Social welfare & inclusion

India - Social welfare & inclusion overview

Country profile

• India ranked 127th in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023
• As per IPU's monthly ranking of women in national parliament, India has less than 15% representation of women in parliament; the Lok Sabha (lower house) has 77 women MPs (14.7% of 523 MPs) and the Rajya Sabha (upper house) had 29 (13% of 238 MPs).
• As at July 2023, the unemployment rate in India stood at 7.95%
• According to the World Bank’s Global Financial Inclusion Database for Global Findex report (2017), 80% of Indian adults have a bank account and 77% of Indian women have a bank account.
• As of 2022, the internet penetration rate in India is at 48.7% (internet users with both access to the internet and the knowledge to use the web technology).
• As per the 2011-2012 census, 21.92% of the Indian population was below the poverty line.
• India ranked 62nd in the World Economic Forum’s Inclusive Development Index 2018.

Policies and Initiatives

• The Public Distribution System (PDS), National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGA), National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and the recently introduced Direct Benefit Transfer are the main social protection schemes in India. Allocations under NREGA and ‘One Nation-One Ration Card’ (ONORC) were implemented to deal with the impact of COVID-19 on the vulnerable. 
• The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The 1993  73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution of India have provided for the reservation of seats and the increased representation of women in the local bodies of Panchayats (local councils) and Municipalities. 
• The Indian Constitution provided for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the lower house of Parliament and in the Legislative Assemblies of states for a period of 70 years since the enactment of the Constitution. As this provision was due to expire on 25 January  2020, in December 2019, the 126th constitutional amendment bill was passed by the lower house extending the reservation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for another 10 years, to 25 January 2030. The 124th Constitutional Amendment provides reservation of seats in the lower house of parliament and legislative assemblies for economically disadvantaged representation in the general category.
• The Sachar Committee was mandated to prepare a report on the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community of India and make recommendations for appropriate interventional measures to improve the same. It submitted a report in 2006.
• Xaxa Committee on Tribal Communities of India was mandated to examine the socio-economic, educational and health status of tribal communities and recommend appropriate interventional measures to improve the same. It submitted a report in May, 2014.
• The National Health Policy (2017) seeks to universalise access to basic healthcare by making essential drugs and basic health services free at public hospitals. The Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched in September 2018, aims to deliver universal healthcare to all Indians by providing the world’s largest national health insurance scheme with a large participating network of health and wellness centres.
• The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Mid-day Meal Scheme, National Means-cum-merit Scholarship Scheme  aim to help economically disadvantaged social groups get access to education, make the Indian education system more inclusive, and reduce drop-out rates. These are supplemented by other policies and schemes focused on the most marginalised groups: Girls, rural poor, minorities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The National Education Policy 2020 provides recommendations to address the challenges of inequity and disparity in the current education system. e-Pathshala and SWAYAM have been developed to bridge the digital divide (geographical, socio-cultural and linguistic) and increase access to online education.
• The National Youth Policy (2014) aims to create a productive workforce, contributing to India’s economic development, a strong and healthy generation; promote social values and community services; facilitate participation and civic engagement; support youth at risk and create equitable opportunity for all disadvantaged and marginalised youth. Priority areas of intervention are education, employment and skill development, entrepreneurship, health, sports, participation in politics, inclusion and social justice.
• The Accessible India Campaign is a nation-wide flagship campaign aiming to achieve universal accessibility that enables people with disabilities to gain access to equal opportunity, live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life in an inclusive society. 
• The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Atal Pension Yojana, Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs) have played a significant role in ensuring financial inclusion in India.
• India has ratified six out of the eight core/fundamental International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions. 

