Women Empowerment

Women Empowerment

Ø History Of Women in India

In the past various Hindu religious scripts, Temples, Books, Novels etc. Women always have been given immense respect, dignity and authority. We Indians have various festivals, and traditions in respect of various Goddesses. The Vedas hold women in high esteem and address them as dharma Patni (one who promotes and preserves the rightful conduct of life). Traditionally in Hinduism, a woman’s role has been seen as supporting family life and playing an important role in the family’s religious activities. In Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, Shri Krishna pointed out to his disciple Arjuna that women are as worthy and as capable as men of achieving liberation, or moksha. Hindu texts extol the virtues of womanhood and women’s essential role in nurturing future generations. But as times changed India’s system started to get dominated by males, and slowly women’s importance in important decision-making started to decline, and their significance in society started to diminish. Now women were only considered for handling the house and taking care of family. Their basic human rights were taken away like- Education, working for Jobs, Moving Freely etc. Oppressing Girls and Women was a very common way of living in the past. The list of Atrocities against women during the British Raj is never-ending, they were so brutal and inhumane. The most prominent ones were Bride Burning, Dowry Death, Femicide, Forced Conversion, Gang Raping and mass killing of Indian girls etc.

Ø Backlashes And Problems Women Face in India

90 % of the population are irrational and intolerant about women–This is an alarm for society to wake up! This is a news article from INDIAN EXPRESS. As a society, we fail to realise that the change in time has led to changes in responsibilities. 46 % feel men should have the right to a job more than women. The report indicates that patterns are repeated for gender inequality and high GSNI values. There are so many challenges that women face every day- hate crimes, molestation, kidnapping, gender bias, unequal pay scale, and fewer reservations in the societal framework. Recently a very shameful and haunting event occurred in Manipur, Two females were paraded naked by mob of MENS in public and then were gang raped. This incident is one of THE MOST BRUTAL AND HORRIBLE in Indian History. This has always been the case, any conflict in the society emerges, and women have to always pay a hefty price for it. There are numerous other problems that women have faced and still are facing. Hence there is an alarming need for WOMEN EMPOWERMENT in India.

Ø What is Women Empowerment?

As per my understanding, Women Empowerment is a measure which gives strength to women power and ownership in their own lives and earns the potential to make a judicious way out”. But now as per changing times, women empowerment is not only limited to giving women a chance to grow but also a stage equal to men in society to contribute in various socio-economic aspects of the country. Empowering women may be stated in different ways and the foremost aspect is giving assent to females to express their opinions as well as encouraging them to build their own value, status and respect in front of society which includes many ways like educating women and making awareness among women for obtaining education and provide them appropriate training. Today women have come a long way! Fighting and breaking all the societal barriers that were set for a “Perfect Woman”. Amanda Gorman once said-

“Hear me as a woman, Have me as your sister. On purpled battlefield-breaking day, I might say our victory is just beginning. See me as change, Say I am movement, That I am the year, and I am the era of the women.”

Ø Reforms Implemented In India-

There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.”

By Michelle Obama

Many Reforms have been introduced over the period for the betterment of women-

1. Reservation of seats for women in schools and colleges — Article 15(3). In case of Padmaraj Samarendra Vs. State of Bihar-1978. The court made it necessary for educational institutions to reserve few seats for female candidates. This judgment was given in consonance with Article 15(3) of the constitution, giving the state the power to make reservations for women if it’s considered necessary.

2. Equal Pay for Equal Work-Article 39(d). In the case of Randhir Singh Vd. Union of India-1982. A historic judgement by the law of court in favour of women. The Supreme Court held that individuals shouldn’t be discriminated against on account that they are working in different departments, all things being equal or all relevant considerations being the same. The principle should therefore apply particularly where unequal wages are paid for similar duties and responsibilities, and not on unreasonable classification grounds. ( https://www.juscorpus.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/192.-Vaishnavi-Jay.pdf )

3. Prevention of sexual abuse at the workplace- After the landmark case of Vishaka and Ors Vs. In the state of Rajasthan and Ors(1997) the government enacted the Sexual Harassment Of Women at Workplace(Prevention, Prohibition,, and Redressal)Act 2013. The Hon’ble Supreme Court framed the guidelines to prevent sexual harassment at the Workplace, known as Vishaka Guidelines, that were to be treated as law declared under Article 141 of the Indian Constitution. (https://blog.ipleaders.in/case-analysis-vishaka-ors-v-state-of-rajasthan-ors-1997-6-scc-241-landmark-case-on-sexual-harassment/#Judgment_of_the_case)

4. Criminal Amendment Act 2013- In the case of Laxmi Vs Union Of India and Ors. The court condemned Acid attacks and various crimes faced by women. The case of Laxmi v. Union of India and others has become a standard in society, from education to the application of strict laws. The goal is to safeguard women from egotistical men who are chauvinistic to the point of disfiguring others to satisfy their own needs. By designating acid attacks as heinous crimes and holding the federal and state governments accountable for the rehabilitation of the victims, the Criminal Amendment Act, of 2013, brought about a good transformation in society.

