More girls die than boys in India in under-five age group: UN report

India is the only country where more girls die than boys in the under-five age group, according to a UN report. At 93, the country has the lowest sex ratio in under-5 mortality. This means 93 boys die before age fi ve for 100 girls that die by that age. India is also among the countries with the largest surplus of men. Overall, men outnumber women in eastern Asia, southern Asia, Oceania, and western Asia, according to ‘The World’s Women 2015’ report. Although sex-selective abortions have been illegal in India since 1996, the law has had "little effect so far on the sex ratio at birth", the report noted. Globally, life expectancy of women has continued to rise, reaching 72 years, while it has gone up to 68 for men. Regarding employment, estimates reveal that globally only 50 per cent of women of working age are in the labour force, compared to 77 per cent of men. This gender gap in labour force participation remains especially large in South and West Asia and North Africa. Here’s more from the report...