WOMEN IN INDIA

An essay about the status of women in India

By
V. Sowmya
B. Bhavani
Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam, Tirupati
Feb 2020
Abstract

Women are the epicentres of creation in this world1. Indian society is a complex one,
because of its construction of a hierarchical social order on the basis of class, caste and gender.
The status of women is supposed to be the criteria to judge the social and economic
advancement of that country. The status of Indian women is a dynamic from annals of history-
Ancient, medieval as well as modern-are replete with the names of women who distinguished
themselves in spiritual, cultural, political and even heroic fields2 like Sita, Savitri, Damayanti,
Queen of Jhansi, Sarojini Naidu, Indira Gandhi, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit and Kiran Bedi etc.

Fight is not for woman’s status but for human worth. The claim is not to end inequality of
woman but to restore universal justice. The bid is not for loaves and fishes for the forsaken
gender but for cosmic harmony. Which never comes till woman come.3

Ancient India (1500-500 BCE)

In Pre-Vedic period women possessed respectable status in the society. Aryans who were
mostly busy fighting wars regarded woman as “useful and productive member of society”. In
Ramayana, Sita with her unique standing in the minds of most Hindus, regardless of religion,
caste, social class, education, testifies to the power pervasiveness of the traditional idea of
womanhood3. In the Epic Mahabharata, daughters and sons were equally cherished as saviours
of their parents, families and society from calamities4.

Status of girl child

The girl-child was given a special position of honour in society. Maidens are regarded as
objects of good omen, were venerated on all auspicious occasions. Girls were often adopted by
childless couples like King Kunti Bhoja adopted Kunti, King of Vidarbha adopted Lopamudra.
In patriarchal society as in the Mahabharata, the birth of a son was considered a boon while
that of a daughter is considered as a liability because of their physical weakness.

1
Krishna Bhowmik, Indian Women (The Ushering of a New Dawn)
2
S.B.Verma, Status of Women in Modern India
3
By Bir Pal Singh, National Law Institute University, Bhopal, India
4
Vanamala Bhawalkar, Women in Mahabharata
Education

Women in Ancient time was not barred from attaining the highest goal of life, and acquiring
knowledge. There are two types of scholarly woman

Brahmavadinis: Woman who never married and cultured the Vedas throughout their lives.
Sadyodvahas: Who studies the Vedas till they married.

Listening to the discussions of the learned Brahmanas, sages and hermits, who came as
guests to palaces of the kings and the residences of wealthy citizens, especially during the four
months of the rainy season was a source of knowledge to women. There were references by
panini regarding female students studying Vedas.

This clearly reflects the fact that kings were aware of woman potentials and they were
interested in educating their children without any gender bias. Draupadi sat with her brother
and learnt Nitishastra and Gandhari learnt with her brother Shakuni became well versed in
economics5.

Marriage

Among Hindus, marriage is a necessary samskar6 it is a sacrament. The Brahmanas

proclaimed, “The wife is verily the half of the husband”7. Polygamy and polyandry both
existed, but monogamy was in fashion. Child marriages was not in existence, the marriageable
age was 16 or 17 years for girls. Widow remarriage and Niyogi prevailed in society. In
Mahabharata there is not a single instance of the demand of dowry. The bride was to be
honoured with gifts from both the sides of relatives. The deities Sita and Rama are being a role
model for Conjugal and eternal love till todays date.

Crimes against women

The history of women life is a garland of stigma or misery [‘social problems in India’-
Dr. Vidyadevi Patil

Women are considered as physically weak and they were exposed to dangers like
kidnapping. Physical assault etc hence it is considered responsibility of men in society to guard
them. In south eastern India traditions, the law of Manu ruled, “as daughter women should

5
Vanamala Bhawalkar, Women in Mahabharata
6
Paras Diwan, Family law
7
Sathpath Brahamana V, 1.6.10
obey their fathers, as wives obey their husbands, and widows obey their sons” this clearly states
the influence of male head in the family. Few instances of crime cited in Indian Epic
Ramayana-Abduction of Sita and in Mahabharata-Draupadi was assaulted.

The people used for gambling in Dyuta i.e. play of dies by Nala, Yudhishthira and Virata,
were maid servants and not women of good families. Both male and female servants were given
away as gifts8.

