Women all over the world are affected by social injustice. In many countries rules and laws have been put in place to ensure the equel treatment of women. Although these laws and rules have not kept things perfect they have helped to maintain a balance between men and women. This work towards equality does not function the same in all countries. There are still places where women are beaten, raped, and murdered without so much as a second thought. Some of these places even have rules in place to prevent these practices, but they are frequently overlooked. India is one of these places. A place that is both progressive on paper and in some urban areas but are also far behind in practice and in rural communities. What progress has already been made to protect women in India and what still needs to be done to ensure the equal treatment of women in all areas of India? According to the International Violence Against Women Act on Amnesty International’s site, “Violence against women and girls represents a global health, economic development, and human rights problem. At least one out of every three women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, with rates of domestic violence reaching 70% in some countries.” This abuse of women and their rights is something more developed countries are taking very seriously. Over 7,000 women in India will be murdered by their family or their husband’s family because of arguments about dowries. “Violence against women is rooted in a global culture of discrimination which denies women equal rights with men and which legitimizes the appropriation of women’s bodies for individual gratification or political ends. Every year, violence in the home and the community devastates the lives of millions of women.” (Amnesty). The study of why and how women are treated they way they have been is a fairly recent study. Purkayastha explains when this study arose. “The contemporary study of gender in India arose within a specific socio historical context: the establishment of a nation-state in 1947 after two centuries of British colonialism” (Purkayastha, 504). A long time ago in India men and women were prescribed equal status but as time progressed, through medieval times of great inequalities between men and women to the present days of equal rights. In an opening verse of the Apastamba Sutra from around 4 BCE, quoted and translated on Amnesty International, it is stated that, “the primary duty of women is enjoined to be service to one’s husband.” Originally in ancient India women were looked at as equals. They were free to choose their own husbands at a mature age and maintained equal status in most areas of life. Shortly after this period of equality the number of equalities that existed between men and women began to diminish. Invasions as well as Christianity were contributors to the decline of equal rights for women. As the medieval period came around in India conditions for Women empowerment is one of the most critical and essential things that everyone should support. It is when women are given the most power and right to make decisions for themselves. Women have been subjected to injustice through decades. They have been treated as non-existent for decades.
Women always make decisions for them. This is no of the biggest reasons for women’s empowerment. It was one of the essential things which is the need of the hour. Women were made aware of their rights. Along with their rights, women were taught how to be self-independent in all aspects of their lives. They were taught how to create a space for them, where they can grow and become the people they want to be. The men always had all the rights. However, the women didn’t have any of these rights even a small right like voting. Things charged when women realized that they, too, need equal rights. This brought along the revolution by the women demanding their rights. It spread the awareness that gender shouldnot be the reason for the things go in their favour. Countries all over the world called themselves, “Progressive countries” but every one of them has a history of ill-treating the women. Women in these countries had to fight against the systems to get the freedom and status that they have achieved today. However, in India, women’s empowerment is still lagging. There is mare awareness that needs to be created for the awareness to spread. India is one of the countries which is not safe for women, and there are several reasons for the same. One of the reasons for their lack of safety is the danger of honor killing Families think that it’s the right to kill the female if they have brought shame to the family and reputation of the family. Another big problem that women faced was that lack of education, women are discouraged from pursuing higher education in the country. Along with that, they were married early. The men dominating the limited to work for them. They don’t let these women go, and these women have no freedom. The need for women empowerment is one of the most significant needs of the hour. There are many ways in which women can be empowered.
(The author is a law student of Kashmir University. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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