The social, economic, and emotional health of a country is reflected in how women are treated.
The patriarchy that pervades Indian culture makes life difficult for Indian women. Women face
discrimination in a number of areas, including health, education, and employment, which is
considered to be socio-cultural discrimination. The fact that more than half of women’s labor is
unpaid makes the scenario frightening. They also make up the majority of the unorganized
sector, making them susceptible to prejudice and other fiscal hardships.
Indian women have consistently been treated unfairly and unequally to males, as evidenced by
the country’s history. The dowry system, child marriage, the sati system, and female infanticide
were all widespread social ills in the early times. Social issues like sati were common in
medieval India. Additionally, the purdah system was much more prevalent during this time. The
Indian constitution gave women numerous rights in India after independence. The primary
components are freedom from discrimination, equality, and dignity.
In recent years, India has made great strides towards enacting gender changes that will
empower women. Although gender-based inequality and discrimination have a long past in the
nation, there has been a concerted effort to resolve these problems and advance gender
equality in all walks of life. Women in India continue to face discrimination, harassment,
humiliation, and exploitation both inside and outside the house despite the country’s numerous
changes. Although women may theoretically have more freedom, in reality they face numerous
difficulties, degrading treatment, and inhumane dignities everywhere. Following are a few of
the difficulties that women in India are currently facing:
Lack of Maternal care
Lack of Health care and Nutrition
Lack of Education
Child marriages
Denial of equal opportunity in jobs
Sexual Harassment at the workplace
Lack of sanitation
Lack of Political participation of women
In addition to outlining gender equality as a basic right in the preamble of the Indian
Constitution, it also grants some state authorities the authority to enact laws and other
forms of positive discrimination that are in favour of women. In order to guarantee
equitable rights for women, India has also ratified a number of international
conventions and human rights organizations, such as the 1993 convention on the
abolition of all forms of discrimination against women.
The public sector and the government must play significant parts in ensuring women’s
welfare across a range of sectors in order to ensure their empowerment. A number of
programs have been introduced in recent years to empower women and give them the
tools they need to live autonomous lives, including free cooking gas, education
programs, and technology-enabled opportunities. In recent years, India has made great
strides toward enacting gender changes that will empower women. Although gender-
based inequality and discrimination have a long past in the nation, there has been a
concerted effort to resolve these problems and advance gender equality in every aspect
of life.
The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, passed in 2017 1 , represents one of India’s
most important gender reforms. The length of maternity leave is increased by this
legislation from 12 to 26 weeks. The lives of working women in India have been
significantly impacted by this law, especially those who labour in the organized sector.
They can now take more time off to care for their infants without having to worry about
losing their employment or encountering other forms of discrimination as a result.
The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal 2
) Act, which was passed in 2013, represents another significant advancement in gender
equality. By prohibiting unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other
sexually explicit behavior, this legislation aims to safeguard women from sexual
harassment at work. Working women in India now have the opportunity to do so in a
setting that is free from harassment, which has a substantial positive impact on their
lives.
The representation of women in politics and other public areas has improved in India.
The 73rd and 74th Amendments to the Constitution 3 , adopted by the nation in 1993,
designate one-third of the seats in local governing organizations for females. This has
increased the number of women in leadership roles and aided in the advancement of
gender equality in the political realm.
There have also been campaigns in India to support gender equality and women’s
empowerment, with an emphasis on things like employment, health, and education.
The Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child (Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao 4 ) campaign was
1 Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 (No. 6 of 2017).
2 THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE (PREVENTION, PROHIBITION AND
REDRESSAL) ACT, 2013
ACT NO. 14 OF 2013
3 the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 on April 24, 1993, and the Constitution (74th Amendment) Act,
1992 on June 1, 1993
4 Beti Bachao Beti Pad hao (BBBP) was launched by the Prime Minister on 22nd January 2015 at Panipat, Haryana
started in 2015 with the intention of addressing gender-based discrimination problems
and promoting education for girls. More parents now understand the value of educating
their daughters, which has had a major impact on the lives of girls in India. It was
introduced on January 22, 2015, in Panipat, Haryana, with the intention of raising
consciousness and enhancing the effectiveness of services provided to girls in need. The
campaign’s original goal was to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR), but it has
since expanded to include gender-biased sex-selective eliminations and spreading
awareness of education, female child survival, and protection.
Mahila-E-Haat In 2016 5 , the government established Mahila-E-Haat, which is overseen by
the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It is a bilingual online marketing tool that
makes use of technology to assist aspiring women business owners, self-help
organizations, and NGOs in showcasing their goods and services. The government
established the Working Women Hostels to guarantee that working families could find safe,
practical housing in urban, semi-urban and rural areas, along with creche facilities for their
kids, whenever feasible.
The STEP programme 6 was created to give women the skills they need to find gainful
work. Additionally, it gives women the necessary skills and instruction to launch their own
businesses. It is accessible to all women over the age of 16, and it is operated through a
grant provided to a facility or organization, including NGOs.
Another important gender reform has been the passing of the Sexual Harassment of
Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act in 2013. This law seeks to
protect women from sexual harassment at the workplace, which includes unwelcome
sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other forms of sexually-oriented
behaviour. The law has had a significant impact on the lives of working women in India,
who are now able to work in a safe and harassment-free environment.
India has also made progress in increasing the representation of women in politics and
other public spheres. The country passed the 73rd and 74th Amendments to the
Constitution in 1993, which reserve one-third of seats in local government bodies for
women. This has led to an increase in the number of women in positions of power and has
helped to promote gender equality in the political sphere.
However, despite the progress made in recent years, there is still a long way to go toward
achieving gender equality in India. The country still faces many challenges, including
5 Mahila E-haat online marketing platform is launched on 7th March 2016
6 SUPPORT TO TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME FOR WOMEN
(STEP)
deeply ingrained social norms and attitudes toward gender roles. Nonetheless, the gender
reforms made so far are encouraging, and there is hope that India will continue to make
strides towards a more equal and just society for all.
Conclusion
The change in social reforms norms and mindset towards girls and women can be brought
about through institutional initiatives. This involves the family, the community. religious
and educational institutions. The state, as the largest public institution can initiate,
strengthen and ensure the implementation its economic and social policies for gender
equality. This will have a strong and effective impact the subjective changes in perceptions
and expectations toward girls and women. Change is needed at the macro and micro levels
with wider participation of people.