Women Empowerment In India (by Amlan Baishya) – APSC Mains Essay

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Women Empowerment In India – APSC Mains Essay

(Essay submitted in APSC Mains Essay Writing Contest 2019 – Essay Topics for week 8)

 

Women Empowerment In India by Amlan Baishya

Women empowerment is the realisation of rights of women including equality, liberty, dignity, means of livelihood, health, education etc. Nehru said “As women move, the family moves, the nation moves”. So, the progressive realisation of worth and success of a nation is defined by the place women hold in society.

The position of women has seen many crests and troughs with higher status in early Vedic period and steady decline thereafter, especially during Gupta period. Evils like sati, female infanticide, child marriage, dowry etc. were widely practised. The emancipation of women started with efforts of Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Vidyasagar, Jyotiba Phule etc. and the British through Regulation XVII, 1828 banning sati, Widow Remarriage Act, 1856, Sharda Act, 1928 etc. The freedom struggle saw women playing an active role with Gandhi being a great mobiliser. However, the issue of women empowerment still haunts us even after seven decades of independence.

Major issues hampering women empowerment include –

  • Political – Number of women in authoritative positions is miniscule despite 48% population being women. Their lack of representation makes the political system skewed and non-inclusive.
  • Social – Patriarchy still persists and practices like dowry, early marriage, skewed sex ratio affect their rights and status
  • Economic – Lack of employment opportunities, no tangible value attached to household chores deny economic justice.
  • Cultural – Many cultures allot them a subsidiary position. Health and hygiene issues like menstruation are still taboo.
  • Security – Violence against women, domestic and outside, are on the rise.
  • Environmental – Pollution harms pregnant women more. Feminization of agriculture without land titles, suitable machinery, cooking using wood fuel etc. have implications on women’s health.

Women empowerment issues have been in news recently. Public outcry over Nirbhaya case led to amending Juvenile Justice Act, IPC, CrPC. Supreme Court judgements include decriminalising adultery, banning triple Talaq, allow women entry into Sabarimala Temple. Article 370 is also being discussed as being discriminatory. There have been progressive efforts by Parliament and government – MGNREGA, Prevention of Sexual Harassment in Workplace Act, Poshan Abhiyan, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Ujjwala, PM Matru Vandana Yojana etc and also a dedicated ministry of women and child development. Constitutional provisions also include fundamental rights to equality, life, directive principles like equal pay, one-third reservation in local bodies etc.

However, there still exist gaps and a lot has to be achieved. Some steps may include –

  • Reservation policy in Parliament and State Legislatures.
  • Include more women in higher judiciary (Currently, only 3 out of 31 judges of Supreme Court are women).
  • Provide education and promote participation of girl child through scholarships and coaching.
  • Gender budgeting, gender sensitive schemes and ideas should be promoted
  • Recruit more women personnel in police and armed forces
  • Encourage women-based start-ups and women in senior management of companies
  • Media, advocacy and outreach to sensitise the public about issues of women

India ranks 108th out of 149 countries in WEF Global Gender Gap Index. It also ranks abysmally low on Gender Inequality Index of UNDP. Hence, there is a long road ahead. We must strive to create a society where women feel safe, included, respected and equitable. Change is needed not just in the social, economic and political structure but in our mind-set, behaviour and conscience. We must aspire to achieve not just constitutional goals but also universal human goals to give women the place she rightfully deserves.

[ 550 Words ]

 

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APSC mains 2018 test series GS & Optional Paper