India Fact Sheet

Although India has seen higher economic growth from 1995 to 2005 than its South Asian neighbors, it has had one of the smallest declines in under-five mortality rates. This, and the vast gender disparities in primary education, suggests that India is not realizing economic and social rights progressively according maximum available resources, nor is it ensuring equal treatment in access and enjoyment to these rights.

CESR's fact sheet on India provides a graphic overview of selected elements of the human rights to health and education, seeking to highlight areas where government efforts to realize these rights may be inadequate. It was prepared in light of India's appearance before the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in May 2008. 

The fact sheet is part of CESR's Visualizing Rights series. Each fact sheet focuses on a country and its economic, social and cultural rights obligations. This focus helps enable intergovernmental human rights mechanisms, such as the UN, and national and international NGOs, monitor governments' compliance with their economic, social and cultural rights obligations.

The latest available socioeconomic data is used, taken either from international sources such as the World Bank or the UNDP, or national sources, such as national statistics bureaus. This data is displayed using graphs and charts, and then analyzed and interpreted. This is meant to shed light on the condition of governments' economic and social rights obligations.