Gender and its intersection with region (rural, urban and tribal setup)

1. GENDER AND REGION
Gender Issues in Rural Areas
# No access to Education:
According to ASER report 2014, only 1 out of 100 girls
from Rural India makes it to colleges. This number in both
shocking and depressing considering the fact that women
form almost half of our population.
They are in the real sense the backbone of our society but
in rural India, their role is considered to be that of
caretakers and child rears and education would make not
benefit to them in their roles according to the typical
mentality of people living in the villages.
# Gender discrimination:
Gender Discrimination is uncontrolled in many villages of
India especially in the states of Rajasthan, Haryana and
Uttar Pradesh. Gender discrimination implies giving a
superior position to men due to the prevailing Mindset of
Patriarchal society in India. Due to Gender Discrimination,
women are kept confined to their households and not
allowed to participate in any activities like elections,
discussions, participating in major festivals, etc.

2. # Child Marriage:
Though Child Marriage is a completely illegal practice in
India according to law, the reality is far from good.
According to the National Statistical Organization, around
47% of women in India are married before the age of 18.
This problem is Scary in villages due to the prevalent
illiteracy and lack of awareness among the women. This
also has continued as a never-ending tradition in India.
# Lack of Proper Sanitation:
Women in rural India today face a problem of getting even
the basic sanitation facilities. They are the victims of open
defecation and also the diseases which are caused by it.
Women are sometimes even prohibited from using the
public toilets which are constructed by the government.
# DomesticViolence:
Women in rural India are sometimes so ill-treated that they
become victims of domestic violence every day in their
homes. Alcoholism of the spouses sometimes even
worsens the situation. She is treated like a slave and her
upbringing stops her from questioning her spouse or in-
laws.

3. # Dowry
Women are given inferior status because they are
considered to be a burden for the parents. This is mainly
due to the dowry practice that is rampant in the rural parts
of India. There is not a denial of the fact that dowry as the
practice even exists in Urban and semi-urban regions but
the women in urban areas are educated and alert enough
to tackle the issue which is not the case for rural Indian
women.
Gender Issues in Urban Areas
1. The women are mostly deemed fit for “pink-collar jobs”
only, such as teachers, nurses, receptionists, babysitter,
lecturer, etc. which have been stereotyped for women.
This denies them opportunities in other fields.
2. Sexual harassment at the workplace: #Metoo
movement sheds light on numerous instances of sexual
harassment at the workplace. However, due to the slow judicial
system, justice hasn’t been delivered to these women.
3. Lack of political participation of women: The Indian
Parliament currently has 11.8% women representation, and
state assemblies have only 9%. Even though the 73rd
constitutional amendment act mandates 33% of panchayat seats
to be reserved for women.

4. 4. Access to Municipal Services
Water
Women are generally responsible for water collection and
storage. Time spent on filling and fetching water increases if
the number of taps is less than optimal,or the water supply is
irregularor if the water pressure is low. Time spent by women
in accessing services (waiting for water tankers or for the
municipal supply) reduces the time available for income
earning activities, leisure or education.
Solid waste management
Ineffective solid waste management creates highly unsanitary
conditions in cities with huge environmental threats to all
residents. In slums, it has resulted in huge mounds of un-
disposed waste. Because women spend more time inside
homes/settlements – either in home based occupationsor as
home makers, the health risk from highly unsanitary
environments to them is higher.
5. Access to Livelihoods and Employment – Problems of
Working in the Informal Sector:
Since women often lack education and technical skills, they
tendto be predominantlyintheinformaleconomy.Theoverall
economic contribution of poor people, especially women, in
the informal sector /city and national economy is largely
unacknowledged, unmeasured and unsupported; which

5. affects the entire urban economy negatively. The informal
sector is under regulated and it is thus easily able to exclude
women from safety net schemes i.e. maternity leave, pension,
health care, etc.
6. Right to Social Services
Women study for fewer years than men and have less control
over how long andwhat to study. Theyalso get a smaller share
of family resources, both food and health care, that results in
enduring disadvantages extending across generations.
7. Safety and Security
In a male dominated system and because of inherent
biological differences (men being physically stronger than
women) women experience less safety and are subjected to
greater personal violence,bothinside the home (domestic), in
the communityandonthe streets. Poorwomen inurbanareas
are more exposed to risk because they are often located in
sites that are prone to crime and /or in environmentsthat are
in contraventionof the law. Unequal socialstructures (such as
caste/class differences) and economic disempowerment
further impact on the security of women Besides, being poor
and women, they have limited access to assets that can avert
such risks and their politicallypowerlessness, meansthat they
do not receive any ready help.

6. Gender Issues in Tribal Areas
1. Birth of a girl is not an unwelcome event in tribal families
particularlyinthe matrilinealones.She isalwayswanted.
However, there are tribes who prefer sons to daughters
because sons are needed for continuation of family
lineage and village security.
2. Again, a boy child up to the age of thirteen or fourteen
years is allowed to lead a life of ease, fun and pleasure,
whilethe girl childis trainedto take up allresponsibilities
of the household and play a little mother’s role.
3. Women rarely have property rights. As a daughter, she is
not entitled to own any of the ancestral property. If a
women is the only child, the ancestral property will be
given to her Father’s immediate male relatives.
4. It is generally believed that in tribal areas, girls are to
marry whomsoever they like and parents simply agree to
their will. But facts reveal that among some Naga tribes,
the oppositeis the reality.Parents among the Nagatribes
and even among the Nishing Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh
arrange marriages. The girl’s parents Demand huge
property as Bride price for their daughter. She does not
have option to choose her life partner. If she refuses her
parents’ choice, she is discarded from her family.
5. It is the women who usually perform secret rituals in
religious ceremonies. The women are not allowed to
fetch water from the spring or other sources due to fear
of defilement. Men do not take even the food cooked by
them. All this prohibition takes place on the day of the
secret ritual called Pri.

7. 6. In terms of political empowerment. Tribal women,
whether belonging to matrilineal or patrilineal society,
are not allowed to take part in the deliberations of the
village council. Further, they are not allowed to address
or even stand before the village crowd.
ABHISHEK SHARMA, SECTION A, G.S.S