Gender violence is a common problem prevailing in almost all the developing countries. Even in India the issue continues unabated creating many hassles and challenges for the social growth. The age old cultural beliefs and tradition have identified various issues of gender-based violence that over the period of time has become a major cause of harassment faced by the women.

The very first issue faced by the women is the marital torture. In the Hindu Law marriage is a religious and sacred knot tied between two bodies, minds, and souls. It is a pure relationship shared between the two then why this high level of purity is subsided by the society. Peep into your family and judge whether your wife, mother, or sister is sharing the same joys and peace of mind as the men of the house? The alleged inability of women to perform all the household duties and responsibilities has triggered the violence. Despite of working with all effort and dedication, they are not able to meet the satisfaction level of their husband and in-laws. Is it that the pressure is more or is it that she is not able to fulfill the said requirements? Time is witness to the heavy job duties and extra responsibilities performed by a woman. In all ways she is physically abused by the tortures of the in-laws, over work at home, taking care of the children, and keeping into mind the needs and demands of every family member. But in return who is taking care of her?

Wife is described as a life-partner but is she actually a partner or has just become a perfect material to serve the man? Since women have taken birth on this earth, she is serving the house without being bothered about her own health and happiness. Some women are even burnt to ashes in lieu of their parent’s failure to fill the pockets of their in-laws. Dowry deaths have become a common and a serious issue these days.

Apart from this, women of the country are also put forward to other social issues like lower education rate, lack of economic independence, and certain values and beliefs operating against them. When the educational rate is lower then definitely their moving out of the four walls is restricted. Lack of education gives them a pathetic lifestyle as they are not aware of the health issues, basic necessities of living, and also unaware of proper nutrition. Lack of education is a major cause of many other social issues that have greatly pressurized womanhood from all aspects of life. There are few women who earn education these days and go out to work but sadly they don’t have a right on their own earning as well. Whatever they earn is also taken away by the husband or the in-laws making them completely dependent.

Researches and reports from the National Crime Records Bureau states that the gender violence in the country is increasing despite of all the measures and initiatives taken by the government and social institutions. According to the report in the year 1999, about 15468 women were raped, 6699 women were killed over dowry, 32311 cases of molestation, 8858 cases of sexual harassment, and 4382 cases of domestic violence. These days even the issue of importation of girls has crippled the society with its damaging and disturbing effects.

In this male dominated society woman is ill-treated since ages and looked upon as a commodity that is used when completely functional and thrown away when fail to function properly. Her independent identity, dignity, self-respect, and pride are all robbed by the society triggering the violence against women. India is growing with leaps and bounds in all aspects and even the economy is progressing but sadly the issue is still prevailing in most areas of the country.

Does anyone have an answer to all these atrocities committed against women? Can anyone give an end to this? Does anyone have the heart to fight for women’s rights and gift them a free, happy, and healthy life? If yes, then move ahead and fight against this ever increasing crime of this country.

Sati if defined psychologically is burning of a widow’s life into ashes. It is an age old custom existing in India according to which every Hindu widow voluntary decides to end her life after the death of her husband. As per the law it is a selfless attitude and unconditional love of wife for her husband. In this way she fulfills all the promises and vows she takes with her partner when taking the seven sacred rounds of marriage. Do such a custom actually existed in the ancient India?

The term ‘Sati’ is basically derived from the name of the Goddess Sati who is popularly known as Dakshayani. She immolated her life as a consequence of her father humiliating her husband Shiva. She could not bear the insult of her husband and protested against her father by burning herself in fire. She had great, love, respect, and devotion for Shiva and so while her life was burning to ashes she prayed dedicatedly to get take birth again as the new wife of Shiva. There is no God who can ignore the voice of heart and words of true love. And that’s why her prayer was answered and she was reborn as Shiva’s new wife in the new personification known as Parvati.

Another belief from the Hindu mythology states that Savitri stood against the Lord of Death, Yama, when He came to take the soul of her husband Satyavan. She was so devoted to her husband that she could not stand the truth and so she begged Yamato restore her husband’s life and in return take her life. Yama was impressed by her strength, courage, and endurance so He gave her a boon anything other than Satyavan. Savitri was such a dedicated and devoted wife that in lieu of her boon she asked to have children from Satyavan and then Yama had no words left. Yama was then forced to restore the life of her husband.

