Essay on Gender Discrimination in India!
In the 21st century when I am putting my thoughts on gender discrimination I feel ashamed and a little pained. In-spite of the social reformers campaigning against gender discrimination, in-spite of the laws passed in India giving equal status and equal right to women with men in right to work and right to vote, gender discrimination still persists.
During the last century several social and legal measures have been initiated to remove disparities between men and women. Social reformers have actively campaigned against Sati Daha, cruelty against women and Purdah system.
While Sati Daha has been mostly eradicated Purdah system is partly eradicated. But cruelty against women and gender discrimination still persist in each and every society in greater or lesser degree.
This is obvious from the media reports, and T.V. news on assault and discrimination against women. Gender discrimination refers to both discrimination against men and women but in our society only women are discriminated, not men.
Women are said to be the better half of the husband, but woman is considered as the worst half in reality in our society. What is the meaning of gender? Gender means a society’s beliefs about the traits and behaviour of male and female or whether a person is of male sex or female sex.
Discrimination on the grounds of sex is a chronic disease in our society. It persists since many hundred years. This bias has been transmitted into our culture from generation to generation. Cultural beliefs or fixed ideas about differences between men and women lead to gender discrimination.
When the hostility is greater there may be discrimination. For examples many prevent women from attending an interview or getting an employment. Though gender discrimination is a very old practice in our society it became more pronounced with the increase in population.
Though men and women are the two sides of a coin and contribute together for the family and upliftment of the society, stay together and sleep on the same bed, women are looked down with bias and prejudice even in their own family. Women contribute equally to the population of the world like men.
Women in the last century and also in the twenty first century have earned name and fame in every area; be it politics, profession, space research, medical science, home management, administration, education, computer science, business and research in different areas.
Many women have also held highest national and international offices which could have helped in reducing gender disparity and stereotypes against women.
Observation of the society’s and family’s reaction to women shows that in the majority of the cases even to-day women are considered inferior to men, in-spite of the research evidences that women are in no way inferior to men, in their abilities, gifted qualities, intelligence, aptitude and general characteristics.
Writers, poets, essayists having male chauhanistic attitude have all along described women as physically, weak, financially insecure, mentally inferior and totally dependent upon others at every stage in their life. Women are said to depend upon her father during childhood, husband during adulthood and middle age, son during old age.
A woman is thus considered a climber (money plant) who needs the support of the male folk in each and every step of their existence. Women are over protected in the family and so they become dependent on men. Men always wanted women to be subordinate to them.
This goal of men was achieved by depriving women of any power. Women rarely have any say or any decision making power in family matters, marriage of children or business. In our society, most of the married women observe ‘Kadaba Chauth’ and ‘Savitri Brata’ for the long life of their husband.
But how many married men perform such Pujas for their wives and sisters?
Is it not gender discrimination?
The gender prejudice was so strong earlier that woman was not allowed to think independently, act independently and decide anything independently.
The male dominated society has discriminated against women and made them socially disadvantaged. Even if a woman is more intelligent than her husband, gets more salary than the husband and in a higher status in job than her husband, she is always considered subordinate and inferior to her husband.
In Chinese there is an old saying that not only don’t do what women say, also do just the opposite. This proves the extent of gender prejudice against women. From the moment of birth girl child is slowly and gradually subjected to discrimination. While the boy is sent to school, the girl is kept at home for helping the mother in domestic work or to take care of his younger siblings.
The false belief of not sending girls to school in some remote rural areas is so strong that once a woman told me that God will punish them if they send their girl to school.
Girls are so much brain washed from the very beginning that they believe without hesitation that they are inferior to men and hence never revolt, but accept this attitude of males who for their own convenience spread the belief that women are always inferior to men and hence they should obey the orders of men gladly and un-hesitantly.
Because of discriminative child rearing practice women develop a personality of dependency, insecurity and low self concept and inferiority. Thus she underestimates herself, her capacities and thinks that she cannot do anything independently without the help of men though research data show that a girl child has all the abilities to proceed, decide and act independently.
