Women empowerment in India
"If you want something said ask man;
if you want something done ask women."
-Margaret Thatcher
5 Oct, 1789 women marched to Versailles to demand their rights. This was the movement by women for women to empower themselves and gain equal status as men had at that time. Same way , when we look back at India's history then we come to know that before Gupta period (319AD-540AD) women were treated respectfully but after that her status deprived and she was supposed to be helper for her man. This changed in 20th century while India was unitedly fighting for freedom. This freedom fight produced many feminist who supported women and gave first thrust to women empowerment in India making Anne besant, foreign socialist, first women president of india(1917). Now we are here in 21st century still struggling to give women equal status only due to our conservative attitude.
According to 2011 census, India has sex rato about 940 women per 1000 men. Where literacy rate for women is 65.46%. Which show that India needs to take a lot more actions rather than announcing schemes and promulgating laws. women empowerment simply means that they should be treated as men treated in social and political life. After independence government tried many ways to expedite women empowerment. First was Hindu marriage act 1955. This act emphasised on status of women after marriage. Which supported women to stand against any secondary treatments from her laws and freed her from confined home to take step out and stand on her own. This act was followed by Dowry act 1961. In our constitution under article 14,15&16 women has been protected by securing their fundamental rights. Meanwhile government established one new autonomous body for women as National Women Commission. Which ensures the rights of women and when needed become their voice of justice. Also central and state government are coming with new laws and schemes to empower women which is good thing and should be applauded. But still action need to be taken on large scales and should be effective. Because if we look at constitution, India has prohibited domestic violence against women, dowry, forced prostitution and labour and many more things but still women are struggling with above said problems.
We are the nation where goddesses are worshipped and brave queens idolised. Our history is shining with names of great womens like raani padmini, razia sultan , raani lakshmi bai and many more. Which shows that we accepted them as a ruler, as a leader. What we need to do is just remember the glories of women as a power, enjoy their leadership as the Himalaya and uproot the orthodox thinking which is sinking our ship by which we want to sail to the well developed nation.
Jay Hind
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