Women Empowerment

The status of women in India has been

subject to great many changes over the past few millennia. From
a largely unknown status in ancient times through the low points
of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many
reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful.

Women in India have made their mark in multiple

fields -- technology, literature, art, etc. There is hardly an
industry/sector where you wouldn't find women -- and the
women: men ratios are improving in all sectors in India. Several
Indian women, like their counterparts in other countries, have
made their mark in international business and politics, too. The
success of our women is no longer limited to our country. India,
with a population of 989 million, is the world’s second most
populous country. Of that number, 120 million are women who
live in poverty. India is one of the few countries where males
significantly outnumber females and this imbalance has
increased over time. India’s maternal mortality rates in rural
areas are among the worlds highest. From a global perspective,
Indian accounts for 19 percent of all lives births and 27 percent
of all maternal deaths.

 Women of ancient times

The condition of women had really
sunk very low during medival period. They were deprived of
facilities of education. They were secluded behind the purdah.
Childhood and widowhood kept them under subjection .ever
probably among the most backward of there sex all over the
world . The Indian woman's position in the society further
deteriorated during the medieval period.[ Sati, child marriages and
ban on widow remarriages became part of social life in India. In
some parts of India, the Devadasis or the temple women were
sexually exploited. Shortly after the Bhakti movement, Guru
Nanak, the first Guru of Sikhs also preached the message of
equality between men and women. He advocated that women are
allowed to lead religious assemblies; to perform and lead
congregational hymn singing called Kirtan or Bhajan; become
members of religious management committees; to lead armies on
the battlefield; have equality in marriage, and equality in Amrit
(Baptism). Other Sikh Gurus also preached against the
discrimination against women.

Traditions such as sati, jauhar, child marriage, and devadasi have

been banned and are largely defunct. However, some cases of these
practices are still found in remote parts of India. The purdah is still
practised by many Indian women.

Sati
Sati is an old, largely defunct custom, in which the widow was
immolated alive on her husband's funeral pyre. Although the
act was supposed to be a voluntary on the widow's part, it is
believed to have been sometimes forced on the widow. It was
abolished by the British in 1829. There have been around
forty reported cases of sati since independence. In 1987, the
Roop Kanwar case of Rajasthan led to The Commission of
Sati (Prevention)

Child marriages
Earlier, child marriages were highly prevalent in India. The
young girls would live with their parents till they reached
 puberty. In the past, the child widows were condemned to a
life of great agony, shaving heads, living in isolation, and
shunned by the society. Although child marriage was
outlawed in 1860, it is still a common practice in some
underdeveloped areas of the country.

Purdah
Purdah is the practice of requiring women to cover their
bodies so as to cover their skin and conceal their form. It does
not, contrary to common beliefs, impose restrictions on
mobility of women, curtailment of their right to interact freely
and it is not a symbol of subordination of women. Now, it is a
declining tradition in India, practiced mostly by Muslims.

But in british rule European scholars observed in the 19th century

Hindu women are "naturally chaste" and "more virtuous" than
other women.During the British Raj, many reformers such as Ram
Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jyotirao Phule etc.
fought for the upliftment of women. Raja Rammohun Roy's efforts
led to the abolition of the Sati practice in 1829 Rani Lakshmi Bai,
the Queen of Jhansi, led the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the
British. She is now widely considered as a nationalist hero

It is in this context that we have to recognize the miracle of

Gandhi's work. Gandhiji claimed that a woman is completely equal
to a man and practiced it in strict sense. Thousands and millions of
women, educated and illiterate, house wives and widows, students
and elderly participated in the India's freedom movement because
his influence. For Gandhiji, the freedom fight was not political
alone; it was also an economic and social reform of a national
proportion. After a couple of decades, this equality became very
natural in India. After India's freedom (in1947) and adoption of
constitution (1950), emphasized equality of women,and hence this
movement brought a revolutionary change in the position of
women.

 Women of Modern Era

Women in India have made their mark in
multiple fields -- technology, literature, art, etc. There is hardly an
industry/sector where you wouldn't find women -- and the women:
men ratios are improving in all sectors in India. Several Indian
women, like their counterparts in other countries, have made their
mark in international business and politics, too. The success of our
women is no longer limited to our country.

I do not think there is any discrepancy.

Companies like ours have always offered the same opportunities
and facilities to all its employees Though women of India are not
at par with her counterpart in Western world but she is struggling
hard to make her mark in men's world.

It will be no more dominating world . Woman

have come out of there seclusion and confinement they are playing
a major role in every walk of life. The enlistment of woman has
brought a social change. The untapped power of woman has now
been gainfully employed and utilizes. Be it education or
administration, science or technology or politics they have proved
their worth.

Education has actually brought about women

emancipation it has open gates for women to compete with men in
various walks of life . Sarojini naidu, Mahadeevi Verma and
arundhati roy has established their names in literature. Mrs indira
Gandhi has exploded the myth that only men know the job of ruling
we have good administrators and teachers among women Even in
industry and technology they have registered their presence It was
the gandhian movement that brought women in the forefront if the
national struggle for independence. Today women are gracing the
posts of governors of provinces , the members of cabinets,
ambassadors and leaders of international conferences .

 Laws and policies:

• The Maternity Benefit Act 1961

• The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
• Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act,
1986
• The Commission of Sati (Prevention)Act, 1987
• Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act,
2005
• 1985- Ministry of Human Resource Development set
up by Department for Women and Child Development
 constituted in HRD Ministry to monitor the assess
quantum of funds/benefits flowing to women.

 Growth of women:

• Growth of women has been diverse in various action

areas:

Health Water & San. Political

& Nut. Participation
Education
Asset base
Skills
Market
ing
Technol
Credit
ogy
• Ratio of woman compared to man in various corners
of India:

• Women Workforce
• Conclusion:

In addition, improving the status of women also

enhances their decision-making capacity at all levels
and all spheres of life, especially in the area of sexuality
and reproduction. This, in turn, is essential for the long-
term success of population programmers. Experience
shows that population and development programmers
are most effective when steps have simultaneously been
taken to improve the status of women."