Status of women in India Essay
Status of women in India Essay : Women in India, in the 21st century, are enjoying a much better status and they are almost having their rights at par with men. In the Indian constitution, the principle of gender equality is enshrined. Article 15(1) and (2) opposes the discrimination of people based on caste, creed, gender, sex, place of birth and religion. In addition, Article 39 (A) mandates that the state shall equally reserve the right and give equal status to both men and women. In the earlier days, the patriarchal norms restricted the education and employment choices of women. Women have suffered injustices however with the passage of time, they have earned their status and fame.
They broke through the chains of gender stereotypes and have made indelible marks of progress as an educator, social activist, player, musicians, artists, doctors and scientists.
Discussion
In India, the female literacy rate has increased by 14.4 % and in 2021, the literacy rate was 91.95 per cent. Over the past ten years, the female literacy rate has increased significantly. Kerala holds the record for the highest female literacy and Bihar, has not been able to reach the pinnacle of success. The government of India launched a campaign to promote the equal status of women named the Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao. It mainly focussed on the remote rural areas where the child sex ratio is low. The history of Indian women is full of colossal personalities. For instance, Anandibai Gopalrao is the first Indian female physician, and Arunima Sinha, an amputee climbed Mount Everest. To cite a few, Pratibha Patil became the first woman president of India, Kiran Bedi joined the IPS and Sania Mirza won the Women’s Tennis Association title.
Even in India, women have earned the name of famous business entrepreneurs. For instance, Vineeta Singh owns SUGAR Cosmetics, Shivani Poddar owns FabAlley and Falguni Nayar owns the famous cosmetic and skincare app, Nykaa.
On the contrary, in rural areas, the status of women has yet not improved. They are subjected to constraints posed by the patriarchal society. Gender discrimination is still practised in the remote areas of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Women of those areas are still confined within the four walls and they are married off at a tender age. In addition, issues of domestic violence have increased by 53 per cent between 2001 and 2018. The situation has even become worse by the alcoholic habit of their spouses. Furthermore, women in rural areas suffer from poor sanitation facilities. As per records of 2018, only 48 per cent use sanitary pads whereas the remaining still use cloth during their menstruation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that the status of women in India has improved in more ways than it was before. With the launching of various campaigns and promotion of various schemes, women have been empowered and thus they are able to enjoy equal status as that men. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan campaign, Saakshar Bharat Mission and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, have succeeded in granting educational rights to women. Even most banks provide loans to women if they are willing to start any business. However, the government needs to focus more to strengthen the status of women in rural India.
FAQs
1.) Name the women empowerment campaigns in India.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan campaign, Saakshar Bharat Mission and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.
2.) Which state in India has the highest literacy rate?
Kerala
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