The development of Women in India
Dr. Raj Kumar acquired his Law degree from Delhi University and PhD from Kurukshetra University. He served Haryana Education Service from 1970 to 1973. He published a 7 volume series on Women and Indian Freedom Struggle and 15 volume series on Women, Society and Culture. He has contributed a number of articles in historical journals and commemoration volumes. He, justifiably, edited the present work of various scholars which provides a panoramic survey of women studies, based on latest research. He scrutinizes the status of women in India during Vedic times-a period of golden era for women and Brahmanic times. He mentioned the factors affecting the female psyche along with women’s self-concept developed by Mohan (1988), which revolves around the confidence that woman is a weaker gender and her weakness can be converted into strength for her development by considering the woman’s basic needs and solicitudes about success and power in this regard. Women are involved in role conflict particularly in the field of work and after marriage. Regarding rural development in India, out of 79% female work in agriculture, 46% are agricultural laborers’, 33% are cultivators, and 5% are industrial workers. In Himaachal Pradash- a rural state, women know every task regarding the field of agriculture and livestock, despite of domestic work. According to 1981 census, 91.3%, out of total working women are agriculture workers against 63.3% of males in the state. Rural development is concerned with multi-sectorial programs like agriculture dependent upon industrial activities, transportation, commercialization, infrastructure, health and education services. According to world economic profile, women are 50% of the population, out of which official labor force is 30% and those women utilize 60% working hours and receive 10% world income. In Asia, there are a high proportion of women in agriculture. Regarding some determinants of women development, it was mentioned that on the second half of 20th century, first, UN Declaration on Women’ rights, adopted on 7th Nov, 1967, mentioned appropriate measures for women rights in Article 1-11. Second, World Conference on International Women’s Year in Mexico City on June 1975 issued a world plan of action and focused on human role of women. Some other factors like education, female health status and female economic participation as a determinant of social development as in India female literacy rate is 24.8% against the male literacy rate which is 46.89%. ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) provides additional nutrition, health check-up, medication of minor illness, immunization, nutrition and health education to women and supportive services like water supply and sanitation. Asia- Pacific region is also multiform in terms of women’s role in the economy because development and women’labour participation are based on the overall female economic activity rates. As well as the participation in modern sector naturally increases with economic development. In India, 90% of women belong to agriculture life so future development of Indian womanhood must be examined in terms of village women. There is need for new cadre of women ICS and their inclusion in local panchayts. The topic “women and development” has been discussed at several gatherings within UN at conferences of non-aligned countries, governmental and non-governmental meetings. At ministerial conference of non-aligned countries in Lima in August 1975, the ministries of these countries programmed on Mutual Assistance and Solidarity repeated that full development of developing nations require maximum participation of women and men in all spheres of national activity. NIEO (New International Economic Order)’s cornerstone is the participation of women along with men in the development of country is indispensable for successful development. UN decade for women has facilitated the identification and overcoming the impediments to integrate women in society, resulted in the wastage of human resources needed for development. The areas for specific action aimed at the advancement of women are employment, education, health, food, water, agriculture, industry, trade and commercial services, science and technology, communications, housing settlement, community development and transport, energy and environment. There are most commonly used sources of energy utilized by women but the sources like coal, oil, gas, hydropower and bio-gas are commonly used in industries so the users can not be easily distinguished by gender. Participation of women in energy conservation requires education, training and consumer information in the field of energy. Self-reliance as a development strategy, treat women as an integral part of overall development. Technical (TCDC) and economic (ECDC) cooperation in developing countries should aim at reaching the largest number of social groups like women and youth in rural and urban populations equally. By critically analyzing, in the past, women were treated as mere slaves. Though, India is changing politically, economically and socially, at a swift pace. The condition of women is also changing, as they have begun to take their due place in free India by educating themselves, inducing the right of voting and heartedly participating in country development. In 2010 March 9, one day after International Women’s day, Rajyasabha passed Women’s Reservation Bill, ensuring 33% reservation to women in Parliament and state legislative bodies. In modern India, women have adorned high offices including that of the President, Prime minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Leader of Opposition, etc. The current President of India is a woman. In the last five years, the Government of India made amendments in law and formed a ministry of social and women’s welfare in 1985, while, Article 14 of the constitution emphasis on the discrimination of gender. In Himachal Pradash, there are a number of welfare organizations besides Manila Mandals is working for the elevation of women in state while other departments are also working for the women development like health, social welfare and family welfare. Regarding ICDS influence, there is decline in malnutrition from 19.1% in 1976 to 7.8% in 1983 and mortality from 15% to 3%. All India Spinners’ Association’s cottage industry gave new life to millions of female workers. Collective self-reliance encourages the transformation of women’s position in the world, so that it can become an integral part of each country’s long term development strategy. There is a high rate of women’s participation and other stakeholders (e.g. Ministry of Gender, Youth and Community Services) during program formulation. The last few decades have seen a mushroom growth of organizations struggling for women to get their dues, but, how far has this helped in the improvement of the status of women in the home, in society, in office or in the country as a whole, is still a debatable issue. Gender training is still very weak, while, regarding the cultural values; women tend to be shy during group meetings. Women have no access to modern machines and other technology. In any program formulation, there is a lack of gender considerations, untrained staff in gender analysis skills, gender-blind budget, and weak business skills among women. All Indian Kisan Movement and All Indian Ryots’ Association are improving human conditions but few female join them. Muslim women’s legal position is better than Indian ones in terms of right to inheritance, divorce, marriage and religious education. For the establishment of NIEO, policy of economic independence and collective self-reliance is necessary because lack of progress in NIEO establishment requires that greater attention is paid to the collective efforts and cooperation of non aligned and developing countries. There is no strict implementation of certainty about the right abuses of women. The National Crime Records Bureau reported in 1998 that the growth rate of crimes against women would be higher than the population growth rate by 2010. Earlier, many cases were not registered with the police due to the social stigma attached to rape and molestation cases. Distracted from other areas such as women’s low socio-economic status, labor market inequalities and legal bias, literacy programs are a relatively inexpensive and politically expedient palliative in their present form. While, 80% rural and urban females in India receive little medical care, so there is a need to strengthen professional and health education to face challenge of promoting female health. In conclusion, in a developed nation, female education is imperative for their self-sufficiency. For the rural development, a national perspective plan for the rural women and fighting discrimination will improve the social and economic status of women. In accordance with the social policy in public and private sectors, society is not supposed to exploit the dual role of women but acknowledge it as a contributor to socio-economic perspective. South Asian countries showing a lower level of female participation in non agriculture sector as compared to other countries at the same level of per capita GDP. This pattern of increase does not imply gender equity in the work place or in earnings. The availability of disaggregated information on the training and employment of women in energy related fields just like in US would enable planners and decision makers to formulate better strategies’ for energy supply and development. According to most of the governments, prejudicial attitudes towards women are fundamental obstacles towards the integration of women in national and international life. The role of educational planning, raising the level of skills and directing aspirations of both men and women is necessary for a developing nation.