Governance

In India, both the union and the state governments are responsible for the social welfare of the people. While the central government carves out key welfare policies and provides funds to states, state governments also adopt various policies to meet the needs of their respective states. The union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is responsible for welfare, social justice and empowerment of disadvantaged and marginalised sections of society. The ministry has two departments: (i) Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (Samajik Nyaya and Adhikarita Vibhag) (ii) Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan). There are other ministries that play an integral role in ensuring social welfare and inclusion, these include the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Women & Child Development and the Ministry of Minority Affairs. The Scheduled Castes Development (SCD) Bureau aims to promote the welfare of Scheduled Castes through their educational, economic and social empowerment. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes provides safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes and Anglo Indian communities to promote and protect their social, educational, economic and cultural interests, special provisions were made in the Constitution. Similarly, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes provides safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Tribes to promote and protect their social, educational, economic and cultural interests, special provisions were made in the Constitution. The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in 1992 to review the Constitutional and legal safeguards for women; recommend remedial legislative measures, facilitate redressal of grievances and advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.
 

Australia - Social welfare & inclusion overview

Country profile

• Australia ranked 26th in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2023.
• According to IPU's monthly ranking of women in national parliament, the Australian senate is made up of 56.6% women, however, only 38% of the 150-member House of Representatives are women.
• As at January 2024, unemployment in Australia was 3.9%.
• According to the World Bank’s Global Financial Inclusion Database or Global Findex report (2017), 100% Australian adults have a bank account.
• As of 2021, the internet penetration rate in Australia is at 91% (internet users with both access to the internet and the knowledge to use the web technology) .
• According to the OECD statistics, Australian poverty rate stood at 12% in 2015-16.
• Australia ranked 9th in the World Economic Forum’s Inclusive Development Index 2018.

Policies and Initiatives

• Australia’s welfare 2023: data insights is a report on the current status of welfare in Australia, with key findings on data, well-being and loneliness, employment and income support after COVID-19, housing affordability, disability services, youth justice, socioeconomic factors and the impacts on university participation, aged care, and welfare workforce. 
• The Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022, was endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments and led to the establishment of Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS). The Australian Government also announced that the 2022-23 Budget provides $1.3 billion over 6 years for measures to address family, domestic and sexual violence.
• As per Australia's federal anti-discrimination laws it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of a number of protected attributes including age, disability, race, sex, intersex status, gender identity and sexual orientation in certain areas of public life, including education and employment. 
• Most Australian states and territories have enshrined multicultural principles in legislation, charters or policy. At the federal level, the proposed Multicultural Bill 2018 remains before the senate. The Bill would provide a national approach to the principles of diversity and multiculturalism and seeks to establish an Australian Multicultural Commission.
• The Seniors Connected Program aims to address loneliness and social isolation experienced by older Australians aged over 55 living in the community (or Indigenous Australians aged 50 or over).
• Government policies like Emergency Relief and the Emergency Relief National Coordination Plan, ensure assistance to people in immediate financial distress who do not have other reasonable means of support, and also provide assistance to organisations that support communities.  
• The National Action Plan for the Health of Children and Young People 2020-2030 outlines how the Australian Government policies and programs help improve the lives of young Australians.
• There are various Mental Health Programs and Services which aim to provide a better life to those with mental health issues, support their families, provide employment and vocational services to younger people with mental illness. Digital Work and Study Service uses digital mediums to provide tailored support to young people with mental illness.
• The Remote Australia Strategies (RAS) Programme is designed to support projects that contribute to improved education, employment and community safety in remote areas.
• The National Indigenous Australians Agency implements the Government’s policies and programs to improve the lives of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through its various initiatives. These include initiatives to bridge the gap across sectors, provide constitutional recognition, protect and promote indigenous culture, provide access to education, health, employment, housing and support through grants and funds.
• The National Disability Strategy (NDS), a 10-year national plan (2010-2020) worked towards improving the life experiences of Australians with disability, their families and carers. In December 2020, Disability Ministers from across Australia issued a Statement of Continued Commitment to the National Disability Strategy, according to which they commit to continue efforts under the National Disability Strategy to uphold the rights of people with disability between the expiry of the current Strategy at the end of 2020, and the finalisation of the new National Disability Strategy in 2021.
• The National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS) establishes a framework for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) by setting out the objectives and principles of the scheme. The Act ensures that people with disabilities are given choice and control over the care and support they receive.
• The Enhanced Job Security Safety Net which came into effect in April 2021, has brought about a series of permanent changes that have ensured job seekers have the best opportunity to secure employment.

