1. If the principle of genderequalityisenshrinedinthe IndianConstitution,thenwhyare Indianwomen
treatedas secondcitizensintheirowncountry?The Constitutionofficiallygrantsequalitytowomenand
alsoempowersthe State toadoptmeasuresof positive discriminationinfavourof women.However,
the variedformsof discriminationthatwomeninIndiaare subjecttoare far frompositive.
It isclaimedthatfrom the FifthFive YearPlan(1974-78) onwards,there hasbeena markedshiftinthe
approach to women'sissuesfromwelfaretodevelopment.Where isthe development?Yes,the status
of the urbanwomanhas shownsome improvementbutthe changesintheirlifestyle werenotcoupled
by changesinthe general mindsetof the peopleinourpatriarchal society.Thus,some lawsshouldhave
beenframedforthe protectionof the newlyemancipatedandurbanizedIndianwomen.Whatisthe
percentage of urbanwomeninIndia,anyway?Whataboutthe rest? These privilegedfew wouldhave
prosperedwithorwithoutthe laws.Hasthere beenanysignificantchange inthe statusof rural women
afterthe FifthFive YearPlan?
The National CommissionforWomenwassetupby an Act of Parliamentin1990 to safeguardthe rights
and legal entitlementsof women."The 73rd and74th Amendments(1993) to the Constitutionof India
have providedforreservationof seatsinthe local bodiesof PanchayatsandMunicipalitiesforwomen,
layinga strongfoundationfortheirparticipationindecisionmakingatthe local levels."These reserved
seatsoftengounoccupiedorare takenup bymale candidatesbecause womenrarelycontestforsuch
seats.Why?The mere existence of lawscannotautomaticallybringaboutarevolutionarychange inthe
society.Ina countrywhere womenhave no control overtheirownlivesanddonot evenhave the
decision-makingpowerintheirownhousehold,doyouthinktheywill be encouragedtojoinlocal
governingbodies?
In Indiagenderdisparityisfoundeverywhere.The decliningratioof the female population,inthe last
fewdecadesisa proof of this.The stereotypical image of awomanhauntshereverywhere.Domestic
violence iscommonplace.The underlyingcausesof genderinequalityare relatedtothe socio-economic
frameworkof India.Asa result,the womenbelongingtothe weakersectionsof the societyi.e.the
ScheduledCastes/ScheduledTribes/OtherbackwardClassesandminorities,donothave easyaccessto
education,healthandotherproductive resources.Therefore,theyremainlargelymarginalized,poor
and sociallyisolated.
The followingare some of the provisionsmade infavourof women,inourconstitution:
2. Article 14 in the IndianConstitutionensuresequalityinpolitical,economicandsocial spheres.Article 16
providesforequalityof opportunitiesinmattersof publicappointmentforall citizens.However,the
ratioof womeninPoliticsisfarlessascomparedto men.How many womenholdpositionsof powerin
governmentruninstitutions?Singlewomendonotgetjobseasilybecause the employersfearthatthey
mightgetmarriedand quit.Theyalsofindithard to getrentedaccommodationwhereasthatisnotthe
case withsingle men.CricketisareligioninIndia.Isthe governmentpromotingcricketforwomenor
any otherformof teamsport forwomenforthat matter?
Article 15 prohibitsdiscriminationagainstanycitizenonthe groundsof religion,race,caste,sex etc.
There are certainplacesof worshipinSouthIndiawhere womenare notallowedentry.Advertisements
of 'Fairness'creamsare airedon televisionwithoutanyrestrictions.Itisshowninthese ad-filmsthatthe
'brown' Indianwomancan't geta job,can't finda manand is generallylookeddownuponbyeveryone
but whenshe becomesfairer,the storychanges.
Article 15 (3) of the IndianConstitutionallowsthe State tomake anyspecial provisionforwomenand
children.Wife bashingisafavorite sportinIndia.Womenare subjectto physical andmental torture by
theirhusbandsandtheirfamilies.Womenandchildrenare alwaysunderthe control of the 'Male' head
of the family.A childisidentifiedbyhisfather'sname inthiscountry.Whereasinwesterncountries,the
mother'sname forms,the middle name,of achild.
Article 39(a) mentionsthatthe State will directits policiestowardssecuringall citizens,menand
women,the righttomeansof livelihoodwhile Article 39(c) ensuresequal payforequal work.Whena
male governmentemployee istransferredfromone place toanother,ishiswife givenanew jobinthe
new place?Hercareer goalsare of little importance toanyone.She canbe displacedanduprooted
anytime!The dailywagesof womenlabourersinIndiaare lesserthanthatof male menial workers.
BollywoodActressesalsogetlessmoneyascomparedtheirmale counterparts.
Article 42 directsthe State to ensure justand humane workingconditions.More oftenthannot,women
are exploitedbytheirbosses.Itisbelievedthatwomenwhokeeptheirbosseshappygetpromotions
veryeasilyinthe Corporate world!What aboutthe others?Male colleaguesneverfail tomake passesat
women.Womenhave toputup withtheirbawdyjokes,lasciviousremarksandglares,all the time.The
plightof womenlabourersatconstructionsites,teaandrubberplantationsetc,cannotevenbe
described.
The constitutionimposesafundamental dutyoneverycitizenthroughArticle15 (A) (e) torenounce
practicesderogatorytothe dignityof women.Whatisthe governmentdoingabouteve-teasing?Cana
womanspendan entire dayonthe streetsof the National capital withoutgettingaseriesof comments,
3. derogatorytoher dignity?Anotherlawthatprotectswomenagainstaseeminglymildercrime isSection
509 of the IPC. Thislawpunishesindividualswhohave insultedthe modestyof awoman. Offensive
language,sounds,gesturesandintrusionof awoman'sprivacyare punishable underthislaw.Outraging
the modestyof a womanis alsopunishableunderSection354of the IPC.Under thislaw,an individual
whohas assaultedawoman,usedcriminal force onheror outragedher modestyinanyotherwaycan
be punishedwithimprisonmentof upto2 years.Infact the people whoare employedbythe State to
ensure thatpeople don'tfloutanyrules,the policemen,are the oneswhohave givenconsequenceto
manycrimesagainstwomen.Policemenare oftenfoundmouthingobscenities,glaringandpassing
bawdyremarkson women,notonlyonthe roads,but alsoinside the police station.Manyof our
honourable politiciansare alsoinvolvedinall mannerof crimes againstwomen.
Laws suchas the Immoral Traffic(Prevention) Act,Sati PreventionAct,DowryProhibitionActand
IndecentRepresentationof Women(Prevention) Actprotectwomenfromthe more "traditional"crimes
such as rape,abduction,dowry,torture,molestation,sexual harassmentandsellingof girlsintoslavery.
Howevertraffickingof womenisstill verycommoninthispoverty-strickencountry.Womenfrom
economicallybackwardfamiliesare kidnappedandforcedintoprostitution.Incidentsof womenbeing
charred todeathafter theirhusbands'death,have beenreportedrecently.Givingandtakingdowryis
officially,acrime butthe practice goeson. In fact,it istakenfor grantedthat if youwant to getyour
daughtermarriedyoushouldarrange forher dowryfirst,evenwhenyourdaughteriseducatedand
financiallyindependent.
Female foeticideandinfanticide are commonpracticesinthiscountry.If at all the girl is allowedtolive,
she issubjectto all formsof torture inher ownhouse.She is notallowedtogoto school,insteadshe is
forcedto take up menial jobsandmarriedoff almostassoonas she entersteenage.People inrural
areas fearthat theirdaughtersmightbe rapedsoit isbetterto getthemmarried.Ironically,The Child
Marriage RestraintActspecifiesthe cut-off age formarriage as18 years,protectingwomenfromchild
marriage.Women,be iturban or rural,face all formsof sexual harassmentthroughouttheirlives.So
whatis the use of these laws?
There are manywomenin India,whoare caught inviolentmarriages.Owingtothe social stigma
attachedto divorce,notmanywomenhave the courage to breakfree.Housewivesaccountfor52% of
the total female suicide casesinIndia.Section306 of the IPCcan punishthe suicide victim'shusband
withup to 10 yearsimprisonmentif foundguilty.How manysuchmenhave beenpunishedtill now?
Thus,there are a numberof lawsto protectwomen,butwhatis the use of havingthese lawswhenno
one followsthem?Infact,the people whosebusinessitis,toenforce these lawsare the oneswho
4. publiclyfloutthem.Besides,notmanywomenare conversantwithlaw andfew are aware of the rights
and privilegesaccordedtothembythe constitution.Sotheysufferall formsof discrimination, passively.
References:
1)http://wcd.nic.in/empwomen.htm
2)specials.msn.co.in/sp08/wmday/women_rights.asp
Aboutthe Author
I'm a teacher.
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SupriyaPrathapan
