Faces of Indian Faces of Indian WomenWomen
““One of the most enduring cliches about India is One of the most enduring cliches about India is that it is the country of contradictions. Like all that it is the country of contradictions. Like all cliches, this one too has a grain of truth in it. At cliches, this one too has a grain of truth in it. At the heart of the contradiction stand Indian the heart of the contradiction stand Indian women: for it is true to say that they are among women: for it is true to say that they are among the most oppressed in the world, and it is equally the most oppressed in the world, and it is equally true to say that they are among the most true to say that they are among the most liberated, the most articulate and perhaps even liberated, the most articulate and perhaps even the most free. Can these two realities be the most free. Can these two realities be simultaneously true?”simultaneously true?”
Urvashi ButaliaUrvashi Butalia
Outline of the Outline of the presentationpresentation
Background: Facts about IndiaBackground: Facts about India Place of Women in Indian SocietyPlace of Women in Indian Society Indian Women in Modern TimesIndian Women in Modern Times
EducationEducation EmploymentEmployment EmpowermentEmpowerment
Trivia: Famous Faces Indian Women Trivia: Famous Faces Indian Women IntrospectionIntrospection
Facts about IndiaFacts about India Largest democracy in the worldLargest democracy in the world Land boundaries with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China, Land boundaries with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China,
Nepal and PakistanNepal and Pakistan Area: 3,287,590 sq.km (slightly more than one-third the size of Area: 3,287,590 sq.km (slightly more than one-third the size of
US)US) Coastline: 7,000 k.m.Coastline: 7,000 k.m. Population: 1,065,070,607 (Growth rate of 1.44%)-second largest Population: 1,065,070,607 (Growth rate of 1.44%)-second largest
population in the worldpopulation in the world Sex ratio: 1.07 male (s)/femaleSex ratio: 1.07 male (s)/female Life expectancy at birth: 63.25 years (male) and 64.77 years Life expectancy at birth: 63.25 years (male) and 64.77 years
(female) (female) Ethnic groups: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and Ethnic groups: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and
other 3%other 3% Religions: Hindu (81.3%), Muslim (12%), Christian (2.3%), Religions: Hindu (81.3%), Muslim (12%), Christian (2.3%),
Sikh(1.9%), Others (2.5%)Sikh(1.9%), Others (2.5%) Languages: 18 major languages; 216 languages in total and Languages: 18 major languages; 216 languages in total and
several thousands dialectsseveral thousands dialects Literacy: 59.5% (total population); 70.2% (male); and 48.3% Literacy: 59.5% (total population); 70.2% (male); and 48.3%
(female)(female)
Place of women in Indian Place of women in Indian society:society:
A (cultural) historical A (cultural) historical perspectiveperspective
The Goddess (The Goddess (DeviDevi)) The motherThe mother The sisterThe sister The wifeThe wife The The tawaiftawaif
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
EducationEducation LiteracyLiteracy
Gender gaps:Gender gaps: Differences across statesDifferences across states
(Kerala has highest (Kerala has highest female literacy; female literacy; Rajasthan, Bihar and Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have the Uttar Pradesh have the lowest)lowest)
Differences between Differences between rural and urban areasrural and urban areas
Parental preference for Parental preference for boys going to schoolboys going to school
Higher dropout rate Higher dropout rate among girlsamong girls
FemaFemalele
MaleMale
19711971 22%22% 46%46%19911991 39%39% 64%64%20032003 48%48% 70%70%
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
EducationEducation Gender gaps in higher educationGender gaps in higher education
About 1 percent of total women population About 1 percent of total women population has college educationhas college education
Women account for a third of the students Women account for a third of the students at college/university levelat college/university level
In engineering and business, the proportion In engineering and business, the proportion of female students is much smallerof female students is much smaller
In education, nearly half of the students are In education, nearly half of the students are womenwomen
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
Barriers to Female EducationBarriers to Female Education Poverty: one-fourth of India’s population Poverty: one-fourth of India’s population