Both the stories are true stories of Sati who are righteously believed to be dedicated and devoted wives. There is no evidence that shows that Sati burnt herself in fire after the death of her husband. Then from where has this sickening evil corrupted in the country? Is it actually a religious factor or the social factor that we ourselves have created and imagines? Though this custom existed in the country since centuries but in the earlier days it was not forced on women.

They had the right to decide whether she wants to end her life with her husband or not as a sign of true love. Over the period of time this customary belief and tradition became a blind belief that transformed completely into a social evil destructing the society. Later on, unaware of the social beliefs and the truth of the custom, widows were forced and even dragged to commit Sati. It’s just a blind belief behind which the society is still running blind, deaf, and dumb. Now answer yourself whether such a custom was ever a part of the Indian Mythology?

Even in the recent years, many cases of Sati have been reported. Several initiatives and policies have been instituted to prohibit the cat but still the practice is on. To ensure complete termination of such a mind boggling issue it is required to spread more awareness amongst the rural people and besides that even the government has to take strict action against the prohibition of this practice.

Home » Dowry System in India | Status of widow | Gender violence | Indian women and nutrition | Eve teasing | Girls education | Sexual harassment | Molestation | Early marriage | Maternal mortality | Female foeticide | Sati | Divorce

Child marriage is a widespread issue prevailing in India. Though certain laws and rules were instituted in order to ban child marriage it did not help in protecting girls from this cause. Today, we all feel proud of the country because of the steady improvements in social, economic, and educational efforts. The country is progressing in all aspects at a very fast pace but still why are certain social evils still put the country to shame?

It is believed that the issue of child marriage came into limelight after the Rukhmabai case held in Maharashtra and the Phulmonee case in Bengal. These two cases had shaken the entire Indian society with its damaging and disturbing aftermaths. The Rukhmabai case was held in the year 1884 when the twenty-two years old woman refused to stay in a marriage that was held at the age of 11. She was married to Dadaji Bhikaji, a poor cousin of her step father, at a very young age and when she got matured she was not willing to stay in marriage with him. With this refusal the character of Dadaji was put to stake and so he filed a case against Rukhmabai. According to the law persisting at that time, the female was given two choices, either to unite with her husband or living a life in imprisonment.

Surprisingly, Rukhmabai preferred courting imprisonment. She raised a voice against this violation and made out of court settlement with Dadaji. On the other end, the Phulmonee case was held in the year 1890. She was a sweet little 11 year old girl who was married to a twenty-nine year old man Hari Maiti. She was forcefully raped by her husband and was left succumbed to injuries in the lap of blood. Both these incidents raised a question against the Indian Government stating that who has given the right to impose pain and sufferings on women of the society using the plea of social rituals and religious traditions.

Later on, a survey was held in the year 2005 involving 22,807 Indian women. According to the survey, it was reported that about 22.6% of girls were married before the age of 16; about 44.5 girls were married at the age of 16; and most shocking is the marriage of girls at the age of 13 that accounts for 2.6% cases. Then the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006stronger intention of the state not simply to restrain but prohibit child marriage Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 was introduced with an aim to not only restrain but also prohibit child marriage.

The prevalence of child marriage is the country is a curse to women of the society. Just think a small girl who is still in her teens getting pregnant? Conceiving and having a pregnancy is not that easy. When a girl is in the growing state, her body also develops gradually strengthening her reproductive cycle, immune system, nervous system, and other biological systems. At an age of 13 or 14, a girl does not have a completely developed and functional reproductive system and at such a stage getting pregnant is a worst and disturbing situation. When she herself is a small child she holds the pressure of giving birth to a child. With this the risks of unwanted pregnancies, female sterilization, infant deaths, complications in child birth, and maternal mortality drastically increases. This also increases the cases of HIV and STDs.

Apart from these consequences, a girl also has to go through various health issues if married at a very early age. According to the law and UNICEF the perfect marriageable age for a female is 18 years. Forcefully getting her married and pushing her to follow all the social and religious rituals attributed to a married life is a sickening crime. It leaves a deepening impact on the physical, psychological, and emotional development of the child. Is this a fair game with the tiny girls of our society? Aren’t we snatching their childhood and innocence from them?