Medieval Period (372 BC-1600 AD)

With invasions of India by Alexander and the Huns, the position of women started to
degrade9. The life of woman during Gupta reign is changed compared to woman’s life in
Mauryan Period. Woman’s position is considerably changed between the two time periods that
doesn’t have much time gaps10. Women’s status had further deteriorated in the society and they
suffered from many social evils during Mughal period11.

Life of woman

The Medieval period women being oppressed in the feudal social order and patriarchal
families. In Mauryan Dynasty, Shatavahan Dynasty and Gupta Dynasty women were given
much respect. The king Shatakarni gave utmost respect to his mother and he was popular as
Gauthami Putra Shatakarni. Maham Anaga, Akbar’s milk mother was a marvel of sense,
resource and loyalty. Her high status at Akbar’s court is visibly demonstrated by her prominent
position, seated next to the emperor himself12.

Though women were respected they were treated as chattels. Monogamy was prevalent but
among rich a man could keep many wives. Social evils like Sati. Child marriage, female
infanticide arose. The evil of dowry had become deep rooted. “Purdah” and “Jauhar” were
strictly followed during Mughal period. The Muslim Invaders were always prepared either to
molest or to capture Hindu-women which resulted in child-marriages and Purdah system.
Woman was considered a creature between human and beast whose main function was to bear
children and serve man13

8
Vanamala Bhawalkar, Women in Mahabharata
9
Mamta Rao, Law relating to Women and Children [2nd ed.]
10
Suhas Chatterjee, Indian Civilization and Culture
11
Mamta Agarwal, Position of Women During Mughal Period
12
Ira Mukhoty, Daughters of the Sun: Empresses, Queens and Begums of the Mughal Empire
13
Afsar Bano, Status of Women in Islamic Society
Education

Women education and training came to a sudden halt with invading armies roaming the
country side, women were put behind the veil. The woman from the higher classes especially
Brahmins or Kshatriyas are allowed to get educated in music, philosophy, drawing and history
in the Gupta Age. Many stories from Gupta Age tells us that woman later educated in merchant
class also. Ashoka induced his daughter Sangamitra into preaching Buddhism, in Jain texts
Princess Kousambi, Yayanti they remained as spinsters to study philosophy and religion.

Mughal women in Zenana were educated than any other contemporaries anywhere in the
world. Many became writers and famous poets and they were trained as singers and dancers
with great agility. Mughal Princess Gulbadan Begum author of Humayun-Nama.

British Era (1700-1947)

The attitude, behaviour and living pattern of Hindu society changed drastically during the
British regime due to western impact on the socio-cultural life of India14.

Movements for raising the status of women

During the colonial period there were two major movements which effected the position of
women.

(1) Social reform movement

(2) Nationalist movement

Both the movements raised the question of equal status of women in society. During this period
an awareness was created for the removal of social malaises, while education and organizing
political participation increased women mobility.

Politics

Women entered the agitational politics only after the first world war. When congress met in
Bombay in 1889 there were ten women in it. Women were called for Satya Graha movement
Non-cooperation movement (1920-1922), Gandhi urged rich and cultured women to take the
vow to spin and there by become models for the masses. Gandhi’s first long and well-developed
speech on women in India was made in 1980 to the Bhagini Samaj. A struggle against British
dominance was being raised by (a) Constitutionalist (b) Gandhian’s (c) Violent revolutionaries.

14
V.K.Deewan, Offences Against Women
These three groups saw the value of having women in their movements and denounced western
feminism as pitting women against men. Sarojini Naidu (1879-1949) and extraordinary woman
and forceful leader whose career encompassed both the women’s movement and political
movement. Specific issues were raised relating to women’s rights vs Nationalism:

(1) Education for female

(2) Right to vote
(3) Legislation to protect women in mines and factories
(4) Employment for women
(5) The amelioration of condition of widows15.

