The Role of Women in India

Role of Women in India

Portrayal of women‘s situa2on in the Indian society

06.05.13 Topic: Role of Women in India; Instructor: Melanie Schweiger 0

Content !   Recent situa2on !   Reasons for Discrimina2on !   Ways of Discrimina2on !   Legisla2on of Women !   Op2mis2c Outlook !   Future Prospects


„I am a man because I have the right and power to molest a teenager and abet her to commit suicide. I am a man because I have the courage to throw acid on any girl who refuses to marry me. I am a man because I have the audacity of ripping apart the modesty of the girl next door. Finally, I am a man because I was born in India, the land which gives uncondi=onal supremacy to its masculine gender right from incep=on of life. In fact, I was allowed to be born because I was a man!“ – Dr. Shah Alam Khan



Source: google.com

Reasons of Discrimina:on

Religion Patriarchy


Religion

„Warrant birth of girls somewhere else, over here just warrant birth of boys.“

-‐ Atharva Veda


Patriarchy


Con:nuity of the Family Name

Religious reasons

Economical reasons

Ways of Discrimina:on !   Abor2on !   Malnutri2on !   Marriages !   Educa2on !   Objec2fica2on


Abor:on Prenatal Determina2on Act 1994 bans ultrasounds and

sonograms for the purpose of abor2on


Malnutri:on !   50% of all Indians girls are

clinically underweight

!   shorter periods of breasVeeding, worse food quality for girls

!   last to eat, last to recieve medical aZen2on


Marriages


Early marriage

Marriage customs

„Happy marriage“ -‐ Illusion

Educa:on !   literacy rate of girls is 20% lower than boys !   only 7% girls receive higher educa2on !   30% lower wages in similar posi2ons


Source: World Economic Forum; The Global Gender Gap Report 2011

Objec:fica:on !   High rate of domes2c violence !   Sexual harassment !   Blame for rape incidents !   Child witnesses !   Miscarriages because of rape


„Women make up half of the world‘s popula=on, so at least two-‐thirds of the world‘s work, and own just one percent of the world‘s property.“ -‐ Bina Agarwal


Legisla:on of Women


Age of Consent Protec2on of Children from Sexual Offence

Act, 2012

New Law Against Rape

Property Rights

Hindu Succession Act, 1956

Op:mis:c Outlook !   women power in extended families !   non-‐awareness of discrimina2on within the houshold !   rise in self-‐esteem and autonomy with higher educa2on !   changes in the labour force !   reserva2on of posi2ons in panchaya= raj ins2tu2ons


Future prospects

„ How can poli=cians be believed when there are six elected state legislators who have charges of rape against them?“

-‐ Sou:k Biswas



References !   India Today; Stuart Corbridge, John Harris and Craig Jeffrey;

Polity Press 2013 !   Die Inder; Sudhir Kakar, Katharina Kakar; dtv 2012 !   The Global Gender Gap Report 2011; Ricardo Hausmann,

Laura D. Tyson, Saadia Zahidi; World Economic Forum !   www.bbc.co.uk !   www.cnn.com


Thanks for your aSen:on!


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The Role of Women in India