Representative image NEW DELHI: The National Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24) has shown that participation of married women in household decision-making has increased over the years, with data revealing that 89% were involved in decisions about their own healthcare, major household purchases and visits to family and relatives.The participation of married women (15-49 years) in these three household decisions was high across both rural and urban areas – 88% and 91.4%, respectively. The figure has been rising over successive NFHS rounds at the pan-India level. It was 84% in (2015-16), 88.7% in 2019-21 and 89% in the latest survey. It also came through that the percentage of women having a bank or savings account that they themselves use has risen from 78.6% in the previous survey to 89% in the 2023-24 survey.However, the data also brings into focus the challenges. For instance, at the time of the survey, the percentage of women who had worked in the last 12 months and were paid in cash stood at just 30.8%. The figure was even lower at 25.4% in NFHS-5. In 2023-24, this percentage for women was 29.8% in urban areas and 31.2% in rural areas.In the data on contraception, it is notable that while the use of family planning methods by married women (15-49 years) rose to 69.1% from 66.7% in NFHS-5, when it comes to sterilisation, there was a stark difference between the percentage of women and men taking that route.NFHS-6 found that female sterilisation stood at 36.5% whereas male sterilisation was at merely 0.5%. In the previous survey, this percentage was higher for women (37.9%) and lower for men (0.3%).The data is telling as it highlights challenges arising out of deep-rooted societal gender norms and indicates that many still hold on to the belief that the onus of family planning largely rests with the woman.The survey findings on sterilisation show that female sterilisation was notably higher in rural areas (38.1%) compared to 32.6% in urban areas. In the case of men, those opting for sterilisation was equally low in both rural and urban areas at 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively.Meanwhile, a look at urban and rural data shows that there was not much difference in the percentage of married women using any form, including traditional and modern, of family planning methods – 69.6% in urban areas and 68.9% women in rural areas.The survey also looked at the unmet need for family planning (currently married women in age group of 15-49 years), which stood at 8.5%, and was higher at 9.1% in rural areas as against 7% in urban areas. The unmet need for family planning refers to women who do not use contraception but wish to postpone next childbirth or stop childbearing altogether.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosNTA To Hold Re-Exam For CUET-UG 2026 Candidates Affected By Tech GlitchMamata Banerjee Meets Hospitalised Abhishek Banerjee After Sonarpur AttackBrahMos Export Push Gains Pace With Vietnam Deal Signed, Indonesia Next In Line | WatchDK Shivakumar Meets Karnataka Governor, To Take CM Oath On June 3Delhi Police Foils Major Attack Plot, Arrests 9 Linked To ISI-Dawood Ibrahim Terror Network‘Not pointing fingers…’: Pete Hegseth’s witty reply to Pak journo over India’s AGNI-6 ICBM | WatchDoval’s Moscow Mission: India-Russia Defence, Energy & Arctic Cooperation In Focus | WatchTMC Leader Abhishek Banerjee Asked To Appear Before CID Amid Fresh Political Storm’Pakistan Navy Remained Confined To Its Ports’: Rajnath Singh Hails Navy’s Role During Op SindoorIndia’s Gold Demand Plunges 70% After Import Duty Rises To 15%123PhotostoriesLove quote of the day by Aristotle: “Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies”From Sarah Jessica Parker to Jon Bon Jovi, here are all of the celebrities who flaunt their gray hair like a crownParkinson’s before 50? Doctor explains the early warning signs most people ignore’Spider-Noir’ to ‘Deli Boys’: Latest Hollywood series and films to watch over the weekendDon’t throw away your potato peels: 5 smart ways to repurpose themYou’re walking, not running, so why are you breathless? Doctor explains what your body may be trying to tell youOne workout a week can help you lose weight, new study findsAsthma is no longer just about dust and pollution: Doctor warns stress, poor sleep and modern lifestyles are triggering more attacks5 lessons of perfect marriage we all need to learn from Preity Zinta and Gene GoodenoughWhy thousands of Indian children with Autism are diagnosed late: Doctors explain what early intervention can change123Hot PicksSimone BilesVinesh PhogatMonsoon ForecastHenry Nowak murderFrancisco CerundoloDonald TrumpGold price predictionTop TrendingGhaziabad Student MurderD GukeshVaibhav sooryavanshi IPL auctionPunjab Local Body Election ResultCockroach Janta PartySupreme CourtNEET UG 2026 fee refundBSEB Bihar Sakashmta Pariksha Admit CardNTANEET Paper Leak
NEW DELHI: The National Family Health Survey-6 (2023-24) has shown that participation of married women in household decision-making has increased over the years, with data revealing that 89% were involved in decisions about their own healthcare, major household purchases and visits to family and relatives.The participation of married women (15-49 years) in these three household decisions was high across both rural and urban areas – 88% and 91.4%, respectively. The figure has been rising over successive NFHS rounds at the pan-India level. It was 84% in (2015-16), 88.7% in 2019-21 and 89% in the latest survey. It also came through that the percentage of women having a bank or savings account that they themselves use has risen from 78.6% in the previous survey to 89% in the 2023-24 survey.However, the data also brings into focus the challenges. For instance, at the time of the survey, the percentage of women who had worked in the last 12 months and were paid in cash stood at just 30.8%. The figure was even lower at 25.4% in NFHS-5. In 2023-24, this percentage for women was 29.8% in urban areas and 31.2% in rural areas.In the data on contraception, it is notable that while the use of family planning methods by married women (15-49 years) rose to 69.1% from 66.7% in NFHS-5, when it comes to sterilisation, there was a stark difference between the percentage of women and men taking that route.NFHS-6 found that female sterilisation stood at 36.5% whereas male sterilisation was at merely 0.5%. In the previous survey, this percentage was higher for women (37.9%) and lower for men (0.3%).The data is telling as it highlights challenges arising out of deep-rooted societal gender norms and indicates that many still hold on to the belief that the onus of family planning largely rests with the woman.The survey findings on sterilisation show that female sterilisation was notably higher in rural areas (38.1%) compared to 32.6% in urban areas. In the case of men, those opting for sterilisation was equally low in both rural and urban areas at 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively.Meanwhile, a look at urban and rural data shows that there was not much difference in the percentage of married women using any form, including traditional and modern, of family planning methods – 69.6% in urban areas and 68.9% women in rural areas.The survey also looked at the unmet need for family planning (currently married women in age group of 15-49 years), which stood at 8.5%, and was higher at 9.1% in rural areas as against 7% in urban areas. The unmet need for family planning refers to women who do not use contraception but wish to postpone next childbirth or stop childbearing altogether.