Education

The rate of literacy was very low only one in a hundred women was able to read or write.
The customs denied women, their access to education. Raja Ram Mohan Roy (father of modern
India), Eshwar Chandra Vidya Sagar and Jyothi Rao Pule social played a key role in upliftment
of status of women. During the colonial rule Peary Charan Sarkar had firstly started girls’
school at Calcutta in 1847 under the governance of lord William Bentick. Charlee Wood
dispatch on education (1854) laid great stress on the need for female education (Jones, 1994).

Saraladevi chaudhurani, Sarojini Naidu (Nightingale of India) and Dr. S. Muthulakshmi

Reddy (First woman legislative councillor in Madras 1926) were few educated women.

Crime

During the colonial rule evil social practices, dogmatic religious beliefs, inhuman
superstitions and sinister customs caused the maximum degree of deterioration. Child
marriage, enforced widowhood, sati, Devadasi, purdah, dowry, female infanticide and the
practice of polygamy made the Indian society static.

Post Constitution period

The most important event after independence has been the drafting of the constitution of
this country enshrining the principle of Equality, Liberty and Social Justice. The framers of the
constitution were aware of the sociology of the problem of emancipation of the women in India.
The main object of the constitution is to protect women from exploitation and provide social
justice, it was enshrined in the preamble of the constitution.

15
Geraldine Forbes, Women in Colonial India
Education

If you educate a man, you educate an individual, if you educate a woman you educate a family.

Article 21-A in the constitution of India- to provide free and compulsory education to all
children of 6-14years in such manner as sate, may by law determine.

Right to Education Act, 2009.

Central government Schemes

With the aim of changing social status of the girl children in India, a large range of girl child
schemes have been initiated across the nation.

“Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” to prevent gender-biased selective abortions and ensuring
education and participation of the girl child.

“Balika Samriddhi yojana” is a scholarship scheme to improve the enrolment as well as

retention of girls in schools.

“CBSE Udaan Scheme” for girls in administered by Central Board of Secondary Education.
This scheme is to increase the enrolment of girls in prestigious engineering collages across
India.

“National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education” it is primarily for the benefit
of girls belonging to the backward classes of India.

“Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan” Education for all moment is programme which aimed at
universalization of the primary education.

Employment

Due to patriarchy most of the women were confined to the house hold works. If a society
which constitute nearly 48.72% of women do not nurture properly the right for education and
Employment provisions of women, the attainment of development of society will remain just
a dream which would never come true. Sustained high economic growth since the early 1990s
due to globalization it has brought significant change to the lives of Indian women16.

16
Erin K. Fletcher & Rohini Pandey, Women and work in India: Descriptive evidence and a review of potential
policies
Impact of globalization (1970-1990)

The elite, educated and upper middle class, especially in the cities have gained by exposure
to western ideas about women’s role, career options and jobs etc. Indian government statistics
verify this and show that the unemployment rate for educated women has declined considerably
from the late 1970’s to early 1990’s.

The lower and middle-class uneducated women were the severe victims of the globalization
as they have to bear the burden and burnt of inflation, increased prices of basic commodities.
Exploitation of women labour, wages of women labour in the jobs of exports and imports at
harbour, training and promotion options are always kept at minimum level17.

Constitutional provisions:

The Indian constitution promised women complete equality regarding employment. The new
legal codes abolished social restrictions and the bureaucratic structure included institutions.
Articles 14, 15, 16, 38, 39A, 41, 42, 43 and 45 of Indian constitution which contains the
provisions for equality, no discrimination in employment and other benefits and provide
conditions at work place.

Special legislations for women:

In 1979, the Swedish government adopted the equal opportunities act, the first law regulating
gender issues in work life came into force in 1980. In India the legislations for women
regarding employment are:
Equal remuneration Act, 1976
Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923
Employee’s State Insurance Act, 1948

17
Krishna Bhowmik, Indian Women (The Ushering of a New Dawn)
Crimes against women
On summing up the number of girl children who are killed in wombs of their mother and the
number of women who are murdered preceded by dowry demand or rape. If the same number
of people died because of a disease, it would have been declared as an epidemic.

A woman is subject to many hardships from womb to tomb. Almost every woman has
gained tolerance towards and have experienced the feeling of being mistreated, trivialized, kept
out, put down, ignored, assaulted, laughed at or discriminated against because of her gender [-
Rebecca walker, “becoming the third wave”].