5. Maternity Benefit- Article 15(3)- In the case of Municipal Corp. of Delhi Vs. Female Workers(2000) Granted maternity benefits to women. In Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Female Workers (Muster Roll),11 female employees who had been working for years as daily wage employees with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi were denied maternity leave because they were classified as temporary workers. The Supreme Court struck down this practice. (https://reproductiverights.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/SecuringReproductiveJusticeIndia-Chpt12.pdf )

6. Various Government Schemes and Policies for Females and Girl Child-

(a) Beti Bachoa, Beti Padhao — Beti Bachao, Beti padhao was launched by the PM of India Shri Narendra Modi on 22nd January 2015. It is a tri-ministerial effort from the ministries of women and child development, Health and Family Welfare and Human Resource development. The key element of this scheme is to bring a transformational shift in the way our society looks at a girl child. Under this meetings of forums are organized and clear road maps are made to an effort to equalize the sex ratio. Taking this effort ahead Mansa district in Punjab has launched an initiative under its ‘Udaan- Sapneya Di Duniya De Rubaru’ meaning, Udaan- Live your dreams for one day). (https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/government_tr_rec/beti-bachao-beti-padhao-caring-for-the-girl-child/#:~:text=Beti%20Bachao%20Beti%20Padhao%20(BBBP,over%20a%20life%2Dcycle%20continuum)

(b) Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana- SSY aims to address a significant and deep-rooted issue related to girls, which is education and marriage. Under this scheme, the focus is on securing a promising future for their girl child by saving a part of the income. The interest rate under this scheme is 8% p.a. The minimum investment amount is Rs. 250 to a maximum of Rs.1.5 lakh per annum, The Maturity period is 21 years (or till the girl is married after attaining the age of 18 years). The primary target is to ensure the protection and survival of girls, to promote girls’ education, and to reduce the practice of determination of sex and gender discrimination against girls. (https://www.bankbazaar.com/saving-schemes/sukanya-samriddhi-yojana-account.html )

© Mahila Police Volunteers Scheme- MPVs was launched by the Ministry Of Women and Child Development. It is a central scheme that intends to serve as a public policy interface to help women in distress. This scheme envisages the creation of a link between the police authority and the local communities to facilitate police outreach on gender concerns. The objective of this scheme is 1) to increase the reporting and response to crimes cases and also fight against them, 2) To encourage the woman to come forward with complaints of violence and provide information for quick remedies and justice. 3) To increase clarity of women in the police force, the GOI has carried forward this initiative to give a 33% of reservations to women in police departments (https://www.indiafilings.com/learn/mahila-police-volunteers-mpvs-scheme/ )

(d) Working Women Hostel Scheme- The GOI has introduced multiple schemes for women and this scheme was launched to promote safe and conveniently located accommodation for women. The scheme includes a daycare facility for their children. This scheme is implemented in rural, urban, and semi-urban everywhere employment opportunities for women exist. The scheme assists projects for the construction of new hostel buildings, expansion of existing hostel buildings and hostel buildings in rented premises. The working women’s hostel projects being assisted under this scheme shall be made available to all working women without any distinction with respect to caste, religion, marital status etc. subject to norms prescribed under the scheme. (https://wcd.nic.in/ )

(e) Women Helpline Scheme- This scheme is intended to provide instant assistance and protection for women against violence through linking with appropriate authorities such as police and a one-stop .181 is a toll free 24-hour telecom service made available to women affected by violence seeking support and information. 181 helpline is integrated with 112- Emergency response support system(ERSS). ( https://vikaspedia.in/schemesall/schemes-for-women-schemesall/schemes-for-pregnancy-womens/women-helpline-scheme#:~:text=single%20uniform%20number.-,Benefits,violence%20seeking%20support%20and%20information. )

(g) UJJAWAL Scheme- Trafficking of children and women for commercial sexual exploitation is an organized crime violating basic human rights. Lack of a protective environment, low status of women, and poverty are a few reasons for trafficking. The objective of this scheme is 1)Prevention of trafficking of children and women for commercial sexual exploitation by means of social mobilization and awareness generation programmes, the participation of local communities. 2) Facilitating the rescue of victims and placing them in safe custody. 3) For working towards reintegrating the victims into the family and the society at large. Components of the Scheme- 1. Rescue 2. Prevention 3. Rehabilitation 4. Re-integration 5. Repatriation. ( https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/ujjawala-scheme/#:~:text=The%20Ujjawala%20scheme%20was%20launched,trafficked%20for%20commercial%20sexual%20exploitation)

(h) SWADHAR Greh — The Ministry of Women and Child Development is implementing the Swadhar Greh Scheme which targets the women victims of difficult circumstances who are in need of institutional support for rehabilitation so that they could lead their lives with dignity. The Scheme envisages providing shelter, food, clothing and health as well as economic and social security for these women. The objective of this scheme is 1. To cater to the primary need of shelter, food, clothing, medical treatment and care for women in distress and who are without any social and economic support. 2. To enable them to regain their emotional strength that gets hampered due to their encounter with unfortunate circumstances. 3. To provide them with legal aid and guidance to enable them to take steps for their readjustment in family/society.

