangir, UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom, told journalists here. "It doesn't mean they don't have problems...but it means that there is some hope that women will get some hope," Jahangir, also a renowned Pakistani lawyer and human rights activist, said. At the same time, India has slipped to the bottom half of World Economic Forum's 'The Global Gender Gap Index 2009 rankings placing it at 114 among 134 countries- one rank lower than its last year's position. The ranking examines the distribution of resources and opportunities among men and women. Noting that "there was no true equality" in any society, Jahangir pointed out that some countries were bringing women into the mainstream through different programmes including affirmative action. source : Zee news
