Gender inequality in India, the significance of being born as woman

1. Gender inequality in India, the significance of being born as woman Presented by : P.SONAIMUTHU Executive Director, SAADOW Natham - 624401, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu, India, www.saadow.org, E-mail : saadows@gmail.com It is impossible to think about the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved -Swami Vivekananda

2. India • India's social structure is a unique blend of diverse religions, cultures and racial groups. • All the great religion of the world, viz, the Hindus, the Muslims, the Christians, etc, are found here. • There are 18 major literary languages, apart from numerous other languages and dialects. • There is striking diversity between various communities and groups in kinships and marriages rites, customs, inheritance and modes of living. • Diversity is also seen in the pattern of rural as well as urban settlements, community life, cultural and social behaviour as also in the institutional framework. • The uniqueness of Indian social structure lies in its “unity amidst diversity”

3. Gender Disparity From ancient to present • Women in ancient India were held in high esteem • The position of a woman in the Vedas and the Upanishads was that of a mother (maata) or goddess (Devi). • In the Manusmriti, woman was considered as a precious being • In the early Vedic age, girls were looked after with care. • The practice of polygamy deteriorated the status of woman

4. Gender Disparity • In the medieval period, the practices of purdha system, dowry and sati came into being • With the passage of time, the status of woman was lowered. • After the development of science and technology, female foeticide is being practiced on a large scale. This has led to a drop in the female ratio. • According to the census 2001, the sex ratio in India is 927 females to 1,000 males. Dowry have become common. • Female infanticide practices in few areas

5. Gender Disparity • In many parts of India, women are viewed as an economic liability despite contribution in several ways to our society and economy • The crime graph against women is increasing at an alarming rate. • The condition of an Indian widow is quite deplorable. • At home, the woman's contribution towards home as a housewife is not recognized.. • Domestic Violence, Rape, Sexual Exploitation, molestation, eve-teasing, forced prostitution, Sexual harassment at work places etc are a common affair today

6. Disparity at Birth Infant mortality • Birth/growth/survival • Foeticide/sex ratio 972/1000 in 2001 Maternal mortality • 27% are mm • 40-50% receive antenatal care

7. Infanticide Sex ratio • 972/1000 Reasons • Male Heir for the family • Huge dowry • Continued financial support to girl child • Poverty • Domestic violence • Caste system

8. Methods of infanticide • Feeding with Calotropis Procera & Euphorbia Tricalli latex • Putting paddy in to the mouth • Not allowing to feed milk • Closing nose • More artificial feeding of milk • Covering with wet cloths • Live burial

9. Maternal mortality • Health seeking behavior • Priority to male child than female child • Anemic fully growth potential

10. Malnutrition Reasons • The UN estimates that 2.1 million Indian children die before reaching the age of 5 every year – four every minute • Mostly from preventable illnesses such as diarrhoea, typhoid, malaria, measles and pneumonia. • Every day 1,000 Indian children die because of diarrhoea alone.

11. At work • Working environment • Unequal wages • Undignified treatment • Working in odd hours • Sexual harassment • Higher working hours • Engaged in harmful industries • Occupational hazards working roughly twice as many hours as men • Nearly 27 percentage are accounted by unpaid activities.

12. Violence against women Forced in to subordinate position • Every 42 minutes a sexual harassment occurs. • Every 43 minutes a woman kidnapped. • Every 93 minutes a woman is burnt a very dowry. • Pre quarter of reported rapes involve girls under the age of 16 years. Restricted out-side participation • Trafficking / selling of girl child • Every 26 minutes women is molested. • Every 34 minutes a rape take place.