lives below the poverty line (2002)lives below the poverty line (2002) Social values and parental preferencesSocial values and parental preferences Inadequate school facilitiesInadequate school facilities Shortage of female teachers: 29 percent Shortage of female teachers: 29 percent
at the primary level and 22 percent at at the primary level and 22 percent at the university level (1993)the university level (1993)
Gender bias in curriculum Gender bias in curriculum
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
EmploymentEmployment Difficult to get an overall picture of Difficult to get an overall picture of
employment among women in Indiaemployment among women in India Most women work in the informal sectorMost women work in the informal sector
Women accounted for only 23 percent of the Women accounted for only 23 percent of the total workers in the formal sector in 1991total workers in the formal sector in 1991
The number of female workers has increased The number of female workers has increased faster than the number of male workersfaster than the number of male workers
Female unemployment rates are similar to Female unemployment rates are similar to male unemployment ratesmale unemployment rates
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
Categories of employment Categories of employment (1991)(1991)
FemaleFemale MaleMaleAgricultural laborerAgricultural laborer 46.3%46.3% 23.0%23.0%CultivatorCultivator 34.6%34.6% 39.9%39.9%Household industryHousehold industry 3.5%3.5% 2.1%2.1%Non-household Non-household industry industry
3.8%3.8% 8.8%8.8%
ServicesServices 8.3%8.3% 10.8%10.8%Other categoriesOther categories 3.5%3.5% 15.5%15.5%
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
Barriers to Female EmploymentBarriers to Female Employment
Cultural RestrictionsCultural Restrictions Hierarchical society (caste system)Hierarchical society (caste system) PurdahPurdah system: the veiling and seclusion of women system: the veiling and seclusion of women
Discrimination at WorkplaceDiscrimination at Workplace More prevalent in fields where male competition is More prevalent in fields where male competition is
highhigh Less prevalent in fields where competition is low Less prevalent in fields where competition is low
Lack of employment opportunities Lack of employment opportunities
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
EmpowermentEmpowerment Social EmpowermentSocial Empowerment
Education Education There is no direct relationship between education There is no direct relationship between education
and work force participation; but may affect their and work force participation; but may affect their participation in household decision makingparticipation in household decision making
Economic Independence: Economic Independence: Economic independence does not imply Economic independence does not imply
significant improvement in social standing significant improvement in social standing Culture and tradition play an important roleCulture and tradition play an important role A small fraction has opened up towards Western A small fraction has opened up towards Western
values values
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
Economic EmpowermentEconomic Empowerment
Property RightsProperty Rights Patriarchal society Patriarchal society
Economic Decision MakingEconomic Decision Making In the householdIn the household In businessesIn businesses
Indian Women in Modern Indian Women in Modern TimesTimes
Political EmpowermentPolitical Empowerment
Representation in democratic Representation in democratic institutionsinstitutions
Government reservations policy for Government reservations policy for women: the constitutional amendment women: the constitutional amendment of 1990sof 1990s
TRIVIATRIVIA
Recognize Famous FacesRecognize Famous Faces
Famous FacesFamous Faces Indira GandhiIndira Gandhi Mother TeresaMother Teresa Mira NairMira Nair Kalpana ChawlaKalpana Chawla Gurinder ChadhaGurinder Chadha Arundhati RoyArundhati Roy Jhumpa LahiriJhumpa Lahiri Aishwarya RaiAishwarya Rai Sushmita SenSushmita Sen
IntrospectionIntrospectionFaces of an Indian womanFaces of an Indian woman
WifeWife MotherMother SisterSister Bread earnerBread earner Compassionate member of the societyCompassionate member of the society
““The origin of a child is a mother, a The origin of a child is a mother, a woman. ….she shows a man what woman. ….she shows a man what sharing, caring, and loving is all sharing, caring, and loving is all about. That is the essence of a about. That is the essence of a woman." woman."
Sushmita Sen, Miss Sushmita Sen, Miss Universe 1994Universe 1994
……but that is just a beginningbut that is just a beginning…. ….