The document discusses women's rights and empowerment in India. It notes that the Indian constitution guarantees equality for women and prohibits discrimination. It provides an overview of several laws aimed at protecting and advancing women's rights, such as equal pay. However, it also presents some shocking facts about the status of women in India, such as high mortality rates for girls and widespread sexual violence. Several prominent Indian women who have contributed to empowerment efforts are also highlighted. The document concludes by discussing some harmful traditional practices such as sati, jauhar, purdah and the devadasi system that have negatively impacted women's rights and dignity.

1. By
Dr. Ajay Kumar
Asst Professor

2. Women in India now participate in all activities such
as education, sports, 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 (Article 14),
-no discrimination by the State (Article 15(1)),
-equality of opportunity (Article 16),
-equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)).
In addition, it allows special provisions to be made by the State in
favor of women and children (Article 15(3)), renounces practices
derogatory to the dignity of women (Article 51(A) (e)), and also
allows for provisions to be made by the State for securing just and
humane conditions of work and for maternity relief. (Article 42).

3. Directive Principles of State Policy:
Article 39 (a) provides that the State to direct its policy
towards securing for men and women equally the right to
an adequate means of livelihood.
Article 39 (d) mandates equal pay for equal work for both
men and women.
Article 42 provides that the State to make provision for
securing just and human conditions of work and for
maternity relief.

4. Fundamental Duties:
Article 51 (A) (e) expects from the citizen of the country to promote
harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the
people of India and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of
women.

5. SPECIFIC LAWS FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN INDIA
•The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
•The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
•The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
•The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
•The Medical termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
•The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987.
•The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
•The Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation
and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994.
•The Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention,

6. Legislative efforts
• The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition)
Act, 1886.
• The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
• The Commission of Sati (Prevention)Act,1987.
• National Commission for Women Act,1990
• Protection from Domestic Violence Bill, 2002
• Sexual Harassment of women at the workplace
and other Institutions – Implementation of
Guidelines as perSupreme Court’s order.

7. Women in India
o Total population - 1210.2 million (2011)
{Almost equal to the combined population of U.S.A.,
Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan
put together}
o Women population - 586.5 million (48.5%)
o Sex ratio: 943/1000 men
o Child Sex ratio: 919 /1000
22-07-
2014
7

8. • Women form 48% of India’s
population
• Only 29% of the national
workforce
• Only 26% of women have access
to formal credit

9. Shocking Facts
• According to 2013, UNDP report on
Human Development Indicators, all South
Asian Countries, except Afghanistan, were
ranked better for women than India
• It predicts: an Indian girl child aged 1-5
yrs is 75% more likely to die than the boy
child
• A woman is raped once in every 20min and
10% of all crimes are reported to be of

10. •In 2019, women occupied only
six out of 33 ministerial positions
in the Union council of cabinet
ministers. There were only two
women judges out of 26 judges in
the Supreme Court, and there
were only 54 women judges out of
634 judges in various high courts.

11. • About 66% of the female
population in rural area is
unutilized. This is mainly due to
existing social customs.
• In agriculture & animal care the
women contribute 90% of the
total work force. Women
constitute almost half of the
population, perform nearly 2/3
rd of its work hours, receive
1/10 th of the world’s income &
own less than 1/100 th of the
world property.
• Among the world’s 900 million
illiterate people, women out
number men two to one. 70% of
people living in poverty are

12. Educational status of women
Literacy rate
Resource & Development
22-07-
Department of edu2
c0
a1
t4
ion,Ministry of Human
12
Census data 2001,2011, RGI, GOI

13. Mother Teresa

14. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi

15. Kiran Bedi

17. Dr. Kiran
Mazumdar

18. Kalpana
Chawla

19. Pt. Usha

22. Sati:
Sati is an old, largely defunct custom, among some
communities in which the widow was immolated alive on
her husband's funeral pyre. Although the act was supposed
to be a voluntary on the widow's part, it is believed to have
been sometimes forced on the widow. It was abolished by
the British in 1829. There have been around forty reported
cases of sati since independence. In 1987, the RoopKanwar
case of Rajasthan led to The Commission of Sati (Prevention)
Act.

23. ar : Jauhar refers to the practice of the voluntary
olation of all the wives and daughters
efeated warriors, in order to avoid capture and
equent molestation by the enemy. The
tice was followed by the wives of defeated Rajput
rs, who are known to place a high
mium on honour.

24. Purdha System

25. Purdah : Purdah is the practice among some
communities of requiring women to cover their
bodies so as to cover their skin and conceal
their form. It imposes restrictions on the
mobility of women, it curtails their right to
interact freely and it is a symbol of the
subordination of women. It does not reflect the
religious teachings of either Hinduism or Islam,
contrary to common belief, although
misconception has occurred due to the
ignorance and prejudices of religious leaders of
both faiths.

26. Devadasi System

27. Devadasis: Devadasi is
a religious practice in
some parts of southern
India, in which women
are "married" to a deity
or temple. The ritual
was well established by
the 10th century A.D. In
the later period, the
illegitimate sexual
exploitation of the
devadasi's became a
norm in some parts of
India.