Prominent Indian Women

• India had a woman PM long before Australia

• Women in India have traditionally played quite prominent roles.

• The queen of Jhansi was a hero of the 1857 freedom war.

PRESENTED BY

ARCHANA CHAUDHARI

GUIDANCEDR. SAROJ VEERKAR

DID YOU KNOW?

•It is estimated that women perform two-thirds of the world’s

work, yet they only earn one-tenth of the income, and own less

than one percent of the world’s property.

•More than 110 million of the world’s children, two-thirds of

them girls, are not in school.

•Only 17% of the world’s elected government leaders are women.

•More than 80% of the world’s 35 million refugees and displaced

people are women and children.

Natural gender differences

There are natural differences between the sexes based on biological and anatomic factors, most notably differing reproductive roles. Biological differences include chromosomes, brain structure and hormonal differences. There is a natural difference also in the relative physical strengths (on average) of the sexes.

There is a difference that the society has made between males and females which is not justified and is frequently observed in the following aspects:

A girl being born is considered inauspicious whereas the birth of a boy is a cause for celebrationThe nutritious and the better food is given to the males whereas the women have to eat the leftoversThe important decisions are taken by the male and the females have no or little say in it.The household chores, rearing the child etc., are expected to be done by the women.

The society has designed certain norms and assigned certain roles for both the male and the female.The percentage of females to males in Politics is also less (Though 33% of the seats are reserved for women, it is only for name sake)The society doesn't consider it proper for the parents of a married girl to live with her at her in-laws house.The groom’s side always weighs heavier over the bride’s, and the society accepts the husband showing his supremacy over the wife.

The women are expected to observe fasts or ‘vrats’.She cannot fill the position of a religious head. Religious ceremonies are mostly conducted by males.Upanayan vidhi, or performing the last rites of a deceased are some privileges that have been granted only to men.

Normally the boys are educated at the best institutions whereas the girls are educated in institutions where the fees are less.The boys are encouraged to opt for Science, whereas girls are normally pushed towards the Arts faculty.Girls aren’t given enough freedom to choose their careers.Researches prove that gender bias is also observed in schools.

Gender is a social construct

Courtesy Sonke Gender Justice Network

This bias has to be removed. Both

males and females are equally

capable of doing things . If the

nation or world is to progress,

gender equality must be brought

into effect. What exactly is gender

equality?

• Long-term goal

• Absence of discrimination based on sex

• Equality between men and women exists when both sexes are able to share equally in the distribution of power and influence

Gender Equality

• Gender equity is the processof being fair to women and men.

• To ensure fairness, strategies and measures must often be available to compensate for women’s historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from otherwise operating on a level playing field.

• Equity leads to equality.

GENDER EQUITY

Where gender inequality exists, it is generally women who are excluded or disadvantaged in relation to decision-making and access to economic and social resources. Therefore a critical aspect of promoting gender equality is the empowerment of women, with a focus on identifying and redressing power imbalances and giving women more autonomy to manage their own lives.

Our Constitution has laid down certain laws for women.

According to Article 15 of our Constitution, you cannot discriminate people on the basis of religion, caste, gender or race.

Widow remarriage act (1856)

Divorce Act(1955)

Dowry abolishment act(1961)

Right to Adopt(1956)

Laws against Rape

Right to inheritance(1956)

Jijamata Mahila Aadhar Vima Yojana

Mahila Samruddhi Yojana

33% reservations for women in various fields.

Equality does not imply that women can behave in any manner they see fit, but it means that people of both the sexes get equal opportunities.