The document discusses gender discrimination and inequalities faced by women in India. It notes that gender refers to the socio-cultural roles, behaviors and attributes assigned to men and women in a society. In India, women face discrimination from birth, with female infants often seen as a burden. Women and girls are subjected to neglect, unequal treatment and violence throughout their lives. They have lower literacy rates and less access to education and opportunities than men. The document outlines some of the key issues related to gender inequalities in India such as female foeticide, dowry practices, gender-based violence, and disparities in health and nutrition.

1. “you can tell the
condition of nation
by looking at the
status of its women”
Jawaharlal Nehru

2. VENUE
Department of Sociology,
College of Basic Science and Humanities, CCS HAU, Hisar,
Haryana
Presented by-Deepika
Ph.D Research
scholar

3. Sociologically the word gender refers to the socio-
cultural definition of man and woman, the way
societies distinguish men and women and assign them
social roles. The distinction between sex and gender
was introduced to deal with the general tendency to
attribute women's subordination to their anatomy. For
ages it was believed that the different characteristics,
roles and status accorded to women and men in
society are determined by sex, that they are natural
and therefore not changeable.
Source: Wikipedia

4. Gender describes socially
constructed differences
between men and women,
boys and girls etc. Gender
is defined on the basis of
social norms, behaviors,
activities, relationship,
responsibilities which are
assigned by the society as
appropriate for male and
female (WHO, 2010).

5. Source :Registrar General of India.

6. Source :Registrar General of India

7. According to the 2001 Indian census,
overall male-female ratio was 927
females per 1000 males. However the
2011 Indian census shows that there
are 914 females per 1000 males.
During the last decades the number
female children to male children in
the youngest age group fell from 945
per 1000 males to 927 per 1000
males.
(Census of India 2011)

8. 943

9. (Source: This data recently concluded by Census of
India 2011)

10. 1971
2001
2011
2015
867 Girls
861 Girls
877 Girls
879Girls
(Source:-Census of India 2011, Haryana
Various Issues)

11. (Source: Report of the Technical group on population
projection constituted by the NATIONAL
COMMISSION ON POPULATION)
Haryana
2.7

13. The girl child becomes the victim
of discrimination and differential
treatment right from the time of
her birth. The birth of the male
child is welcomed with a happy
heart whereas that of the girl child
is met with depression, especially
if she is born after two or three
sisters. She is considered as a
weakness for the family, she is an
economic burden, a moral liability
that is defenseless against all types
of hazards in life.

14. parents of a girl are always vigilant regarding
her clothes, social relations, behavior, habits,
etc., and that they restrict girls in each and
every sphere. These restrictions are not
imposed upon their brothers. Behavior that is
acceptable for boys is considered inappropriate
Girls’ sitting, standing, talking, interacting
gestures are also considered important.

15. Girls should not talk loudly; they should not
stand with their hands on their hip. Generally,
their standing gestures/postures should not
look odd, or others will comment that they
stand like a male. Girls are often rebuked for
rushing to a place, jumping or running, etc. It
was observed that a girl should be docile in
manner and perform household duties very
promptly and graciously. She should not laugh
loudly.
Cont…

16. From the childhood, girls are
encouraged to do the household
chores, such as washing dishes,
cleaning the house, cooking food,
collecting water from the nearby
ponds or tube wells, collecting
firewood, taking care of the younger
siblings, taking care of cattle, etc.;
they should know about agricultural
activities. Boys are encouraged to
look after fields, cutting firewood,
and to do work outside home, such
as marketing, metal working,
repairing agricultural tools, etc.

17. Discriminatory behavior of the
villagers in the allocation of food
resources was observed in majority
of the cases. Majority of the males
are served food before females.
The preference is given to the
males in the sphere of health. The
girls are treated locally whereas the
boys may be taken to the doctor,
especially in the low-income
families in which more than two
daughters are present, the boy's life
is more important as compared to
the girls.

18. First preference was given to male child for
serving the costly and special food such as dry
fruits, eggs and meat in rural background,
Whereas in urban background costly food was
mainly served jointly followed by adult male
and male child. In all cases women eat food in
the end. Ignoring adult female and female
children while serving notorious food
adversely affect the women.
(Source:Ramchandran, N (2011). Gender, Technology And Development.
15(3):363-387.)

19. Source: Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections May 2006,
National Commission on Population/MOHFW/GOI.

20. Source: Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections May 2006,
National Commission on Population MOHFW.

21. The female child in India is
often deprived from her right
of an education. The numbers
of girl dropping out of school
far exceeds the boys because
girls are expected to help at
home, either with household
work like washing and
cooking or with taking care of
younger siblings

22. Parents prefer their sons over their daughter
because they are supposed to be the helping hands
for the parents. The boys are given education as it
is considered a sign of pride and prestige to educate
the boys (Ambreen and Mohyuddin, 2013).
A hidden fear in the minds of males is that after
getting education the females may start interfering
in the decision making process. They are kept
economically dependent on males no matter how
hard they work to contribute to the families income
Their work is not recognized as a part of
contribution to the household economy. They are
also deprived on share their property.

23. Since girls spend more time
performing domestic duties and this
increase the gap between female and
male equality in rural parts of India,
it perpetuates the myth that
education is of no help to the girl
and her primary job will be to the
household work, get married early,
have children and raise them. If this
is the job she has to do, then
education is of no importance to her
and it is no imparted.
(Source: Social action forum for Manav Adhikar
New Delhi)

24. 8.6 % people said their female
children of school age had
dropped out of school. The
reason given for the dropout
were lack of money (90.4%),
to enable them run errands for
their parents(31.3%), early
marriage (9.4%), trunacy in
school(3.1%) and as a result of
early pregnancy(3.1%).
(Kamaldeen et al. (2012)

25. Literacy rate of females is 65.46% compared
to males which is 82.14%. Compared to boys,
far fewer girls are enrolled in the schools, and
many of them drop out. (Census of India 2011)

26. 1951 8.86 %
1961 15.35 %
1971 21.97 %
1981 29.76 %
1991 39.29 %
2001 53.67 %
2011 65.46 %
(Source: Office of the Registrar General, India)
Note: 1. Literacy rates for 1951, 1961 and 1971 Censuses relates
to population aged five
years and above. The rates for the 1981, 1991 and 2011 Censuses
relate to the population aged seven years and above.

27. Source: Census of India

28. Literacy rate in India
has shown major sign
of improvement in last
10 years. Current
literacy rate in India
stands at 74.04 percent
in 11 September 2015.
(Source- Literacy rate of India. Census
of India 2011)

29. While goddess are welcomed with open arms, our
doors are shut tight for girl child.
 It’s a very common scenario in almost all
villages.
 It has become tradition for some families to have
male children only.
 Our sex ratio is : 943 females per 1000 males in
11 September 2015

30. Female foeticide is a unique form of violence against
women. The word “abortion” has meaning “Offensive”
and truly, the practice made to take away the wholeness
of a woman is an offense which resorts to taking away the
life of her own unborn child. in northern India social
group with strong patriarchal norms and high degree of
son preference predominantly represent higher economic
ladder. For instance, the natural biological laws of human
reproduction of mankind for balancing its natural sex
ratio, has been distorted by man-made norms, customs,
traditions, religious beliefs and more recently by
sophisticated medical technology to result lower sex ratio
in India

31.  Obsession for son.
 Fear of Dowry by many poor class families.
 Girls are considered as financial obligation by many
parents.
 Advancement in technology, nowadays parents
determines the sex of a child before birth.
 Some of the doctors do this heinous act to fulfill their
money desires.

32. (Source: Wikipedia)

33. (Source: Census of India 2011)

35. GBV is violence that is directed
at an individual based on his or
her biological sex, gender
identity, or perceived adherence
to socially defined norms of
masculinity and femininity. It
includes physical, sexual, and
psychological abuse, threats,
coercion, arbitrary deprivation
of liberty, and economic
deprivation.

36. Women and girls are the most at-
risk and most affected by GBV.
However, boys and men also
experience gender-based
violence, as can sexual and
gender minorities. GBV is rooted
in structural inequalities between
men and women and is
characterized by the use and
abuse of physical, emotional, or
financial power and control.
(Source: United States Agency International
Development, “Strategy to Prevent and Respond to
Gender-Based Violence Globally. 2015)

37. (Source: Wikipedia)

38. Source:http://www.who.int/reproducti
ve health violence

39.  Laws under the Indian Penal Code (IPC)
 Dowry Prohibition Act: any property or valuable (direct or
indirect) given before, at or after the marriage
 Section 304B: Death of a woman within 7 years of her
marriage
 Section 498A: When husband or his family subjects
woman to cruelty (“intentional” behaviour that causes
serious injury or harassment for dowry)
 Section 376: Rape law
 Section 294: Obscene acts and songs
 Section 354: Intent to outrage a woman’s modesty

40.  Raises awareness among women about their rights and laws.
 Recruit men in the fight against gender discrimination. Gender
discrimination happens because people think that men are
better than women. It seems obvious that women would want
to change the system, but men are less likely want to give up
their position of power. When man take part in resisting gender
discrimination- by treating women with respect.
 Implement policies that prohibit discrimination in the family,
society, workplace and school zones.
 Provide women with access to legal representation and
opportunities to pursue justices against violence and
discrimination through the formal legal system.

41. 1. Start with your kids because children learn very fast. Let your
sons take care of house chores. Do not reserve chores exclusively
for your daughters. Having your sons perform house duties will
not only make them aware that housework applies to everyone.
2. Do not make excuse Sons and daughters should be held
accountable for their action in the same way. Is it okay for your
son to damage every piece of furniture in the house simply
because he is a boy? Is it okay for your daughter to clog the
bathroom sink with hair (and not clean up) daily just because she
is a girl?
3. Do not tolerate violence either way Do not hit her because she is
a girl. Many parents mean well by saying that to their toddler sons
but it can create another problem. By using the “because she is a
girl "reason, parents can cause their sons to only see a girl’s
gender instead of seeing her as a person first. In addition to that,
those same parents should not tolerate their daughters hitting their
sons. This would not be fair and could cause their sons to resent
women as they grow up.

42.  United States Agency International Development, “Strategy to Prevent and Respond to
Gender-Based Violence Globally”. Available at: http://www.usaid.gov/documents/2155/gbv-
strategy-fact-sheet.
 Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections May 2006, National Commission on
Population/MOHFW/GOI.
 Census of India 2001, Report of the technical group on population projection constituted by
the national commission on population May 2006
 International union for health promitionn and education, Punjab chapter, Ludhiana.
 Social action forum for Manav Adhikar New Delhi.
 Kamaldeen, S.A.,Buhari, M.S. and Parakoyi, D.B (2012). Perception, attitude and practies of
parents in okene, Nigeria towards girl child education. International journal of scientific and
Research publication. 2 (8):1-7
 Ramachandran, N.(2011). Are women equally unequal in india? Looking across geographic
space. Gender, Technology and Development. 15 (3):363-387.
 United States Agency International Development, “Strategy to Prevent and Respond to
Gender-Based Violence Globally. 2015)
 Social action forum for Manav Adhikar New Delhi. Source:http://www.who.int/reproductive
health violence:
 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, 2013)

43. Any Questions