This Article is written by Pratibha Seth, third year student of B.A.LL.B. from Mahatma Gandhi kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi. In this piece, I covered the issues that women in this quickly developing nation confront as well as the sharp rise in violence against them.
Introduction
The world we live in is a deeply embedded societal structure where men predominate in all spheres of life, whether they be personal or professional. Unfortunately, this means that a society dominated by men would inevitably adhere to a patriarchal social structure in which men make up the majority of the ruling class. Women are not regarded as members of society because of the male-dominated decision-makers and the hierarchy that follows them, and laws are created only with the benefit of men in mind. The globe is patriarchal, not just India. But regrettably, India is currently developing into an increasingly unequal society where women feel unsafe and unwelcome. I’ll be concentrating on the concerns and difficulties Indian women encounter in this article. We’ll go into them thoroughly to identify the issues and their causes. In the modern world, women often confront intricate challenges. This will give us a better understanding of the problem and teach us possible solutions.
Women currently confront a difficult task in trying to provide a thorough explanation of this topic in plain language that will benefit all students and citizens of the nation wishing to learn more about it. India, a nation that takes great pride in being the motherland and worships a variety of female deities, has a serious problem: women do not, regrettably, enjoy the same respect or status as men. The women of India wage a battle that is far harder than any man could ever imagine, even though they reside in the nation with the largest democracy on earth. Indian women face numerous issues at work and in their homes; these issues extend beyond social rights.
Let’s try to make sense of a few of the endless issues that seem to be getting worse every day. One of the issues facing the generation that came before us was sati-practice, which is the practice of setting a woman on fire because she is deemed unable to live in society after her husband passes away. Although the practice of sati has been outlawed, violence against women has persisted despite numerous administrations changing their policies. The awful thing is that it manifests itself in a variety of graphic ways that impact women emotionally, socially, psychologically, and physically.
Issues Women Face in Society:
The primary issue in society is the regulations that are established for women’s behaviour and conduct. Some of these are problematic since, in many Indian homes, girls are treated differently than boys because a woman cannot leave the house at night without a man. This subtly promotes the impression that women are unsafe. Gender norms are established, and decisions about a woman’s speech, appearance, and way of living are made by non-women who are yet seen as having some authority over them. There are certain expectations placed on women, such as being accommodating and There is no secure place for women to seek assistance, so they should always compromise. They should also learn how to handle all household responsibilities.
Consequences women encounter
The results of all these regulations are a rise in rapes, sexual harassment, child marriage, and the belief that women are superior to males in terms of marital rape rates. Additionally, when a woman reports harassment, the harasser retaliates by dousing her with acid. Due to child trafficking, young girls disappear and are forced to grow up in unfavourable environments that sometimes pose a threat to their lives. It goes without saying that harassment of women in public spaces takes many forms, including taunting, bullying, indecent remarks, and intimidation of their human dignity.
An old and regressive issue that still exists is the dowry dilemma, in which the girl’s family must give a sizable sum to the groom’s family. Female foeticide is at an all-time high as a result of many families abandoning their daughter because they are unable to provide a dowry. The majority of females in rural regions are also murdered by their own families because they believe it will damage their honour and reputation if they marry against their will. There are no safety regulations protecting women, and the practice of honour killing is extremely common.
Women are starting to worry about their complexion in addition to beauty. It is unacceptable to accept fair-looking ladies, especially those from lower classes and religions. Due to this, they have suffered from acid reflux and have been deprived of a healthy diet, lifestyle, and food, making them appear less attractive and darker than the affluent women in their class. Witchcraft is a crime against which tribal women are executed by beating; it is an accusation made against women who are uncooperative or incapable of meeting men’s wants. In a same vein, women who fail to bear sons for the family are subjected to torture in wealthy and rural households. Thus, female foeticide occurs when the female child is slain. It is said that having a girl child is a curse since the girl will grow up and learn the customs of another family, whereas a boy child is supposed to continue the family’s traditions. Widows and divorcees experience social disgrace and lose out on career prospects compared to single women.
In addition, these ladies are not permitted to attend or take pleasure in events or holidays and are instead used and mistreated for benevolent purposes. When a young girl is offered as a sacrifice to a temple, this leads to the prostitution of the woman and her abuse by authorities and men. The devadasi system is the product of this technique. It is forbidden for women to possess self-respect, efficiency, personality, ability to be unique, and talent.