Examples are rampant to indicate that gender discrimination starts from the moment of conception. Infanticide tests carried out in various hospitals and clinics to kill the girl child through abortion are strong examples of gender discrimination.
The practice of such abortions is so high in many states that the female-male ratio is declining in India; particularly in urban India. 1991 census made on this basis of sex shows that in Haryana number of females are quite less compared to the national male female ratio.
This shameful truth is due to the rising abortions and infanticide of female foetus. It indicates how educated cultured fathers, even mothers of urban areas do not want a girl child, whatever may be the reason. Let us take a concrete data.
According to a report in New Indian Express, the female to male ratio (FMR) stands at 1014 to 1000 in rural areas of Kendrapada district (Orissa) while in urban areas it is 948 females to 1000 males according to the demographic report of the district. The easy way to abort unborn baby girls is through the private clinics. The state ratio (Orissa) however is 972 females to 1000 males.
The population graph of 0—6 years children in the district of Kendrapada as per the last census report indicates that the number of girls is falling miserably. Out of 1, 74,956 children in this age group, the number of girls are 84783. This suggests that small girl children are more neglected even at the health, nutrition and disease front.
Despite a ban on identifying the sex of the child prior to its birth throughout the country, it is continuing without fear for law or one’s own conscience. Sex selective abortions are carried out by professional doctors after the sex of the unborn child is determined by ultra sound technique. Even persons most educated, highly placed in the society are not away from gender discrimination.
It is never the less because of social stigma against the girls, dowry system, and harassment of females minor and major in the society. Even when the first child is a girl child born to a well to do family, the entire family in most of the cases remains under night mare and shock.
Once a highly placed person told me that he has to keep money in fixed deposit from the date of birth of her girl child for her marriage and dowry. See the attitude. The fixed deposit is not made for the higher education of the girl child but for the dowry which is a burning truth.
I have heard many people sa5dng (even women) “what a girl will do with higher education? She has to manage her home and family, cook and take care of them. She should be a 24 hours house wife. Why should she get higher education if she is not going to do a job. So tenth standard is okay for her”.
When I tried to explain them the advantages of higher education for girls, they started saying, “Oh please stop, and this is all rubbis”.
I was that day amazed and shocked to find if this is the attitude of educated economically sound people, what would be the attitude of the middle and lower class people? Deep rooted prejudice against the role of women in the society, about their abilities, potentialities and achievements is a major explanation of gender prejudice.
It is an open truth that parents and family members in each and every family are happy, joyous and consider themselves lucky when a male child is born. When people hear that I have only two sons, they say “Oh you are so lucky” and I feel sad about the status and fate of women in this largest democratic country which has crossed 50 years of independence.
A few days back I was reading the New Indian Express and I was stunned to see news “Mother of 14 hopes for a son”.
The slogan of Government of Nepal “two children, blessing from God and sons and daughters are equal” has failed in case of Dilsara Gharti. She after giving birth to 14 daughters is expecting her fifteenth child. She is however quite hope-full that she will have a male child this time since a Shaman had assured her.
However, if this lady of 14, would have the capacity and desire for infanticide, she would have killed all of them one by one. Thanks to her, she has increased female population in a male dominated society, and she is not discriminating towards girls as she has kept all them alive. But she is to be blamed for increasing the population of her country only because of her desire for a male child.
People in every society crave for a male child as a male child in Hindu religion gives “Mukhagni” (Putting fire on mouth while burning the dead body of the father or mother) to the father and mother, gives Sradha to their “Pretatma” every year and helps in increasing the generation of the family.
A female child is banned by Hindu religion all the above as far as my knowledge goes. Because of the false beliefs, superstitions and facts described in religious books women are discriminated by men; even women discriminate themselves as they go through this ordeal from the moment of birth. Social learning helps a lot in gender discrimination.
The ensuing discussions lead to the conclusion that under equal circumstances when in a family, society or country all facilities are provided to one sex and the other sex is debarred from these facilities, it is called gender discrimination. Presently, discrimination against women is the focus of discussion. Gender discrimination is a global problem.
