Women's Rights in India - Research Paper Example

Womens Rights in India Indian women have an eventful history. Indian history holds claim that women had equal rights with men during the ancient times. Major offices in India like the Presidency, National Speaker and Prime Minister are currently adorned with women. Women participate in sports, media, art, education, science and technology and service sectors. However, some Indian women go through difficult times and face discrimination. The question of whether women in India enjoy equal full human rights as men is debatable. History Works of Indian grammarians indicate that women in the ancient times, for example, Vedic period were educated, married at a mature age and chose whom to marry. Some held positions of seers and sages. However, there were practices that undermined women rights, for example, forceful immolation of a widow on her husband’s funeral and Purdah which imposed restrictions on women. It required women to cover themselves excessively hence they could not interact freely. In Devadasis, where women were “married’ to the temple or a deity, cases of sexual exploitation were reported (Menon-Sen and Kumar 113). Politics and power According to Kashyap (115), women are currently holding positions as the president, the speaker, prime minister and opposition leader among other positions. According to the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts, a third (33%) of the political sits in all locally elected bodies is reserved for women. Panchayat Raj institutions have produced more than a million women who have joined politics. The percentage of women active in various levels of politics has notably increased. Women from scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs) Institutions have secured 65% and 54% sits respectively, an excess to the allocated 33%. A better representation of women increases the chances of their issues being highlighted. However, women still experience representation in decision-making and governance. Male dominion in politics is still present. Whenever women make initiatives, these initiatives are not accepted in politics. Democracy is the best tool for protecting human rights. Such political subordination has undermined efforts towards the realisation of full human rights by women in the India (Sood 32). Education and socio-economic development Women in India have been allowed to participate in education, science and technology. This has enabled them to find their way into top government and leadership positions. They also work in other sectors within the country and abroad. The government has taken steps to ensure an improvement of women education since independence. For example, there was an improvement in women education from 22% in 1971 to 54.16% in 2001. This has led to increase in literacy among women at the rate of 14.87% compared to 11.72% among men. Women education contributes to overall development of the nation as well as the improving the standards of living at home (Sheetal 5). In urban areas, women are at the same level with men in terms of positions at work and wages. For example, 30% of the workforce in software industry is female. This has led to improvement in their socio-economic status. The government allocates some money for the welfare of women annually. However, women in India record low literacy levels compared to men. The literacy levels among men stand at 75% compared to 54.16% of women. There is low enrollment for girls in schools. Only two states are almost achieving universal literacy levels for women (Sheetal 7). Most women have been limited in their socio-economic development due to their low levels of education. Illiterate women head approximately 39% of the households living below poverty line. The low level of education among women has also disadvantaged them in employment. Women in India constitute a large percentage of the unpaid workforce. For example, 89.5% in agriculture and allied industries. In 1991, only 22.3% of women were participating in paid work due to unequal work opportunities. Though government schemes provide welfare for women, it is too little to enable them enhance economically. The government allocated 4.6% of the gender budget to women in the year 2005-06. This ration has however been declining. The allocation for the year 2008-09 was 3.6% (Menon-Sen and Kumar 160). Land and property ownership rights According to Shahid and Singh (5), the right to inheritance was granted to Hindu women by the Hindu personal law of mid-1956. This was seconded by the later amendment of Hindu law in 2005. Daughters receive a share of parental property depending on what their fathers received. Approximately 36% of rural women own land according to Sheetal (6). This has allowed women to enhance their economic status using land and other properties they own. However, this rule works for the disadvantage of married daughters including those in marriages full of harassment. Some fathers can renounce their share of the ancestral property so as to disinherit the girl and later give it to the boys. Boys receive an independent share of this property. In many cases today, it is common knowledge that parents in India do not give a share of their property to their daughters. Few women in India have property under their