13. Poor health care • Neglecting during illness • Recognition of illness by herself • Health services as a last resort • Reluctance to be examined by male doctors

14. Lack of Education • 65.38% only, male 73.53% female 53.7 • Poor literacy – gender gap in literacy rate • No higher education – up to Higher secondary

15. Economic Constraints • Kept as dependants • No equal property rights - As against law • Loans of men is paid back by women • Economic uncertainty • Denial in inheritance of properties to orphaned / deserted

16. Discriminative socialization process • Customary practices • In household activities only (boys not allowed) • Restricted to play • Isolation / separation in schools/public places • Restricted to move freely

17. Detrimental cultural practices • After marriage – husbands are dominating • Dominance from In-laws family / members • Never / rarely considered for any decision making • Can not support her parents • Limitations in continuing relationships with brothers / sisters / relatives • Child / Early marriage • Patriarchal attitudes • Not able to continue girl/boy friends friendship after marriage

18. In Governance • After over sixty years of independence women are still exploited • The 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments have provided 33 percent reservation for women in the Panchayati Raj System • Panchayat / Parliament totally 790 seats by filling 6.6-8.4 percentage. • Women Reservation bill delayed • In PRI only in reserved seats (not in open Competition)/ cast disparity. • Men domination in administration

19. Social Advancement of women Self Advancement • Reflexive dimension of employment • Assert themselves what they thought • Self awareness • Capacity building.

20. Social Advancement of women Contd… Advancement as a group • Enough group members/meetings • Adequate support • Intimacy / involvement/resources • Decision making / problem solving ability/ leadership qualities enhancement/ participation

21. Social Advancement of women Contd… Advancement of community • Planning / implementation/ evaluation /bias discrimination. Economic advancement • Right to choice/savings • EDP skills/ marketing • Information /linkages/external, internal resource mobilization.

22. Social Advancement of women Contd… Psychological advancement • Fulfill helplessness • Self respect/strong determination/ assertive nature / motivation / win self confidence. Social advancement • Power distribution / Socio / equality dissemination of knowledge about health nutrition, literacy, education, freedom and opportunities/ adoption of new practices

23. Social Advancement of women Contd… Political advancement • Decision making / political rights / participation in political Campaign • Ability to solve political issues • Solving health and social problems • Confronting exploitative power • Public life participation • Control over – their self confidence

24. Social Advancement of women Contd… Educational Advancement • Prime avenue of women empowerment. • Break down of power stereotyping • Legal understanding / rights / gender sensitization / health education etc. • Strengthen own income generation activities. • Dalit empowerment / SHGs movement

25. Social Advancement of women Contd… Technological advancement • Technical means and skills characteristic of particular civilization group or period. • Technology habitually designates the complex of information, skills methods and machinery required for the manufacture utilization and making of useful objects – UNO source. • Man - Mutual, Management, planning, organizing etc.

26. Strategies for advancement of women • Literacy Formal Education • Give greater employment opportunity • Primary / secondary dropout of female child is high. • Territory education is appreciable • Reservation / expenditure or provision of services/ special provision like construction. • All rights, legal measures

27. Strategies for advancement of women contd.. • Post literacy • Consolidate the basic literacy skills at speaking, reading, and writing and problem solving at the time. • Sustain the learning environment

28. Strategies for advancement of women contd… • Continuing education • Establishing a responsible and alternative structure for life long learning, responding to the needs of all sections of the society. • Supports grass root community. • Women learners educate their children.

29. Strategies for advancement of women contd.. • Human rights education • To take control of their circumstances • Achieve their own goals, helping themselves, enhance their quality of life • Motivate them for lobbying / advocacy

30. Strategies for advancement of women Contd.. Skills development • Availing skills through institutions/external sources. Cultural emancipation • Motivate powerless/exploited • Poor/oppressed / marginalized/ unvoiced always by women culture of silence by Paulo Ferrier.

31. Strategies for advancement of women contd.. • Political participation • Slow process/ needs training • Knowledge on advocacy & lobbying • Knowledge on all development activities

32. Strategies for advancement of women contd.. • Health education • Health care / Nutrition • Problems of early marriage • Mother and child health care • Small family norms • Diseases / communicable and non communicable diseases / • RTI/STI/HIV and psychological issues

33. Strategies for advancement of women contd.. • Capacity building • SHGs approach / savings /credits / leadership / accounting etc. • Entrepreneurship development • Achieve women advancement improving income regularly • Expand their decision making, acquire assets

34. Collaborators of Social advancement of women • NGO/ INGOs / NPOs • SHGs / CBOs • Policy makers • Local leaders • Information disseminators • Health care providers • Teachers • Family members

35. THANK YOU A nation's progress and prosperity can be judged by the way it treats its women folk Men must recognize and accept the fact that women are equal partners in life