The changing status of women in India

International Journal of Management, Technology, and Social Sciences (IJMTS), 2018

Women are the embodiment of divine virtue and purity blessed with the sweetness of speech and beauty from the god. There were contradictory dialogues about women where some schools of thought representing them to be ‘equals of men’ and other schools trying to spread hatred and disrespect by projecting women to be weak minded and unworthy of trust. The status of women witnessed a steady shift along with the phases of Indian society since from ancient to modern times. The life of women was highly influenced by the social attitude and practices in light of philosophical ideologies. The ancient epics and literature placed women with the utmost respect and integrity. The sacred position granted to women found a shattered steady decay with the time leading towards disrespect and injustice. Women started to regain the lost status only in the later part of the nineteenth century. The study on the mobility in the status of women is possible only through a detailed review into the integrated evolutionary process of social system and practices. The injustice and deprivation caused due to the shattered status can be compensated only through equity and justice. Equity in status can be attained only through inclusive growth. This paper highlights on the issues connected to the mobility in the status of women along the ancient, medieval and modern era. It describes the efforts on women empowerment for inclusive growth to ensure equity among men and women thereby recapture the status to which women are deprived off.

The status of women in modern India is a sort of a paradox. If on one hand, she is at the peak of the ladder of success, on the otherhand she is mutely suffering the violence afflicted on her by her ownfamily members. As compared with past women in modern times haveachieved a lot but in reality, they have to still travel a long way. In themodern times, Indian women were given liberties and rights such asfreedom of expression and equality, as well as right to get education.But still today, we are fighting for crisis such as dowry, femaleinfanticide, sex selective abortions, health, domestic violence,malnutrition, sexual exploitation, molestation, rape and evenmurdered.

Educational Administration Theory and Practice Journal, 2024

This paper delves into the intricate relationship between men and women within the Indian societal framework, focusing on historical and sociological perspectives. Despite the universally accepted principle of gender equality, Indian society reflects a complex interplay of socioeconomic conditions, policies, practices, and cultural norms that have historically positioned women in subordinate roles. The paper provides a chronological examination of the status of Hindu women from the Vedic period (1500 BCE-500 BCE) through to the end of British rule in 1947, highlighting key aspects of their lives, including childhood, education, marriage, divorce, and property rights. The paper examines practices such as child marriage, dowry, and female infanticide, emphasizing their impact on women's societal roles and opportunities for education. Furthermore, the paper sheds light on legislative efforts made during British rule to address these issues and their limited success due to persistent societal biases. In conclusion, the paper underscores the importance of recognizing the historical and cultural dimensions of gender inequality to effectively address and dismantle the structures that sustain it.

Educate a man and you educate an individual. Educate a woman and you educate a family." --A.Cripps "You can tell the condition of a nation by looking at the status of women" --Pandit Jawaharlal Neharu

Indian women have reached on the top of the world. Their status has increased in all the aspects. In the fields of politics, education, economy, sports and so on there have been remarkable achievements to the credit of women. But it is not proportional to the actual talents and capabilities of Indian women. Constitution of India provides equal status for both women and men.

Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 1986

What consll1Uf88-emanclpallon,.-development,and "llberallon-for IndM women? ~18 during the last five decadeI to change the roles, 81a1US, and posIIIon of dIff. .nt groups of IndiM women haw resulted In many obvious, sometIme8 drMl8llc, changes In Indicators such as literacy and Ife ~. The88 changes have been partlc ularly IIpparent In I8rge cI1Ie8 In the 8lrata of educated, middle-class women. However, there appears to have been, In p.....IeI, M Incr.... of crIme8 ageln8t women such • 1nJrder8 which are some1Irne8 eu pheml81lc8lly termed dowry deaths. Even If some of this IIpp. .nt Incre... In violence Ilg"nst women eM be attributed to a 80CIebli wIIUngll888 to publicly IlCknowledge such Inclc:lences, It 18 cIe.that .. 18 not well Md development 18 not unequlvocdy In1>rovlng the 1Iv.. of IndM women. What we have been IurnIng, as lIu8lrated by con fronting Incldel'lC88 such .. dowry deaths, 18 that development of women's Itatu. 18 not measurable by Isolated, quMUflabIe Indlcator8 of W8II-beIng such .Iteracy. We need to oblerve the changing contours of various p...1I'n8t8nl of women's condition, eetIIng theee obe8rvalloll8 within the context of that 88ClIon of IndiM 80CIety to which the pll'tlcular women belong. IndiM women, over 383 million of them In 1885, are, obviously, heterogeneou.. with dIff.-ent needs, constr"nlB, opportunl1lel, and MPlrallona. These vary with many faetora but molt In1>Ortan1Iy by whether they .... urban or Nr"; 80CIaI class (often closely M80cIated In India with CMt8, pll'tlcullU1y In Nfll .....): Md age and marItIIltatu. (faetora which Iffect a wornM'S relative poeltlon within her family). The growing literature on IndiM women h. highlighted this heterogeneity, subltantlatlng that dff. .nt groups of IndM women have been affect ed quite dIff••nuy from men of their group, Md from .ach other, by the poll-Independence c:lecac:1e8 of plMned moc:lemlzallon. ' But some over..-chlng con1tr81n18 OF*ata, to vll'Ylng c:legrees, on .. Indian women limply because they .... fM1IIe. In fact, some of theee forces Intluence women everywtwe and are of unlv«ul feninlst co~. Molt 8ffor1lI to In1Wve the lot of IndiM women (excluding measures Introduced In the spirit of "8OcI" welt..... and lid), have focu8ed on their economic poIItIon. ThIs Ie not surprising, given the ICII'CIIy of avlllable r-.ourwe In India and that women ~have been dis enfranchI8ed from their control. But thII II a one-dlmen8loNli approach, ... attributable to the gIolM11 cIomInance of economlc8 In development planning. If the pl.ce of women In 1radltloNli culturea, Ik. IndIn, II to be undlr8tood, development of their ....... InJ8t be thought of In much more Integrated and 1nJ1t1-f1C8t8d ways. Four par8llel apecIB of .... Indian woman'. poIItIon InJIt be unc:leratooc:l and recognized • Interc:lepenc:lent They ••: 1) The womM'. economic/resource base; 2) The publlclpolltlcllarena IIIowed her by 8OCIety, 3) H« family I1rUCIUre and the Itrengthl It provlclel and the ImIIB It Imposes on her; and

In western world it is not unnatural to equate power with the masculine but in India strength and power are described by a single word " Shakti " which is the personification of divine feminine power and is worshipped as " The Great Divine Mother ". In ancient India women enjoyed the important and equal status in life. Gender in religion, education or politics didn't exist but after the invasion of mughals in medieval period various ill practices like purdah (practice of secluding women from public),harem(a place where women picked up by mughal invaders were kept for sexual pleasures), jauhar (mass suicide by women for protecting their sanctity from the mughal invaders),restrictions on girls' education, treatment of women as the property of father, brother or husband, child marriages, restrictions on remarriages etc. crept into the Indian society which gradually deteriorated the status of Indian women and modern day India is now counted among the south Asian nations where sons are preferred over daughters and both are raised differently for various reasons. This research paper is an attempt to study and compare the social status of women by examining the variables-sex ratio, literacy, health, women's empowerment and gender based violence in six big state economies of India.

The status of women is one of important aspects to study in every era. In Ancient Indian society status of women is some extent satisfactory. In recent years the role of women has undergone some drastic changes due to globalization and commercialism. This paper investigate whether the status of women in modern Indian society regarding Equality, Education, Health, Employment, Marriage and Family life, Race and Gender, Religion and Culture is maintained or deteriorated. It also explores that as the society is developed in 21st century the position and respect of women is deteriorated after so many constitutional provisions what are the factors behind it. Keywords: Society, status, rights, participation, patriarchy, community.