It is more seen in under developed and developing countries where illiteracy is relatively higher. Further it is also influenced by sex stereotypes which are products of one’s culture. In South Africa and Asian countries, particularly South East Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka discrimination and prejudice against women is severe.
To my mind one important reason of social and economic backwardness is not utilizing the talent of about fifty percent of the population (females) in meaningful work because of gender discrimination.
Gender discrimination is not only a chronic and dangerous disease of the society, it is also highly infectious. One cannot however assure that the developed countries like U.S.A., Japan, Germany, U.K. and Canada are completely free from gender discrimination.
It is found that crime rates against women in U.S.A. and China are quite higher. Of course crime against women is a product of multiple factors and it cannot be assigned to gender discrimination alone. The following report published in New Indian Express shows how there is gender discrimination even in a developed country like U.K.
Inequality in Pay between the Sexes Rises in Britain:
The pay gap between men and women has widened, prompting a chorus of complaints from trade unions and equal-opportunities activists. But business leaders strongly resisted renewed calls for a change in the law to force all companies to carry out equal-pay audits.
The average earnings of a woman engaged in full-time work rose by an annual 4.5 per cent up to April 2002, according to the Office for National Statistics. But the average earnings of a man were up by 4.8 per cent, leaving a woman’s earned income at just 81.2 per cent of male income.
Julie Mellor, chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission, lamented “Britain’s woeful record on pay”, arguing that it would “only change if companies of all sizes review the way that they pay their staff.
Roger Lyons, joint general secretary of Amicus, Britain’s largest manufacturing union, said:
“The gap between men’s and women’s pay is a result of direct sex discrimination at work”. Mr. Lyons condemned the Confederation of British Industry for opposing the demand by Amicus and the commission for compulsory pay audits, accusing the CBI of “aiding and abetting theft from women’s wages”.
Susan Anderson, director of human resources policy at the CBI, said the figures “reflect the choices women make in their careers”. But she acknowledged the need for “breaking down gender stereotypes, which lead women into low-paid sectors. It will also involve improving childcare facilities, which are currently the worst-funded in Europe”.
John Philpott, chief economist at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said women’s earnings relative to men had been depressed by the steady increase in the supply of women workers as well as the tendency for low-skilled males to leave the labour market completely. But the increase in women’s educational achievements pointed to “the potential for women to reap an earnings reward”.
The third world countries are no exception to gender discrimination. It is, rather serious in many third world countries. Different types of un-favourable attitude, bias and prejudice against women, fixed notions, religious, social, economical, political, communal, racial, caste and sex stereotypes grow in the minds of men due to social learning.
Gender discrimination because of its growing negative impact on the welfare and rights of women, has become a major issue and matter of active debate for the last few decades.
Thus various Government and Non Government organisations, feminine activists and social scientists have been discussing how emancipation of women can be possible, how gender discrimination can be eradicated. Some logically and correctly suggest that through empowerment of women gender discrimination can be reduced to a great extent.
Observation of International women’s year, various seminars and conferences at the state, regional, national and international levels, on the problems of women. Observations of violence against women week help a lot in making the general public conscious about the problems that women face in the society and change their attitude towards women from anti to pro.
All these discussions on the problems of women highlighted in electronic media help a great deal in reducing gender discrimination.
Though women and men are birds of the same feather and live together in the family and society and have intimate personal contacts at various levels like husband and wife, mother and son, brother and sister, father in law and daughter in law, son in law and mother in law, friends and coworkers, women it seems everywhere are considered inferior and discriminated by their male counter parts.
In a family and in the society they are more often than not considered as second class citizens to serve the best selfish interest of dominating, irrational and prejudiced males. Nobody can deny that inspite of the all-round development in every sphere of the society women have been mostly excluded from economic and political power, leadership and decision making.
They are still considered untouchable in many respects and unfit for majority of jobs and profession. Some decades back women even did not have the power to exercise their voting rights, they had no say in the decisions taken at the family levels.
They were debarred from joining certain professions like the army, the navy, defence and police services, they had no access to confidential documents even if they join some-where. Of course, of late, fortunately there has been significant change in the status and position of the women in family and society particularly in urban educated families.
