Women Empowerment in India has become the most important matter of discussion in recent times because women in the earlier were not given the equal role, status, value and affection in the society. So all around the world that how to improve the status of the women in society and how should they get the affection and equal status with men in the society so that they live independently both financially and socially. In earlier times women were tortured, seen as materialistic objects or a needy fellow who used to be crushed by the society and were seen as inferior to men in the society. But with changing times and periods the position of the women started to improve slowly and their status started to become equal to the men.
With some social revolutions and movements in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries the women empowerment all around the world started to become the most important topic of the society and hence the situation and position of the women started to improve slowly. Reformers such as Mahatma Gandhi, Raja Ram Mohun Roy, DR Br Ambedkar ,Savitri Bai Phule etc played a crucial role in improving the status of the women in society and to compete with the men on equal status. As women were considered in the earlier times so the social reformers acted as a boon for them and gradually the societal outlook towards women started to improve .
In India women were tortured to the social evils such as sati, das pratha, polygamy etc and these social evils hampered them mentally, financially, socially and economically. Women were used by the male partners for their own selfish needs and were subjected to domestic violence. Epics such as Mahabharata, Ramayana, Mughal Period etc are the classic examples how women were subjected to torture and mental sufferings. Even in modern period they are subjected to rape, forced intimacy, divorce, forced bonding etc. Women are now claiming the socio-political rights (right to work, right to education, right to decide etc.) for them. The Parliament of India too has passed various legislations to save women from various forms of injustice and discrimination.
To empower women there are some following laws :
Equal Remuneration Act -1976;Dowry Prohibition Act-1961;
Immoral Traffic (Prevention) -1956, Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act-1971;
Maternity Benefit Act-1961,
Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act-1987 ;
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act-2006;
Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act-1994;
and Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention, Protection and ) Act-2013
More recently, in the wake of Nirbhaya case involving the rape and brutal murder of paramedical student in Delhi, the government has passed the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2015. This Act makes a significant departure from the earlier Juvenile Justice(Care and Protection of Children) Act,2000,as the juvenile age inviting punishment for offence now stands reduced from 18 to 16 years. The most famous pearl of wisdom said by the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru is 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. In India, to empower the women, first it needs to kill all the demons killing women’s rights and values in the society such as dowry system, illiteracy, inequality, sexual harassment etc.
The most effective remedy to kill such devils is making women empowered by ensuring the Right to Equality mentioned in the Article 14, Constitution of India. According to the provisions of the Constitution of India, it is legal point to grant equality to women in the society in all spheres just like males have. The Women are given a top place in India from the ancient time however they were not given empowerment to participate in all areas. They need to be strong, aware and alert every moment for their growth and development. Empowering women is the main motto of the development department because an empowered mother with child makes the bright future for any nation.
These are some of the rights given to the women by the Constitution of Indian for their financial, mental, social, political etc growth in the society and to make them equal to the position of men in the society. Without the full development of the women in the society no progress and further growth is possible in the society and in the case of India which is full of natural, societal and cultural beauty, the role of women in the development of the society is immense and so no words can be described to their contribution in the development of the society.
Women are the most important part of the society and hence everyone is bound to duty for the protection of the women in the society and everyone should contribute to their fullest for ensuring safety and equality of the women in the society and they should always respect the contributions made by the women in the society because they are the ones who suffers all the consequences and mental and emotional sufferings that the society undergoes. They are the birth givers, they are the ones who look after the whole while herself being selfless, she is the one where the family actually starts and so the women are the most important parts of the lives.
The Constitution of India guarantees the protection of the women in India and also there are many movements and organizations which are working for the women empowerment and equality in India day and night and because of these efforts the respect and the condition of the women is gradually. Just that we have to implement these laws strictly and with full force so that no problems are faced by the women in the society and they live a happy and respectable lives and compete equal with men in the society. Women are the ones who help in the economic and structural development of the society and without them no growth and development for the progress of the country is possible so they should be given great amount of opportunities and care in the society for there all round development and to increase their talents and skills because they are the ones who are the torchbearers of the society and without no complete development is possible for the growth and progress of the country.
Women in India such as Sunita Williams, Kalpana Chawla, Indira Gandhi, Lata Mangeshkar etc have shown that if given chance to the women in the society they can fully help in the wholesome development of the society as they have shown excellence in their respective fields which have fully helped in the growth and development of the society. Because they were given chance that’s why the country is developing and progressing but in recent times events such as Nirbhaya Gang Rape Case in Delhi, Hyderabad Rape Case, etc have worsen the conditions of the women in the society and problems related to dowry and domestic against women in the society have doubled in the last few years which needs to be addressed seriously and strict laws should be made and implemented in the country.
Recent movements such as Pinjratod Movement which primarily focuses on the protection of women in India in hotels, colleges,hostel administrations etc. Apart from raising slogans, wall art and graffiti also become a mode of protest of the Pinjratod, whenever the rights of the women are trampled. Other movements such as No Conditions Apply, I will go out, The Chipko Movement ,Self Employed Women’s Association etc. have significantly contributed towards women empowerment and helped them financially, socially, emotionally etc. in recent times. Also the Gulabi Gang Movement is one of the most popular movements in India. In this, it talks about the Gulabi Gang of women of pink who come to the rescue of women victims of violence and thrash the abuser in the absence of police intervention. The rescue might sound movie but it’s an active vigilant group in North India, having its first appearance in Banda District in UP.
Founded by Data SatbodhSain in 2006 due to the lack of police response to domestic violence, the organization grew to an estimated 2, 70,000 members in 2014. This organization doesn’t stop at violence against women; it also fights against corruption, child marriage and dowry deaths.
The word of mouth reputation that the Gulabi gang gained, whose members are women aged between 18 and 60, helped them spread their good work in socially and economically impoverished regions where the police fail to take the right action.
Another most important movement tahat took place in India that changed the whole perception of societal development in India was Nirbhaya Movement in this movement. Public places all over the country were soaring with protests by women. Some protests were silent, and but many were not so silent, that the legal system had to bow down to the demands of the protestors. They took in 80,000 suggestions from Law makers, NGO’s and other institutions, and created many laws including 20 years as minimum sentence for gang rape, and six new fast-track courts exclusively for handling rape cases. Though the conviction rate stays below 1%, the number of women reporting the crimes had increased since the movement. Google placed a white candle below its search bar in the US marking its tribute.
Aishwarya Says:
I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.
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