Women in Haryana more financially independent, yet 1 in 7 wives still faces domestic violence

3 min readChandigarhJul 2, 2026 10:12 PM IST

The proportion of women operating their own bank accounts in the state has jumped from 73.6 per cent to 85.2 per cent. (Image generated using AI)

While Haryana women are witnessing greater financial independence, increased participation in household decision-making, and improved digital access, a sobering reality also holds true — one in seven married women still faces domestic violence, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6, 2023-24).

According to the survey, the prevalence of spousal violence among ever-married women aged 18-49 in Haryana has declined from 17.9 per cent in NFHS-5 (2019-21) to 13.6 per cent in NFHS-6, indicating progress but also highlighting that domestic violence remains a significant concern. Of this, 16.1 per cent of women experienced such kind of violence in the urban belt while 12.1 per cent witnessed in the rural belt.

Physical violence during pregnancy has increased from 1.6 per cent in the last survey to 2.6 per cent, while the proportion of young women aged 18-29 who experienced sexual violence before the age of 18 has reduced from 0.4 per cent to 0.1 per cent in the state.

Financial independence improves

The share of married women in Haryana participating in household decisions has increased from 87.5 per cent in NHFS-5 to 91.1 per cent in NHFS-6, suggesting a stronger voice within families. Financial independence has also improved, with women receiving cash payment for work rising from 18.8 per cent to 25.1 per cent.

The proportion of women operating their own bank accounts in the state has jumped from 73.6 per cent to 85.2 per cent, while mobile phone ownership has increased sharply from 50.4 per cent to 64.9 per cent, enabling greater access to information, services and opportunities. The use of hygienic menstrual protection methods among young women has also inched up from 93.5 per cent to 94.3 per cent, reflecting continued improvements in awareness and access.

Teenage pregnancies on the rise

The survey also throws light on emerging health challenges, with 17.2 per cent of women underweight, 37.3 per cent overweight or obese, indicating a growing burden of lifestyle-related health issues in Haryana.

Around 16.7 per cent of women in the state have high blood sugar levels or are on diabetes medication, while the same percentage have elevated blood pressure or are undergoing treatment for hypertension.

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Lifestyle habits continue to differ sharply between men and women. Tobacco use among women in the state stands at just 2.2 per cent compared with 27.5% among men, while only 0.2 per cent of women consume alcohol against 17.5 per cent of men.

The survey also flags concerns over early-age pregnancies in Haryana. The share of women aged 15-19 who were already mothers or pregnant at the time of survey rose to 4.7 per cent in NHFS-6 from 3.9 per cent in NHFS-5.

Likewise, 11.9 per cent of women aged 20-24 were married before turning 18, a marginal improvement from 12.5 per cent but still prevalent.

“Overall, the NFHS-6 findings suggest that Haryana’s women are becoming more educated, financially empowered and digitally connected than before, but the persistence of domestic violence against one in seven ever-married women is concerning and underscores that social empowerment still has some distance to go alongside economic and financial progress,” a sociologist said.

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory.

Professional Background

Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance.

Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows.

Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends:

1. Investigative & Financial Reporting

"Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff.

"Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control.

"Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT.

2. Governance & Constitutional Status

"What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance.

"MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure.

"No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term.

3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment

"Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts.

"UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network.

"Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump.

4. Lifestyle & Local Trends

"Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year.

"After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges.

Signature Beat

Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse.

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