But in rural areas the problem has not improved much. Because of some amount of social change in the attitude towards women, overt discriminatory practices are decreasing day by day. Due to the grant of equal right to women by our constitution women have started to come out from their cells though slowly to join various adventurous jobs in army, navy, air-force, police and defence.
They have now very successful as business executives, C.E.Os computer specialists and scientists.
The first woman D.G. of Police of India is now posted at Uttaranchal. Between 1986—1999 I was the first woman of Orissa to be the Director of Orissa Text Book Bureau, Chairman Council of Higher Secondary Education Orissa, Director Elementary Education Orissa, Director Higher Education Orissa and Member Orissa Staff selection commission.
For about six months I was also the chairman 1/c of Orissa staff selection commission.
While working in these posts I had to take many important decisions for the education of children, male and female youths of the state. I also faced a lot of hurdles on my path as an educational administer for 13 years more because I was a woman.
But with courage and determination, sincerity and devotion to duty. I was able to cross all hurdles and do my duty efficiently. People say that I have been a model for the socially disadvantaged women with low self concept, insecurity, inferiority complex and lack of self confidence. I have heard many women saying me. “If you could prove yourself being a woman, we would also prove our worth”.
This attitude gave me immense pleasure. I was also subjected to gender discrimination during my working career on many occasions. When I was the Head of the Department of Psychology of the biggest college in Orissa, one male colleague of mine who was once my student was heard by somebody saying. “I don’t like to work under a woman”.
When I heard this I was deeply pained for he was my student for four years. I wondered how he could say this to his teacher. I question to others whether the gender of a person is responsible for his or her personality traits and characters? The answer is a big No. It is the rigidity of man, his dominating attitude and male ego which is greatly responsible for gender discrimination.
I don’t blame anybody individually for this as when one grows in a male dominated society with full of negative attitude towards women, it is obvious that his social learning will influence his attitude towards women. If a woman growing in the same society perceives herself as weak, in-secured, less capable and dependent it is obvious that men would develop gender discrimination to a greater degree.
Even when I joined as chairman council of Higher Secondary Education: I was told that some politicians raised their voice and said, “how can a woman manage this tough job?” One of my senior colleagues was heard saying.
“She is alright, but being a woman can she undertake tours to different colleges of the state?” But I an individual could prove them all wrong.
Once in a television interview the interviewer asked me “Madam being a woman how could you manage these tough jobs for 13 years so successfully? My single answer was I never considered myself as a woman in this male dominating society because that would have made me weak. I considered myself first as an individual and next a woman and that did work”.
In the work place it is everywhere found that women are discriminated by their male coworkers. Though they see day by day, women excelling in every sphere, their bias rarely changes. To-day women have proved their worth in male dominating jobs like Police, Defence, Army, Navy, Railways, various touring jobs, administration, business, science and technology.
Women have also excelled in mountaineering, they are going to space, and they are working as pilots. They are active in politics and social work. They are also proving themselves as good fighters, able revolutionaries for the cause of women, cause of the country.
They have started agitating for their cause, when law has failed to help them because of varying factors, they have also taken law into their own hand without being frightened. When occasion arises women can do wonder, show that they are in no way inferior to men.
Even long years back when women came out in large numbers to join Gandhiji’s salt satyagraha, it acquired a mass character due to the participation of women in the salt movement. When women emerged in the streets of Srinagar in 1989 they gave a new twist to the struggle for secession.
Very recently what happened in Manipur, what happened in Nagpur? Both the incidents shacked the whole world seeing their strength of character. The mid night arrest of Manorama Devi, her rape and discovery of her body in the fields at day break was bound to touch off a horn’s nest.
The cynics dismissed it as causality in the insurgent-ridden state of Manipur, what happened after four days shaked the government, political parties, N.G.Os, women organizations through-out India. 12 women stripped themselves in front of Assam Rifles as a protest against murder and rape of Manorama.
Neeraja Chowdhury in New Indian Express Comments. “Though Manipur has a long history of women’s activism, the nature of their protest showed the depth of their desperation. But the rest of India failed to reach out Manipur women”.
