Marital rape, Swachh Bharat, digital divide: Latest NFHS survey reveals startling data

The recent National Family Health Survey that was conducted between 2019 and 2021 busts many myths and also confirms some ugly realities of India.

Numbers and data should be the two deities that any self-respecting media professional should respect and revere. Unfortunately, in the din and noise of acrimonious debates that revolve around matters of faith, a treasure trove of fascinating data that showcases an India that is both changing and clinging on to past prejudices is being largely ignored.

We are talking about the data released by the latest National Family Health Survey that was conducted across the country between 2019 and 2021. While the data released by the NFHS is sufficient to fill up at least a few full-length books, let us focus on just five data points that reflect the reality of India.

1. Swachh Bharat is still a work in progress: Globally, one of the most talked about achievements of the Narendra Modi regime is its determination to ensure that every household in India has access to a functional toilet. Dozens of states and hundreds of districts have issued self-congratulatory notes declaring that open defecation is now part of a sordid past and history.

But the latest NFHS report reveals that open defecation is still widely practised across the country. According to the survey, close to 26% of Indians still do not use modern, functional toilets.

That is a staggering 350 million people; almost equal to the entire population of the United States of America. Bihar leads the list of infamy with close to 44% saying they still defecate in the open. Predictably, Kerala performs the best with just 0.4% defecating in the open.

The shocker comes from Tamil Nadu where almost 34% defecate in the open. We are waiting to see the gender split in this set of data, as the authors know the toilets played a critical role in swaying women voters towards the BJP in recent assembly elections, since it became a tool not just on the issue of hygiene and sanitation, but more importantly a tool on the issue of sexual crimes against women in rural part.

Also Read: Most child marriages in South India happen in Andhra Pradesh, says survey