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 Population: 1,065,070,607 (Growth rate of 1.44%)-second

largest population in the worldlargest population 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 Differences across

statesstates(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 MaleMale

Agricultural 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 There is no direct relationship between

education and work force participation; but may education and work force participation; but may affect their participation in household decision affect their participation in household decision makingmaking

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

IntrospectionIntrospection

Faces 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…. ….