07-12-2012, 05:34 PM
Economic Status of Women in Post Independence India……
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Introduction
Women in Post Independent India faced a major upheaval as regards their position, perception and role in society. In the period immediately following Independence, a number of constitutional provisions were made for women’s economic and political benefits. Women in post-independent India were part of a new state that developed a bureaucratic structure designed to meet the specific needs of women. This included creating the National Social Welfare Board, assigning special duties to block development officers, and asking the Department of Health and Welfare to prepare a specific plan with women in mind. In the documents of the new Indian state the past had been undone, modernity is triumphant, and women are no longer subordinate to men.
Women in India now participate in all activities such as education, politics, media, art and culture, service sectors, science and technology, etc. Indira Gandhi, who served as Prime Minister of India for an aggregate period of fifteen years is the world's longest serving woman Prime Minister.
The Constitution of India guarantees to all Indian women equality, no discrimination by the State, equality of opportunity, equal pay for equal work. In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in favour of women and children, renounces practices derogatory to the dignity of women, and also allows for provisions to be made by the State for securing just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief.
Indian Women in Independent India
Women at workplace
As is evident, women are acquiring a sudden visibility in India, but when we evaluate material and objective conditions of well-being and compare it with those of men, women still remain behind in all respects.
India's economy has undergone a substantial transformation since the country's independence in 1947. A wide range of modern industries and support services now exist. In spite of these changes, agriculture continues to dominate employment, employing two-thirds of all workers. In a country like India, productive employment is central to poverty reduction strategy and to bring about economic equality in the society. But the results of unfettered operation of market forces are not always equitable, especially in India, where some groups are likely to be subjected to disadvantage as a result of globalization. Women constitute one such vulnerable group.
Since the times immemorial, worth of the work done or services rendered by women has not been recognized. India is a multifaceted society where no generalization could apply to the entire nation's various regional, religious, social, and economic groups. Nevertheless, certain broad circumstances in which Indian women live affect the ways they participate in the economy. Indian society is extremely hierarchical with virtually everyone ranked relative to others according to their caste (or caste-like group), class, wealth, and power. This ranking even exists in areas where it is not openly acknowledged, such as certain business settings. Though specific customs vary from region to region within the country, there are different standards of behavior for men and women that carry over into the work environment. Women are expected to be chaste and especially modest in all actions that may constrain their ability to perform in the workplace on an equal basis with men.
Indian Women in Modern India
The Indian women of modern India has explicated in making a separate identity for herself. She now plays a very crucial role in the society. Whether it is in career development or in the seamless majestic development of women empowerment, the Indian woman is emerging as leader with potential.
With time though modern Indian woman has succeeded in making a place of herself in the society which still remains male dominant, somewhere or the other, the Indian woman still suffers violence sometime by their own family members. Although the modern Indian woman has crossed barriers and reached the peak of success, the sex ratio in India still shows that the society is prejudiced against female.
As per a local Indian site.
• Indian women rank top in the list of numbers of professionally qualified women.
• Indian women account to the largest working women in the world. This includes women workers from a laborer to a surgeon.
• The number of Indian female doctors, surgeons, scientists, professors is more than that in US.
• To handle human rights violations against women, National human rights commission for women has been set up in India.
Indian Women Social Worker
• Parmeshwar A. Godrej: Director, Godrej Properties Limited, Serves as Director of Indian Hotels and Health Resorts Private Limited. She serves as Board Member of Gates Foundation - Avahan, The Gere Foundation, Cine Blitz Publications and The Palace School, Jaipur. She serves as Member of India Advisory Board of The American India Foundation.
• Nita Ambani: A social worker actively involved in different philanthropic activities in the fields of education, human resources and disaster relief. Nita Ambani has been working as part of the Dhirubhai Ambani Foundation is also associated with UNAIDS partnership which aims towards halting and reversing the HIV epidemic in India. Nita Ambani is spearheading Project Drishti, a unique initiative by RIL and NAB, with a vision to give sight to sightless people from the underprivileged segment at no cost.
She is also the Chairperson of Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai.