Article

Changing Status of Women in Modern India

Women are the Building Block of Family. They are the thread that ties up the whole family. Women build Family, Family builds Home, Home a Society, and at last Society transforms Nation.

AUTHOR : Diya Mittal (Trinity Institute)

Introduction

“To awaken the people, it is the women who must be awakened. Once she is on the move, the family moves, the village moves, the nation moves.”

~PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU

Women are the Building Block of Family. They are the thread that ties up the whole family. Women build Family, Family builds Home, Home a Society, and at last Society transforms Nation. According to Hindu Mythology, Goddess Laxmi and Saraswati don’t come in Houses where women are ill treated. State can only be developing when the status of all genders will improve, Country cannot progress unless the condition of women rises.

Women in Earlier Phase

Since the beginning of time women were considered as inferiors. Even though they are not physically stronger than men, they are emotionally much stronger than men. Indian society became male dominated society and women were considered as men’s slaves. Gradually they become weaker in the society because men used to keep women beneath their thumb. They were coerced to heed man blindly as a dumb cattle living under four walls of house. Earlier the elders of the family were not happy with the birth of a female child and on the other hand they became so happy if the child born was male. They thought male children will become a source of money whereas female children will prove consumers of money. They were forced to live under the influence of parents before marriage whereas under influence of husbands after marriage. They were only perceived as Homemakers of the Family. Women were the unfortunate victim of patriarchal society which has harboured the violence against women in the shapes of customs and norms like female infanticide, sati system, domestic violence, dowry and many more. 

Women in Recent Phase

The gradual positive swift in the Indian society have been proved to be favourable for the Women status. Now the women are raising their voice and helping in shaping the fortune of the country. From the position of a Homemaker to the field of life there is no sphere which remains unvanquished by Indian women.

Notable Positive Changes took place in society are-

• Women are excelling in every arena: Politics, Business, Administrators, Doctors, Engineers, Sports and much more.
• Female activists are also come forward over issues as Female infanticide, Gender Discrimination, Women’s safety, Dowry. Many Female writers also emerged in society.
• Women also hold Right to Speech and Expression and Right to Equality.
•  They have freedom to choose their life partners of their own will.
• They are getting a chance to complete their education at a degree level. 
•  Government has also set up a legal age for girls to get married i.e. 18. They are discouraged to marry at an early phase of life.
• Females are entitled to a maximum of 12 weeks of Maternity leave.
• Gender Prediction Test to reveal the sex of foetus has made illegal.
• Many Schemes has also started by government to encourage parents having female child and to get rid of malpractices like female infanticide.
• Various Scholarships are also provided to women to achieve in the academic arena.
• Government, NGOs, State Governments, and Self Help Groups are also offering financial support in Higher Education, Business Start ups and any other initiatives.
• Reservation is also provided in educational institutions, job positions and Parliament.
• They are also enjoying the ‘Ladies First Facility’ in different fields. 
• The Government of India declared 2001 as the year of women’s empowerment. The National Policy for the empowerment of women was also passed in 2001.

Government Initiatives for Women

Legislative Measures enacted by Government are as follows-

• The Special Marriage Act, 1954
• The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
• The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
• Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987
• The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006
• The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976
• The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971
• Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
• The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
• The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971

Schemes and Programmes operated by different Department and Ministries are as follows-

• Mahila Samridhi Yojana, 1993
• Indira Mahila Yojana, 1993
• Ujjawala, 2007
• Swadhar, 1995
• Dhanalakshmi, 2008
• Sabla scheme, 2010
• Integrated Rural Development Programme
• Indira Priyadarshini Yojana

Darker Side

Despite all the transformation that took place in today’s era women’s condition still needs a lot to be improved. On the one hand women are touching the heights of sky and on other they are still the victims of Male Dominated Society. All laws that have been passed today need to be implemented in Person’s mentality rather than only just on paper. Despite passing the Equal Remuneration Act, female are still not paid equal for their work. Heinous Crimes like Rape, Acid attack, Sexual Molestation are still prevailing in our Society and as a consequence parents fear to send their daughters outside alone. They don’t prefer to send their daughters far to build a career as roads are not safe for women especially at night. Families still want to bless their sons. Rural areas are more prone than urban zones. Evil practices like Dowry, Female Foeticide, and Domestic Violence are in larger figures than urban counterparts. Women are also found less educated in Rural Zones. 

 Measures should be taken to uplift the status of women in society are as follows :-

• More emphasis on Martial Arts should be done.
• Ultrasound and Scan centres carry out diagnostic techniques that reveal the sex of foetus should be liable for heavy punishments.
• Laws need to be made stricter for crime committers.
• Legal age for girls to get married should be raised to 21.
• Marital Rape should be made a Criminal offence.
• Heavy damages should be imposed on shops selling acid that don’t have license.

Conclusion

“There is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on only one wing.’’

~Swami Vivekananda

Steady transformation in the status of women has been taking place as compared to the early era but still a lot more remains to be achieved. Now women come out from the four walls of their house and play multi- dimensional roles. They have occupied the dignified position in Family and Society. However Crime free society for women is still a challenge. Article 15 ensuring Right to Equality needs to be implemented properly. They should be made bold and Self reliant. Instead of tolerating them, they should take stand against injustice. Women’s day is not celebrated to exalt the charm of women but to create awareness about women’s safety in public. 

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