Their parents endure humiliation and harassment for raising independent women who have the ability to inspire others, and they are held responsible for their mental health. They are not permitted to assume positions of authority or create forward-thinking laws. In a similar vein, women who make groundbreaking discoveries or whose findings are concealed and accorded less significance are not trained or encouraged to further the new body of knowledge. The situation of women in the media, modelling, and fashion industries is abhorrent. They are distorted and used for aesthetic purposes, which promotes taboo behaviours and prejudices against certain goods and occupations. It is socially unacceptable for women’s health and welfare to be subordinated by practice, particularly when they leave the house to work and support the family financially. They ought to be able to exercise, eat healthily, and look as well as males, all of which are signs of good health. Rather than mistreating women for hormonal issues, psychiatric counselling for expectant and new mothers should be promoted. They ought to have the same emotional control as men. Women should receive assistance even if they are unable to weep, scream, or fight back when they are in need but are still able to follow instructions, maintain composure, and request the appropriate course of action. Domestic violence has no boundaries; 75 percent of women live in households where their husbands beat and mistreat them. Women’s health is also disregarded, and inadequate medical care has endangered the lives of numerous women.
Issues that Women Face in the Workplace and in Schools
First of all, there aren’t enough schools in rural areas, particularly for girls. Women’s freedom and right to an education are taken away from them when they approach puberty, and they are not allowed to attend school. Too few sanitary facilities cause a lot of women to unintentionally drop out of school. The difficulties and obstacles persist even after a woman completes her schooling, earns a degree, and enters the workforce. The power play dynamic is typically taken advantage of in workplaces, whether they be business or even government offices. Male supervisors frequently take advantage of their subordinates, harass them for fun, and commit crimes against them. Financial exclusion: When determining compensation, women are not taken into account. Women’s contributions at work are undervalued, and their pay is significantly less than that of their male coworkers. In addition, the strong women are dragged down, avoiding criticism. A country cannot advance if there are gaps in society caused by the under-representation of women in all fields. The me-too movement showed that sexual exploitation in the workplace happens across all social classes, which has raised concerns. Because they believe women CEOs pose a threat to men, women are not elected to positions of authority or decision-making. A woman’s advancement inside a firm is not determined by her ability or standard. One might assume that women are safe and protected in a nation like India, the largest democracy, where goddesses are revered and worshipped. That is not how things really work. Women deal with issues that males find incomprehensible on a daily basis; they are scrutinised by others and criticised for their behaviour, fashion choices, and other aspects of their lives; at home, they are supposed to be carers, mothers, cooks, nurses, good wives, good daughters, and excellent daughter-in-laws.
It is heartbreaking to watch how much inhumane and machine-level competence is required of them, despite the fact that no one finds them satisfactory. They experience mistreatment at work, on public transportation, on the roadways, in their own homes, and in interpersonal relationships. Numerous issues exist, such as harassment relating to dowries; young girls are mistreated and discouraged from pursuing personal development from an early age, which erodes the foundation of their entire relationship. Girls who grow up in such poisonous environments accept marital rape and domestic violence, and they even remain silent when they witness violent behaviour in a relationship. Women face difficulties in every aspect of life, and in order to address them, we must show them compassion. As a society, we ought to encourage girls’ education, see more powerful women in positions of authority in the public sector and private sector, and enact stronger legislation against any kind of harassment of others. Together, we can progress, and strong nations are built on the empowerment of women, who also strengthen economies. We shall prosper in many ways as a country when we do not ignore the contribution of women.
Conclusion
Men need to understand that patriarchy and the ego that benefits women are not helping them either. Women are more sympathetic and caring than men, and this is frequently seen as a sign of weakness. Women deal with so many concerns that we are unable to fully express, and they deal with these issues on a daily basis without complaining. As such, it is important for everyone to work together to support women in times of need and to combat injustice and inequality by standing up to those who wrong women. Additionally, we ought to inspire young females to voice their concerns fearlessly whenever they come up. Men should help out with household tasks at home, and equal pay and contribution at work should be standard. It is imperative that women receive education regarding their constitutional rights in India, as well as information about their legal rights and the various avenues accessible to safeguard them. They should also be guaranteed that the identity of the complainant will be kept secret for their protection, and they should be informed about how to seek justice for themselves should they, regrettably, become victims of any such crimes. Even if fast-track courts are available to provide prompt remedies, there should be more judges in these courts to ensure that they are not overworked and have enough time to assess all of the cases, both recent and pending.
“There is still a long way to go, but we can go when we take a step together” is how I wish to wrap up my ideas.
~ Pratibha