In a world where one in three women will experience physical, emotional or sexual
violence at least once in her lifetime the need to protect women need not to be specified
specially. The Government took initiative and made many laws to protect women and preserve
their dignity.

Indian Penal Code: The offences against women dignity that are identified in Indian Penal
Code,1860 are as following:

1. Rape: Section 375, 376, 376A, 376B, 376C, 376D, 376E.

2. Outraging modest: Section 354
3. Sexual harassment: Section 354A
4. Disrobing: Section 354B
5. Voyeurism: Section 354C
6. Stalking: Section 354D
7. Acid Attacks: 326A and 326B
8. Dowry deaths: 304B

Special legislations for protection of women:

1. The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971

2. Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986
3. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act 1986
4. The Sexual Harassment of Woman at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and
Redressal) Act, 2013
5. Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
6. The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
7. Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994
Present position

The status of women in India has been subject to many changes over a span recorded Indian
history. Compared to past few decades the status of women in India is ameliorating. The
improvement in Educating and Employment opportunities for women in India can take the
credit for both economic and social development in India. Though they are exploring in various
sectors, with the help of government. Despite of the laws made by the government in regard to
the protection of women and her dignity is being a blemish.

Status of a girl child

The Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 prohibits determination
of the sex of the foetus and mandatory registrations for genetic ultrasound machines in genetic
counselling centres, clinics and nursing homes etc. The implementation of the act mainly
focused on the registration rather than the abortion of foetus. Further, the accused in several
cases has not been booked under relevant section of the act.

The 2001 Census figures point to a sex ratio for 0-6 age group of around 927 females per
1000 males. According to some rough estimates from civil registration of births, in 2018 the
sex ratio has declined to almost 882 females per 1000 males. Assuming an average of 900
females per 1000 males. Almost 10% of females are missing, that would amount to
extermination of almost one million women every year18.

Education

“One Child, One Teacher, One Book and One Pen can change the world”- Malala Yousafzai

Education is a powerful instrument of social development which in turn helps for sustainable
growth of economy.

The status of woman in India on Today’s date is considerably changed, in modern Indian
society women education is multi-dimensional phenomenon, it is associated with factors
prevailing in the country which includes social, economic, political and cultural etc. The
literacy rate in India is notably increased compared to post- Independence period. India ranks
115th among the countries in the world in respect of literacy rate of women according to
UNESCO instate for statics.

18
Sharqua Noori Ansari, Born to Die: Female Infanticide and Foeticide
 Literacy rates in India

Source: census of India, Office of Registrar General, India

Crime Against women

The crimes against women are the bane for the socio-economic development of India.
Through Judgement in cases like Chairman Railway Board v Chairman Das19 where rape was
declared a heinous crime, Mathura’s case20 has been catalyst for anti-rape campaign, as well as
land mark judgment in Vishaka’s case21, sexual harassment at work place the courts have tried
to improve the social conditions of women. According to National Crime Records Bureau, the
reported incidents of crimes against women are as following in respective years

19
AIR 2000 SC 988
20
Tukaram and Another v State of Maharashtra, 1979(2) SSC 143
21
Visakha v State of Rajasthan AIR 1997 SC 3011
 NCRB Reported crimes in India

These statistics are the evidence of the increase in the crimes against women in India.
According to NCRB data 2018, one woman reported a rape every 15 minutes on average.

National women commission

National Commission for Women was established in Jan 1992 under the National
Commission for Women Act, 1990, to fulfil the surveillance functions and to facilitate redressal
of the grievances and to accelerate the socio-economic development of women.22 Parivarik
Mahila Lok Adalat are organized under NCW for redressal and speedy disposal of pending
cases in the court.

Conclusion

A victim never wants justice, they don’t want to be the part of brutal act itself

In spite of all the laws made by the government in regard to protection of women and
preserving their dignity. Yet women are ill-treated and harassed. The laws for crimes against
women have always been de-jure but not de-facto. India tops a global ranking of most
dangerous countries for women.

Thus the ouns is on the government not only to make the laws to protect the women but to
implement those laws strictly so as to prevent such offences from making another woman a
victim.

22
Aakarsh Kamra, “The National Commission for Women, its Constitutional Powers and Functions”