Ø Reforms and Changes needed

“In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.”

Sheryl Sandberg

1. Ministry of Rural Development

Scheme- MGNREGA- i. Water and sanitation facilities are not adequate on the sites for women

ii. 100 days of wages are not sufficient to sustain a family; delayed payment of wages.

2. Ministry of Sports &Youth Affairs & States/UTs- a) Women face several constraints in sports than men including gender pay gap bias in receiving sports awards and the difference in prize money, absence of family support, lack of training facilities, lack of provision for dietary allowance, issues related to sexual harassment and the absence of sexual harassment committees, etc.

b) Discrimination in pay and the prize money should be removed. Awareness should be created at the school level to promote women in sports; adequate training and dietary allowance should be ensured for women. Safe workplace including effective implementation of the POSH Act.

3. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology- The gender digital divide is particularly wide for rural women. The NFHS-5 reveals that there is a significant digital divide in the country, with rural women least likely to have internet access. Women-focused training with awareness about the dangers of the digital world should be imparted.

4. Ministry of Women and Child Development & State/UTs- a) The Matru Vandana Yojana (Maternity Benefit Program), 2017, to support lactating mothers and pregnant women by compensating them for loss of wages during their pregnancy has been able to reach less than a third of the eligible beneficiaries.

b) Further, the benefit is restricted to only the first living child, thereby, excluding the majority of pregnant women in the country.

c) The eligibility conditions stipulated for availing the benefits of the Matru Vandana Yojana (reproductive health services) should be made easier so as to ensure that the benefit reaches to all of its eligible beneficiaries. Women should be given benefits for the first two live births as was provided under the previous maternity benefit scheme.

5. Ministry of Law & Justice- Only the father (not mother) is the natural guardian as per Section 6 of The Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956. Mother should also be a natural guardian as is the father under the HAMA, 1956

Source- https://nhrc.nic.in/sites/default/files/Women%E2%80%99s%20Rights%20in%20India%20complete_compressed.pdf

Ø Current Scenario

Women empowerment is a crucial factor in India as the women population is about 48.41%. The current condition of women empowerment in India is like a balance scale, many factors pushing the community up in the sky of growth and opportunities and on the other hand some factors which are dragging the movement on the ground. While looking at the greener side we see Indian women flourish in every sector and in every part of the world! Nowadays in each and every sector, women need more inspirational icons to look up to. Being an inspiration for someone can be very helpful for the one who has dared to dream and who is continuously working to achieve their dream. Currently, women have become very important assets in various industries. To do this, they had to make efforts in each and every opportunity that came their way. Celebrating inspiring females who achieved success can go miles towards establishing their worth. Some noteworthy women in the 21st century are- 1) Shrimati Nirmala Sitharaman- Reaching the epitome of Indian politics, she has proved that politics is not just for males! A lady so perfectly managing and handling the 5th largest economy of the world is definitely praise-worthy. 2)Shrimati Nita Ambani- Philanthropist, chairperson and founder of the Reliance Foundation, Dhirubhai Ambani International School and a director of Reliance Industries, heading the most valuable company in India. Some more stars in the sky- Leena Nair, Falguni Nayar, Gita Gopinath, Madhabi Puri Buch, Kalli Purie, Sudha Murthy etc.

And if we look on the darker side we can notice that now with changing times women face a new set of challenges. Education and hygiene have been top on the list. Rural region even now does not have an adequate number of schools and washroom. Feminine and Menstrual Hygiene facilities are not easily available to girls in backward regions. Urban women faces problem in their workplace- Exploitation, lack of opportunities due to which there are less women on the table! Unequal pay scale, sexism, Financial Exclusion etc. Domestic violence is a very common danger that all females face. Even now in the 21st century Dowry killing, Child Marriage, Bride Killing, and Forced Abortion are prominent.

Ø Conclusion

According to me, I will conclude by stating that laws that favours women against all biases should be implemented as well and every girl and woman should be given equal opportunity in all sector. India is developing and has started giving opportunities to women in various fields and the performance of women in that field is obviously commendable and praiseworthy. Today women have achieved every single thing in their life be it professional work or household work and have always proved themselves in front of society. According to me in rural areas females are still not getting the importance and opportunities they deserve, so even there should be necessary amendments in their thinking process and everyone should believe in gender equality.

It was correctly said by Rosa Luxemburg-

Women’s freedom is the sign of social freedom.”

If we want to make India a developed country we need to support our women in all possible ways and help them develop in all horizons. Despite facing so many hurdles, females stand strong trying to bring a positive change and impact on our society. Women need to be empowered by providing them with proper education, a hygienic environment, good work culture and a supportive society, only this much is needed to change the term from women empowerment to EMPOWERED WOMEN.