Sexual harassment is the most disturbing, threatening, and violating form of violence against women. In all areas of life women are overthrown and suppressed by men with their power and masculine behavior. In media one such case is reported every week and so many women are put down to knees with embarrassment and depression. Apart from the known reports on media there are many hidden and thrown away cases where the dignity of a woman is squeezed out of the soul and they are left with deep psychological marks.

There are various forms of sexual harassment including the quid pro quo, hostile work environment, and violation of human rights. Quid pro quo is a Latin term that means exchange of goods or services in equal amount or degree. As the term implies, it is a form of harassment that seeks sexual favors in return of work benefits like promotion, less pressurized work, and increase of salary. This is the most explicit kind of behavior in the modern era where many consent the proposal in order to quench their need of money and status. Hostile work environment is a more persistent form wherein physical contact, staring at women, uncivilized remarks, and indecent images make the environment worst and hostile to work in. Violation of human rights directly caters to any kind of acts that defines sexual harassment, rape, and sexual abuse. With all this how can be woman be free and secure in her own country? The security and dignity of women especially at workplace is at stake if all this continues years after.

Does anyone have an idea what kind of impact this kind of abuse leave on a woman’s hart and mind? If no then speak to the victims of sexual harassment. They are the best speakers to narrate their story of insult, threat, terror, and depression. After that one disgusting incident in their life they continuously live in an atmosphere of peril and fear. The feeling of rejection, insecurity, and insult suck out their souls. Till date there are many women in the country who have endured such kind of harassment. Out of these countless, some start living a dead life, some throw away all their dreams and desires, some take up loneliness as their best companion, and some even take up the act of suicide as their last resort.

Does all this happen to prove the power of men? Or it takes place to show women that they are weak and subjugated? Women are no longer weak and one should never make a mistake of considering them a material to be used and throw away. They have complete right to live their life in a free, joyful, and secured environment. Give them that freedom and let India be a safe country for women to reside.

Home » Dowry System in India | Status of widow | Gender violence | Indian women and nutrition | Eve teasing | Girls education | Sexual harassment | Molestation | Early marriage | Maternal mortality | Female foeticide | Sati | Divorce

Malnutrition is defined as a health condition caused by lack of proper nutrition and well-balanced diet. Human body requires a mix blend of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids in an appropriate ratio to ensure proper and smooth functioning of all the human systems. If this requirement is not met, the person suffers from variety of diseases and ill health.

The problem of malnutrition and lack of food intake is more reported with girls and women of the society. Girls belonging to the lower middle class or those below the poverty line suffer the most when it comes to fulfill the demand of adequate nutrition. In the poor families the income is limited that is not even sufficient to fulfill the basic needs of life. Whatever such families have in terms of income and nutrition is given to the male siblings without any consideration to the health of the girls.

It is a known fact that women are more prone to nutritional deficiency because of the kind of reproductive cycle they have and because of the extra amount of household work they perform. The work pattern and the pressure on them demands for more food but sadly their basic need is not met. Adolescent girls grow at a faster rate and they need good amount of proteins, vitamins, and calcium to ensure healthy growth and development. Improper food makes them weak and can become the cause of various diseases like anemia, weak immunity, hypothyroidism, goiter, blindness, and even death.

Pregnant women also needs more of nutrition as they have to bring up themselves in a healthy manner along with providing good nutrition to a new life developing in their womb. In such cases low food intake and lack of nutrition rebounds on the society by causing major health issues to the offspring be it a girl or a boy. Low birth weight is a common problem noticed with mothers having improper diet. This further leads to cognitive impairment, developmental problems, and can even be a cause of infant deaths.

Malnourished women also put an impact on the national economy as lack of nutrition greatly reduces the ability of women to work, and strength of women to endure sufferings. In all ways it is greatly affecting the productivity of women. It affects both physical and emotional health of women that eventually leads to economic losses both for the family and the country.

The unfortunate part is that despite of the continuous progress and growth of the country’s economy, women are still living a life full of misery and pain. Researches and reports have dictated that in the recent years the per capita food consumption rates in the country have drastically increased but even then women are not able to get sufficient nutrition.