Nobody from centre went to Manipur to console these desperate women regarding the death of Manorama. Even if Manorama was a member of the insurgent People’s Liberation Army and that is a defence that has been for what happened, it does not justify rape or killing, Says Niraja Chowdhury. Neither law nor decency and morality justify such heinous crime against women.
Now let us come to the case of Nagpur Court which occurred very recently. A number of women entered into court of Nagpur in broad day light in the presence of the judge and lynched the serial rapist in the court. This rapist was every time able to free himself from the clutches of justice in-spite of his repeated crime and violence against women.
All those present in the court including the honouarable were stunned at the courage of women. It was a case of collective violence by women for the cause of hundreds and thousands of victimized women. Nobody criticized this act of violence, rather they were congratulated.
A number of such actions reflect the ‘power’ of women. Women are Power or ‘Sakti’ as described in Hindu Mythology. So the male dominated government and the male dominated society should not underestimate woman’s power, woman’s courage, woman’s strength and woman’s determination.
When a woman rises she rises higher than men. So it is the duty of the society to give up gender discrimination and provide scope to women to come out of their den and rise to the occasion. It is now high time that men should come out of their illusion against women and try to hear them, see what they really are instead of perceiving women as they (men) think of them.
They must realize the power of women which can burn the entire world like Goddess Kali and Goddess Durga who completely destroyed the evil forces of the society. Men must realize that women can do what men cannot, they must realize their (women’s) worth, power, determination and capability, unless they realize this gender discrimination cannot be uprooted.
Gender discrimination will one day definitely be wiped out from the society. It is only a matter of time. Just wait and watch. Examples are coming up where men have realized what women truly are. Recently it is observed that some first generation woman entrepreneurs in Chennai from the lower class of society, whose success usually goes unnoticed are making profits starting from Rs. 5000/- to Rs. 8000/- per months.
There are many other, women who have become successful entrepreneurs with a little bit of training and financial help. This has been possible through Canara Bank’s Centre for Entrepreneurship Development for women. 15 to 20 women organize themselves into self help groups and start a monthly savings account with Canara Bank.
Once their saving reaches a particular limit they are given loans one to four times of the amount saved. Several other banks take up this work for the emancipation of women and to make them economically self sufficient.
In Orissa also women in many rural areas are forming self helps groups and start their own small cooperative business to earn some money and also to get self satisfaction. This also generates self confidence in them.
Thus, men should realize that women are not inferior, they can what men can and may be much more than that, but equal opportunity should be provided to them. Gender discrimination is not only present in India. It is also seen in various Muslim countries to a greater extent in comparison to India.
In various Muslim countries women are looked down. They usually are not allowed to go out and if they go out, they have to use the ‘Burkha’ which completely covers their body, head and face except the eyes. Education of girl children is low in many Muslim countries.
Muslims are very rigid so far women are concerned. Girls rarely take part in athletics and permitted to see movies. In many Muslim societies television viewing for women is banned. Girls are not allowed to express their innate talents like music, dance, paintings, athletics and sports. They are only engaged in child birth, child rearing, domestic work and care of family members. At least in India the problem is not so severe.
According to a recent news by Reuters, published in New Indian Express an Afgan province named Nangahar has banned women from performing on Television and Radio, declaring female entertainers un-Islamic. This ban also covers women presenters of news and other information’s.
This ban is made as per the strict imposition of Sahira-Islamic law imposed during the Taliban’s five years repressive rule in Afghanistan when evening television was banned, women were forbidden from working and girls were kept out of schools.
But moderators have said that showing women singers on television was in line with the new Afghan constitution as it gave equal rights to women. But those provinces which remain deeply conservative and defy the central government rules they go by the command of the provincial governors regarding discrimination against women. Cruelty against women is rampant in places where people are very rigid and conservative.
As per Islamic law in certain conservative provinces women are beaten to death if they are found or suspected in the involvement of extra marital relationship or even if they wish to go for love marriage. Here women have no rights. They are hundred percent oppressed and repressed. In the name of Islamic law gender discrimination is stretched too far in many places.