Governance

The Australian Government Department of Social Services is responsible for a diverse range of policies, payments, programs and services that improve the lifetime wellbeing of people and families in Australia. The department works in partnership with other government and non-government organisations to ensure the effective development, management and delivery of these initiatives. The Australian Human Rights Commission is Australia’s national human rights institution and has a range of duties, functions and powers with respect to human rights, including undertaking inquiries, intervening in court proceedings, examining enactments and conducting educational programs and public awareness campaigns. The National Indigenous Australians Agency is committed to implementing the Government’s policies and programs to improve the lives of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The agency works directly under and supports the Minister for Indigenous Australians. It also liaises closely with state and territory governments to ensure that Indigenous programs and services are delivering for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as intended. The Office for Women works across government to deliver policies and programs to advance gender equality and improve the lives of Australian women. The Department of Health develops and delivers policies and programs and advises the Australian Government on health, aged care and sport and ensures better health for all Australians. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is an independent statutory agency which produces authoritative and accessible information and statistics to inform and support better policy and service delivery decisions, leading to better health and wellbeing for all Australians.
 

Successful collaborations

• In 2022, Deakin University, Australia and Symbiosis International University partnered to create a new research alliance empowering women entrepreneurs in India and Australia.
• A partnership between the University of Sydney and TISS started in 2015 to run a three-week intensive field school program on economic development, environmental sustainability and social inequality.
• Lady Shri Ram College has delivered an exchange program at the undergraduate level in social-sciences with La Trobe University for almost 25 years.

Recent ARC grants have supported the following research projects relating to social welfare and inclusion:

1. In 2018, Griffith University undertook a discovery project themed ‘Accountability for past human rights violations in South Asia’ which included country specific study of India.
2. In 2021, University of Sydney undertook a research project themed ‘Migrant Worlds: Labouring Lives and Worker Consciousness in Global Cities’ included country specific study of India.
3. In 2017, University of Melbourne undertook a research project on the theme 'Ethics and Equity: Implications for health systems research priority-setting' included country specific study of India.
4. In 2017, University of Queensland undertook a research project on the theme 'Consequences of inequality on social behaviour and political attitudes' included country specific study of India.
5. In 2019, La Trobe University undertook a research project on the theme 'Adult drinking and child maltreatment in families, communities and societies' included country specific study of India.

Bilateral Frameworks for Cooperation

• The Joint Statement by former Australian Prime Minister Turnbull and Indian Prime Minister Modi, during the Australian Prime Minister’s visit to India in 2017 reaffirmed their strong commitment to Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and noted with appreciation that Australia and India had co-sponsored the IORA Declaration on Gender Equality and Women's Economic Empowerment in October 2016.
• In 2018, the President of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a collaborative project to develop a co-designed course aimed at equipping community level workers to respond effectively to disability in under-serviced communities in India. The Department of Empowerment of People with Disability and the Rehabilitation Council of India is supporting the project being developed in collaboration with the Melbourne Disability Institute and the Nossal Institute for Global Health which will undertake modelling around investment in disability in India. In 2022, a group of representatives from the University of Melbourne, which is the leading Australian agency, met with the Indian Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar to reflect on their progress and way forward.

Trade and investment opportunity

• The India Economic Strategy to 2035: Navigating from Potential to Delivery, a report to the Australian Government by Peter Varghese OA, recommends Australian advocacy and business engagement initiatives in India across priority sectors must be cognisant of growing attention in India’s public and private sectors to the economic benefits of workplace diversity and women’s workforce participation and must emphasise gender equity and inclusiveness.The principles of gender equality, inclusion, diversity and equity are integrated into the updated five-year plan of action.
• India’s New Education Policy 2020 (NEP) acknowledges the importance of the humanities and social sciences to address societal issues, climate concerns and to graduate well-rounded citizens. The NEP calls for high-quality interdisciplinary research across fields rooted in a deep understanding of the social sciences and humanities.  
• The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has set up a sectoral Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion for steering its agenda towards enabling Diversity and inclusion work policies across India.