Free sample essay on the status of Women in India. Since independence there has been much improvement in the lot of women in India. They enjoy perfect equality with men. They have all the rights and privileges possessed by the males.
Our Constitution guarantees them all those rights, freedom, and privileges enjoyed by the male. Consequently, they now feel emancipated and free. The women of India, who form almost 50% of the population, have equal opportunities and rights and can aspire to any position and status in society. Many of them are in top positions in various fields of life. A few of them have been great political leaders, entrepreneurs, administrators and business persons. This marked change in their outlook, social and economic status reflects the fact that their emancipation has been almost complete. It is a fact that Indian women have much better status than their counterparts in many other developing countries.
Today, women in India are well conscious of their rights and privileges and they are politically, socially, economically and educationally not backward anymore. Their participation in the democratic process and elections has been quite impressive. In a large number of constituencies women voters outnumber men voters on the days of polling. They are contesting elections at various levels in far greater numbers. Their political wisdom and social sagacity has now been fully recognised. The status of women in India in modern times has undergone a sea change. During the last few decades, India has produced many great women leaders, social workers, administrators, reformers and literary personalities like Annie Besant, Vijay Lakshmi Pandit, Sachet Kripalani, Indira Gandhi, P.T. Usha, Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur, Padmaja Naidu, Kalpana Chawla, Mother Teresa, Mahadevi Verma, Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, and Amrita Pritam, etc. India really feels very proud because of these great women and their great achievements in various fields. Their contribution in the fields of art, science, and sports, etc. has also been equally significant and memorable.
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Their active participation in various social, political, economical, educational, scientific and other nation- building activities as mothers, wives, sisters and daughters has been of vital importance in taking the country to greater heights. And yet, there is no room for any complacency. They are doubly burdened as they have to work hard, both as employed women and housewives. Ours is still a male- dominated society and women have to depend on men for protection and help at every stage of life. As a daughter, she needs protection from her father; as a married woman, she has to depend on her husband; and, in old age again, she has to depend upon her husband or son.
Women in India are still exploited and abused. They are still regarded as inferior to men. The birth of a female child is considered a curse in parts of the country. Daughters are considered a liability because of many social evils like dowry, etc. In spite of full legal and Constitutional protection, in practice, women are still much exploited and abused. Their condition in villages is far worse. They are not aware at all about their rights and privileges and fully depend on men. Even very highly educated and gainfully employed women in urban India cannot spend their earnings as they like. The strings of their purses are controlled by their menfolk. This unhealthy attitude of men towards women, with regard to their privilege to spend their hard earned money, has been a source of much tension in the families. Thus, in our tradition-oriented society male dominance still prevails.
A husband has a far superior position over his wife and all major decisions are taken by him without taking into consideration her wishes and aspirations. This has created an imbalance and disharmony in the families. There has been appreciable change in our attitude as far as the employment of women is concerned. We do like that our wives, daughters or sisters are gainfully employed but as far as their right to spend their earnings is concerned, our attitude is still unchanged and conservative. A working woman helps her husband by bringing additional income, but as a housewife she has no help from her husband. Men regard household chores below their dignity and never help women in their work. Thus, women are doubly burdened, which often causes tension, maladjustment and family problems.
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There is much to be done towards emancipation of women in India. They are still subdued and dominated by men and cannot assert their equality as desired in every walk of life. In a number of our states, the custom of child marriage still exists, widow remarriage is not allowed, and girls are still given away in marriages against their will. Then there is the dowry system. Poor parents cannot afford to give dowry and so are obliged either to keep their daughters unmarried or give them away in marriages to unmatched husbands. Women, especially in rural India, still find themselves weak, helpless and exploited. The rate of literacy among them is alarmingly low. Sometimes they are treated no better than commodities. They are still confined to the four walls of their house, engaged in household drudgery. They have been forced by arrogant men to play a totally subordinate role because they are economically and socially not independent. This has been further helped by our old, outdated and conservative customs. Their hard work and toil as housewives and working women, though significant enough to run a household and family, still goes unrewarded and unrecognized.
The present status of women in India has to be further consolidated and improved. It cannot be achieved unless women themselves come forward and organise themselves as a power to be reckoned with. They should stop thinking in terms of being the weaker sex. They should rise as one powerful body and fight the menace of dowry and child- marriage. They should fight tooth and nail wherever there is abuse, exploitation, humiliation and injustice. They should raise their voices against all social evils and male arrogance. They should wage a relentless war against “apartheid of sex”. They should come forward and take more active part in the political affairs of the country and get themselves elected in greater numbers to public offices. Their representation in our various legislatures is still too meager. Unless the women of India organise their own movements in a powerful manner they will be left out of taking vital decisions. They should assert and achieve economic independence so as to be able to play their proper and legitimate role in society.
Indian women are intelligent, hard-working, courageous and full of love, and compassion. With these qualities of head and heart they are quite competent in breaking all the bondage that binds them in traditional subordination and slavery. Endowed with the qualities of beauty, love, strength, tolerance, sacrifice, and creativity, etc. they can do wonders for themselves and for others. In the present day India, they can further consolidate their position and redefine their relationship with men, based on equality and mutual respect by using their strengths more wisely. It is of no use to curse and bemoan their fate as the weaker sex. They should unite and struggle against injustice, discrimination, ill-treatment, abuse and exploitation. Much really depends on women themselves. The future of women in India seems bright but it is women themselves who can ensure it by being vigilant, alert and united. They will have to raise their voices against any violation of their rights and privileges. It is said that God helps those who help themselves and it is equally true in the case of the equality and liberty of women in India.