According to Islamic law if a Muslim husband utters three times “Talak, Talak, Talak”, he is said to have divorced his wife. But on the other hand a Muslim woman cannot divorce her husband by saying Talak for three times. Recently there was a controversy on this ground and some moderate Muslims wanted that women should also be given the same right. But nothing has materialized till to-day.
Liberalization in the attitude towards women is essential any-where in the world for building a more progressive, healthy and happy country. Gender discrimination and unlawful attitude of men towards women can be understood from another example, which is however not a story, hut a real incident.
New Indian Express has published a news on how Tehelka has exposed a senior doctor of Agra Mental hospital who certified 10 sane women as insane to enable their husbands get divorce. Such certificates were being given without even meeting their wives.
Such henius crimes against women are really shocking and it really exposes the discriminative attitude of men towards women. Tarun Tejpal Editor-in chief of TEHELKA told in a press conference that “such practices were known in 19th century Europe and even after 55 years of independence these are happening in India”.
TEHELKA a people’s paper will be Filing a Public interest litigation in the Supreme Court within a week demanding Rs. one crore compensation for each of the victim and punishment to the guilty, the news said. The Rs. one crore of damages for violation of the woman’s right to live with dignity will act as a deterrent said senior Supreme Court advocate K.T.S. Tulsi.
In the meantime the doctor has been suspended. The husbands of these 10 wives were mostly from lower middle class families. Their wives were uneducated and disempowered to defend themselves in the court of law.
Even discrimination against women can be well understood from the much talked women’s Reservation Bill ensuring 33 percent seats for them in legislators. Everyone is aware how and why this bill could not be passed in the Loka Sabha. In a male dominated parliament the women members could not succeed it getting it presented in the parliament.
The party in power always talked of consensus about the bill, but nothing concrete could happen. In this background while allotting tickets for the current general election this promise also could not be kept. There were only 177 women among the 2165 aspirants to the Lok Sabha 2004 fielded by all national and state recognized parties according to the election commission figures.
While the congress party fielded the highest number of women (45) out of 417 candidates, which is 10.79 percent, the R.J.D. fielded only one woman among the 41 candidates. The R.J.D. which opposed the Woman’s Bill in the Lok Sabha rightly kept its stand by fielding one woman candidate, though the present Chief Minister of Bihar is a woman and from the R.J.D.
Women are by and large made by males submissive, unintelligent and irrational, who lack confidence in self and who have weak ego and low self esteem. This is due to the training by the man made by the society.
India is free but Indian women are not free, India is independent but Indian women are not independent. Many Indian women of late have proved that they are not unintelligent; they are in-secured, that they can do wonders when they get an opportunity.
Many studies including the study of Mohanty (1969) shows no difference between males and females in I.Q. Justice Liberty and equality is guaranteed to all citizens of India which also includes women. Equality of status and opportunity is also granted to every citizen of India by the preamble.
Along with prohibiting discrimination it makes various provisions for the protection of women under Article 14, 15, 16, 39 and 51. But women have mostly failed to assert their rights because of various socio-cultural and economic factors. Very few cases are moved to the court of law by victimized women.
The social and economic backwardness of women created by men also has aggravated gender discrimination. Women are often asked to adjust with the situation. When she seeks the protection from her parents she is usually not seen as a victim of gender discrimination and gender oppression, but is blamed for not adjusting to the demands of her husband and in laws.
Sometimes it is seen she goes back to her husband without getting shelter at her own house and then one fine morning is either killed or drawn to suicide.
Suppression and oppression of women rooted in age old power based gender relations in traditional families, particularly in joint families lead to gender bias. In such countries where woman is not a minority group but a disadvantaged group, in such families where woman has to be dependent on men financially, socially and for psychological support, what progress of the country can be made?
If 50 percent of the population of a country cannot contribute to the welfare of society due to gender discrimination, if they are restricted to express their potentiality, endowments, gifted qualities and inner talents how can one expect that the country would convert from developing to developed?
Even the great bureaucrats, politicians at high levels and governments in various states and at the centre, are more often than not callous to the problems of women because most of them are men.