With malnutrition amongst women, the society is facing a tough time. There should be initiatives and actions taken against the issue to ensure that even women can enjoy the right to adequate nutrition and live a healthy life. Think from the other end of the spectrum that if women of the society will get good food to eat and stay healthy then eventually they’ll be able to serve more, love more, and live more.

Female feticide is truly a curse on the Indian society. There is known belief and saying that child is a gift of God but does everyone take it as a gift? Yes, people do consider it as a gift but only if that happens to be a boy. The joy of parenthood, the emotion attached to the gift, and the blessing parents feel are all lost and vanished when the child happens to be girl. If child is a gift or a blessing then why girls are not considered the same? Why there is injustice done to them?

It is believed that in countries like India there are millions of girls who are killed as soon as they are born. Furthermore, the most disturbing situation is that many girls are murdered even before they take their first breath. Though sex detection is prohibited in India, there are illegal health care facilities that still offer services related to sex detection. Sadly, if the ultrasound reports narrate the story of a sweet little tiny fairy, she is killed in the womb without any consideration and thought.

The private fetal sex determination facility was known to establish first in Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi where such cases have much higher rate than any other state in the country. It’s even more alarming to know that the rate of abortion or female feticide is more in urban areas than in rural areas and villages. This means even educated and civilized people are significantly contributing to the issue. If such people don’t give an end to the issue then it’s really difficult and challenging to spread awareness amongst those who are illiterate.

There are many preventive measures and actions that can be taken against the prevailing issue. The first and foremost thing is to ensure strict implication of existing legislation. Apart from this more of public awareness is required with a purely scientific and humanist approach. Every individual and NGO can also make their contributions to educate the public on this matter and strengthen the status of women in the society.

What is the fault of that tiny girl who is stopped from venturing the world? What harm has her innocence done to anyone? Then why they are killed brutally? Don’t you feel with this issue being persistent in the country, there is a big hypocrisy prevailing in the country? Definitely yes! At one end of the spectrum our society worships Goddess Durga, Kali, and Lakshmi whereas at the other end society is putting an end to the entry of women in the society. There is no hesitation while performing this brutal act and after the act there is no guilt. Don’t you think if this continues the world will come to end? How can the so called powerful and strong men forget the biological fact that if the life of females come to an end, how will men take birth in this world?

There are so many questions being raised against the atrocities committed against women in the society. None of us are able to resolve the issue and build a better nation full of purity and sincerity. Since childhood, women are suffering from various violations and atrocities including dowry deaths, lack of nutrition, lack of education, maternal mortality, and above all female feticide has surpassed all the other suffering. With these the life of a female in the Indian society has become painful and pitiful.

Erosion of gender bias definitely needs an urgent call!

Home » Dowry System in India | Status of widow | Gender violence | Indian women and nutrition | Eve teasing | Girls education | Sexual harassment | Molestation | Early marriage | Maternal mortality | Female foeticide | Sati | Divorce

Women of today are walking shoulder to shoulder with men in all aspects of life. In the age old historic times, women were restricted within the four walls of the house but now they are moving out to explore various opportunities and be self-dependent. Inspite of this kind of modernization and the increasing role of women in various fields of life, the practice of dowry is still prevailing in the country.

Dowry is a curse for the Indian society as utter disrespect for women is clearly showcased in this issue. This is a pitiful situation for our motherland where women of the country and tortured and burnt alive for meeting the requirements of dowry. The tradition of giving money to the groom’s family in marriage was attributed to the feeling of love and affection infused within the heart of the bride’s parents. Parents of the bride used to give money, jewellery, and various other sources of comfort to ensure that their daughter live a happy and joyful life after marriage. Sadly, this love and affection got transformed to a selfish motive. The tradition became a burden on bride’s parents but a source of joy and contentment for the groom or their parents.

The problem is more disturbing and challenging in the rural areas and villages. Infact today dowry has become a major element of settling a marriage or even the only condition of letting the marriage go on. Isn’t this a shame for our country? The agility, self-respect, humbleness, and innocence of a woman are measured by the component of dowry. It is believed that woman is the best gift God gifted us but even then she is ill-treated just to fill someone’s pocket. When a marriage is fixed no one is concern as to how smart, intelligent, and homely the girl is but all that matters is how much cash and luxuries will she get home. Is this the cause God created women? If not then why are women ill-treated and why is there innocence being buried under deep stacks of cash notes?

