Dr. Manjula Rathaur delivered a lecture in Global Studies Programme Colloquium at Institut für Soziologie, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany

1. WOMEN AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN INDIA:
SOME SOCIOLOGICAL INSIGHTS
Dr. Manjula Rathaur
Senior Fellow, ICSSR, New Delhi,
Women Studies Programme, JNU.

2. Three Icons of Women Empowerment-
Indira Gandhi, Pratibha Devisingh Patil & Mayavati
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3. Contents
I. Ideology about Women & Society in Ancient India
II. Historical Phases of Changing Status of Women in India
III. Modernization of Indian Tradition
IV. Major Spheres of Changes about Women in India
V. Areas of Present Day Concerns
VI. Summary
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4. I. Ideology about Women & Society in Ancient India
“Yatra narystu pujyante tatra ramante Devata”
Shiva & Shakti Approach- Concept of Ardha Nariswar
Man & Woman are complementary to each other-Sita Ram, Radhe Krishna.
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5. II. Historical Phases of Women Status
3,000 B.C & Before- Vedic Period:Era of Equality
1,000 B.C to 600 A.D. Jain & Buddhist Period: Freedom of Spiritual &
other activities
200 B.C. to 300 A.D. SMRITI Period: Beginning of restrictions
1300 A.D.- 1600 A.D Bhakti Movement Period: Challenge against the
sexism of Smritis & freedom of expression
1400 A.D-1700 A.D- Medieval /Mughal Period(1526-1707):
Deterioration of Women Status( PURDAH/ Child Marriage/ SATI).
1700-1947 British Period- Ban on widow burning(Sati & Child
Marriages).
1947-2011 Post Colonial Period: Dramatic Developments.
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6. III. Modernization of Indian Tradition(From the colonial
to the post-colonial era):
Social reform Movements(Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra
Vidyasagar, Jyotiba Phulle, Vivekanand, Mahatma Gandhi, Annie
Besant).
Westernization/Colonial Modernization
Sanskritization
Urbanization & Industrilization
Democratization
Education
Women’s Movement
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7. IV. Major Spheres of Changes about Women & Society
Legal
Article 14- Equality with man.
Article 39 D- Equal pay for equal work.
Article 15(3) Special provision by the state.
National Policy for Empowerment of Women, 2001.
Law against Domestic Violence, 2005.
Educational
Rise in literacy from 6%(1947) to 65%(2011)
12% of women in age group 17 & above years are in higher education.
Economic and Occupational
Right to share in family property
Freedom of occupation-largest number professionally qualified women in the
world
89.5% of female labor in agriculture & allied sector
30% of workforce in software industry is female
Socio-cultural
Reform of Hindu Personal Law to give right to inheritance
Raising the age at marriage to 18 years
Dowry Prohibition Act 1985
Political
50% reservation in local self government bodies
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National Commission on Women

8. V. Areas of Present Day Concerns:
Declining Gender Ratio(See the map about gender ratio)
Maternal mortality- 2nd highest in the world
Violence against women(see the table about it).
Female illiteracy( see the map of female literacy)
Feminization of poverty- 35% of BPL Households are female headed
( see the map about women in workforce)
Political marginalization- Less than 10% seats in parliament and state
legislative bodies are occupied by women.
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9. Distribution of Sex Ratio (No. of Women/1000 Men ) (2001)
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10. State Wise Female Literacy Rate(2001)
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11. Female Main Workers(2001)
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12. Empowering Women through Affirmative Action: Percent Seats Held
by Women in Parliament and in the Gram Panchayats in 2006
Percent Seats Held by Women in
States Parliament Gram Panchayats
Andhra Pradesh 7.1 35.74
Assam 0.0 39.2
Bihar 7.5 46.68
Gujarat 3.8 33.33
Haryana 10.0 36.65
Himachal Pradesh 25.0 39.13
Jammu & Kashmir 16.7 ⃰
Karnataka 7.1 43.33
Kerala 10.0 35.32
Madhya Pradesh 6.9 34.56
Orissa 9.5 35.83
Punjab 15.4 35.03
Rajasthan 8.0 35.3
Tamil Nadu 10.3 33.69
Uttrar Pradesh 8.8 38.85
West Bengal 9.5 36.63
NCT Delhi 14.3 ⃰
All India 8.3 36.75
Source: Ministry of Women & Child Development, Govt. of India, 2009.
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13. Percentage of Women Age 15-49 who Have Experienced
Physical or Sexual Violence in India and States, 2005-06
State Physical or sexual violence
Bihar 55.6
Madhya Pradesh 46.8
Rajasthan 44.6
Tamil Nadu 38.7
West Bengal 38.3
Uttrar Pradesh 38.1
Assam 36.5
Orissa 36.2
Andhra Pradesh 33.8
Punjab 30.9
Chhattisgarh 30.1
Maharashtra 29.2
Haryana 29.0
Gujarat 27.8
Karnataka 19.9
Kerala 17.3
Delhi 16.5
Jammu & Kashmir 12.9
Himachal Pradesh 5.6
India 35.4
Source: MoWCD, Govt. of India
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14. VI.Summary: 5 Stages of Social Change & Women in
India since independence
1. Women’s Welfare(1950s)
2. Women Development(1960s)
3. Women in Development(1970s)
4. Women and Development(1980S)
5. Women in Decision-making (1990s and beyond).
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15. Thank you
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