Status of Women in India is believed to have achieved equality under the constitution, but as a matter of fact, women are still suffering as the male-dominated traditions still prevail in this country. Did you know that the regional average score of the country’s equality is said to be just 55?
Jawaharlal Nehru once said that..you can tell the condition of a Nation by looking at the status of its woman. Let us now analyse the status of women in India today with respect to the Indian traditions.
Discrimination Against Women
India is a country where people around us still feel pity if we give birth to a female child. Though “prenatal sex discrimination” has been banned and is now considered a criminal offence, many Indian families are either unaware of it or don’t even bother about it. This is one law that is literally impossible to enforce in the Indian society.
On a personal note, I had been persistently insisted on getting it done, and I had to inform about this law (several times) to make them quit pestering me. Social strata too have a crucial role to play with respect to discrimination against women. And this discrimination starts even before birth, as an infant, as a teenager and an adult.
Selective abortions have become something so contagious that it cannot be banned, no action can be taken against it. About 10 to 11 million abortions take place every year and about 20,000 women die due to complications annually. The status of women in India is sometimes, abysmal.
Discrimination as an Infant or Child
Discrimination of a female infant leading to murdering and abandonment is quite high. As a child, it is shown in the form of insufficient care taken, with respect to food and education which consequently is leading to malnutrition (anemia and low weight) which further becomes a cause for risky pregnancies, complications in childbearing and deaths.
Status of Women in India and The Tradition of Dowry
Though taking dowry was prohibited and named illegal in 1961, the law hardly has any enforcement or effect on Indians. The dowry practice still prevails in almost every marriage. And every religion and every caste follows dowry tradition as it is said to be a means for financial security for the newly wed couple though it is just namesake.
Customs and Traditions Play a Vital Role in Molding a Woman’s Life.
Though the Constitution of India has granted equal rights for men and women, factually, it would never come into action; being overshadowed by the male-dominated traditions which rather consider woman as a liability. There are many reasons for this state of women in India. Primarily, a woman is still considered to be dependent on her husband or father financially and emotionally. And incapable of earning much money and more capable of doing household chores though, in today’s society, women are playing both the roles — that of a working woman and a housewife.
Still, a woman is never considered an asset to the family.
Status of Women in India after Marriage.
A married woman is more like a property handed to the husband who is responsible for the happiness and pride of the family. As you can see some traditions that are against the law, that reduce the status of women in India, are still under practice.
Always under the constant vigilance of in-laws, hardly given the freedom to express her views, as any disagreement leads to disgrace to her and her native family, which further leads to negligence and disregard by both, native family and in-laws. The cause may also include extra dowry.
Unfortunately, there are thousands of deaths of the woman due to dowry harassment, and cases of attempted dowry deaths and the Constitution of Indian have the law of punishment for dowry death as a mere 7 years term instead of life imprisonment or a death sentence. This it selves is a crystal clear proof of the discrimination against women.
Clearly, this is an indication of the condition of the Nation as stated by Jawaharlal Nehru. But we can hardly ever expect any improvement in this condition as India is a land of Traditions and customs. The empowerment of the status of women, a woman majorly depends on the economic development of women and the development with respect to the societal norms of India.