The Government of India has also taken good initiatives to combat the issue from deep within the root. With the key motive to prohibit the heavy demand in dowry, government introduced the Dowry Prohibition Act on 1st July 1961. Later on, many amendments were added to the Act in order to keep a strict eye on this kind of cruelty. According to the Act anyone taking or giving dowry can be sentenced to imprisonment for 5 years and a fine of Rs 15,000 or the value of dowry if that is more. When a strict rule is prevailing in the country then why women are still facing the problem? It’s really shocking to record the statistics of dowry in the country that shows a steady rise. Rather than subsiding, it is continuously increasing with more and more women getting burnt to ashes. Researches have dictated that about 9, 5000 women in India are stabbed to death over the dowry issue.

The statistics are more in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh but sadly the largest IT sector of the country Bangalore has also recorded an alarming rise.

The evil has spread its tentacles across the country. Women are trying hard to save their lives with the support of legal amendments, media support, serious activism, and heightened awareness. Despite of all these protest why India is still holding the stigma of dowry? Why not women can be completely relieved from this pain and burden?
The practice continues unabated on a very large scale. It’s high time for us all to wake up and give a serious call to this alarming issue of dowry system in India.

Home » Dowry System in India | Status of widow | Gender violence | Indian women and nutrition | Eve teasing | Girls education | Sexual harassment | Molestation | Early marriage | Maternal mortality | Female foeticide | Sati | Divorce

Eve teasing is an extensive social evil in India that has taken away the right of women to live a dignified life. The issue has become persistent making women the victims irrespective of their age, caste, creed, and facial features. Be it anywhere at a beach, restaurant, on the roadside, or at any educational institutions, eve-teasing is noticed everywhere.

Men today are least bothered about the respect and dignity that women hold. The worst aspect is that even educated men and youth don’t think about desisting themselves from this uncouth behavior and attitude. No one thinks that the kind of harassment is directly hampering the social, emotional, as well as moral sentiments of a woman that may even lead to suicide. Is it so difficult to respect a woman? A woman who is being harassed at public places is definitely someone’s sister, someone’s daughter, or even someone’s mother. If you are the brother or father of a girl then think twice before performing this uncivilized act. And if you don’t have a sister or daughter, think about the great lady who gave birth to you. At a place where you harass any woman, your own daughter or sister or mother can be the victim at the same place at some point of time. Isn’t it your duty to think about their safety in the society?

Apart from this there is something that is really difficult to understand. What one gets by doing eve-teasing? Do anyone feel good with that or earn some worldly pleasure? No there is no greater joy one receives but it’s only a shame. When the same is done with tourists coming from across the world then the entire nation is put to shame. According to our Hindu Laws guests are highly respected but do any of the eve-teasing activities show respect or concern? All this has created a really bad image of the country amongst tourists.

Glorification in movies is one of the major causes of eve-teasing in the country. Acts like hooting, ogling, loud commenting, and whistling have become the most common ways of eve-teasing. It is just a crude and cruel way of acquiring female attention and it’s not something to feel proud of. Many girls are silently killed because of this issue. Who is then held responsible for this? According to the law it is a victimless crime but what if this crime takes the life of a women? Though no right of woman is snatched but definitely the right to feel free and safe in their own motherland is robbed from them.

Not only girls of the society but even parents feel unsafe and insecure sending their daughters out to colleges and for higher studies. This unwelcome masculine behavior has caused many parents to forcefully give an end to their daughter’s education. Many parents because of the fear of eve-teasing don’t allow their girls to go for parties, outings, and other such outdoor activities. They are forcefully asked to stay within the four walls and enjoy life in a restricted area of the house.

Researches have indicated that the need of sex, fun, and love are not the only factors affecting the increasing rate of eve-teasing. It’s just that men have their own beliefs and through generations a mindset is created that they are stronger and more powerful than women both physically and emotionally. But that’s just a myth; the truth is that women are physically and emotionally stronger than men.
Whatever the cause the reason be, there should definitely be an end to this social issue. The simple answer to this solution is education. It’s very important to educate people on this issue and create awareness amongst people so that women of our society can live a hassle-free and joyful life without having any kind of psychological mark on their hearts and minds.