Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
3. The data governance proposals of India must be evaluated from a gender lens to further ease the usage of Internet and Social Media for women. Discuss. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Hindustan Times
Why the question:
The new data governance laws are under discussion. Given the various challenges faced by women in usage of Internet & Social media in India, There is a need to look at the laws from the gender perspective.
Key Demand of the question:
To discuss about how and why the data governance laws in India must be gender sensitive.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start your answer by talking about how India is moving towards an increasingly digital society. Thus, there is a need for the privacy and data governance laws which impact women’s safety and agency on the internet to be gender sensitive.
Body:
In the first part, briefly highlight the challenges faced by women in usage of Internet and social media in India. You can substantiate your answer by giving statistics from NFHS-5, etc.
Now, talk about how the clauses in various data governance laws such as Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 should be protective of women’s privacy and agency to use internet.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward to make the data governance laws of India gender sensitive.