names. The percentage of women engaging in agriculture in rural area is 87%. Out of this, only 36% of them own land. The rest are laborers. Even with this big representation in agriculture, they receive only 5% of the rural financial loan because most lack possession of land and homes. This has led to many of them having a low economic status. The government is not yet fully committed to offer economic justice to women (Shahid and Singh 6). Full enjoyment of human rights The Indian law provides for equal treatment of men and women. The lives of women are now valued and protected in India. There is improved nutrition, healthcare and life expectancy. Cases of mistreatment reported are handled in the courts and the accused judged accordingly. However, several incidences of crimes against women are still being reported. Sexual molestation constitutes half of the crimes against women. Women are sexually harassed or molested even in work places in the pretext of indecent misrepresentation. Incidences of women and young girls being trafficked have been reported. They are forced into child labour, domestic work and even prostitution (Menon-Sen and Kumar 165). Sood (33) reveals that child marriages are still practiced today. A report entitled State of the World’s Children-2009 released by UNICEF indicated that among the women aged 20-24, 47% of them were married before 18 years. Those from rural areas constituted 56%. The report also indicted that 40% of all child marriages in the world occur in India. Many women in India die before reaching adulthood due to the harsh conditions women are subjected to. This has led to a high masculine ratio. Killing of female infants and sex-selective abortions meant to get rid of girls are still carried out in India despite the high masculine ratio. This is indicates that women in India do not enjoy full human rights as men. There is a 2005 Act that protects women against domestic violence. This has reduced the rates of domestic violence against women. However, women from low socio-economic backgrounds still experience domestic violence. Payment of dowry has been prohibited in India. This has saved many women from related crimes. However, according to a report by Time Magazine 1995, cases of bridal burning rose from approximately 400 annually in the early 1980s to approximately 5,800 annually by mid-1990s (Pratap (15). In 1997, the number of dowry related deaths was reported to be approximately 5,000 annually, some being bridal burning. Many of those accused of such acts are acquitted. This means dowry murder is still culturally accepted. This makes convictions less likely even in the presence of strong evidence. With improved socio-economic status and enforcement of human rights, the life expectancy of Indian women has improved. However, it is one of the lowest in the world. Women and girl, especially from rural families, are anaemic and malnourished due to nutritional discrimination. India records the second highest maternal mortality rates in the world. The percentage of births supervised by professionals is only 42%. Most women deliver under the aid of unskilled women who cannot save their lives in case of any complication. In 1997 the UNDP Human Development Report indicated that 88% of expectant women aged 15-49 were anaemic. The control of reproduction is beyond the control of most women in the rural areas. They have little or no access to safe birth control devices/methods. Sterilisation has been emphasised on as the only best alternative with women accounting for 95% of those sterilised (Sood 35). Conclusion India has made great strides in promoting the rights and socio-economic development of women. There are many notable women that can be used as icons of change in the status of Indian women. However, it is also clear that women in the Indian society do not enjoy equal rights with men. The society has not fully stood for a fair women status. It has promoted social, political, economical, educational, property ownership and employment inequalities. It has denied them a chance to enjoy all human rights. The main of cause these inequalities and oppression is the low pace of enacting laws and the poor cultural practices which hinder convictions. This has largely contributed to slow economic growth because a considerable percentage of women live below poverty line. Empowering women is a direct way of empowering the nation. The government should ensure that women are given a chance to enjoy every right entitled to them and the society should change its perception of women as lesser beings. Works Cited Kashyap Subhash. Our Constitution: Constitution of Indian and Constitutional Law. New Delhi. NBT. 2000. Menon-Sen, Kalyani and Kumar Shiva. Women in India: How Free? How Equal? New Delhi. United Nations. 2001. Pratap Anita. “Bride Burning” Time Magazine. Vol 146 (11) pp15. September 11, 1995. Shahid Mohammad and Singh Krishna. “Indian democracy and womens human rights.” Madhya Pradesh Journal of Social Sciences (2) pp 5-9. 2008. Sheetal Sharma. “Empowering Women through Education: Strategy for Sustainable Rural Development.” Kurukshetra. (3) pp. 3-7. 2008. Sood Avani. “Gender justice through public interest litigation: case studies from India” Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law.(3) pp 34-42. 2008. Read More