The Indian womenThe Indian women

A short presentation by Anna & SvenjaA short presentation by Anna & Svenja

ContentContent

• Dress of the Indian womenDress of the Indian women

• Marriage / HistoryMarriage / History

• DowryDowry

• Constitutional RightsConstitutional Rights

• Women´s contribution to the economyWomen´s contribution to the economy

Dress of the Indian Dress of the Indian womenwomen

• wear sariwear sari• Cloth ranging from four to Cloth ranging from four to

nine metres in length that nine metres in length that is draped over the body in is draped over the body in various styles.various styles.

Marriage / HistoryMarriage / History• bevor 19bevor 19thth century: century:

• child marriageschild marriages• no inter-caste marriagesno inter-caste marriages• the girl became part of the husbands familythe girl became part of the husbands family• PolygamyPolygamy

• 1919thth century: century:• MonogamyMonogamy• sound mindsound mind• marriageable age ( bridge 18, bridegroom 21)marriageable age ( bridge 18, bridegroom 21)• no close relation between the two partiesno close relation between the two parties

Marriage / History Marriage / History • abolished Satiabolished Sati

• voidable if:voidable if:• not monogamynot monogamy• not sound mindnot sound mind• not a not a

marriageable agemarriageable age• close relationclose relation• impotenceimpotence

DowryDowry• Beginning: presents for the departing daughterBeginning: presents for the departing daughter• usually resources to begin her new married lifeusually resources to begin her new married life• slowly developed to extraordinary sizeslowly developed to extraordinary size• groom´s family gives a list to bride´s family groom´s family gives a list to bride´s family • bride has to give otherwise no marriagebride has to give otherwise no marriage• today it is forbidden today it is forbidden 6 month prison 6 month prison• reason behind this custom: reason behind this custom:

• poor economical conditionspoor economical conditions

• unawareness of legal rights among womenunawareness of legal rights among women

• general bias against womengeneral bias against women

Dowry -Dowry - somesome images images

ConstitutionalConstitutional rightsrights• guarantees equality of sexesguarantees equality of sexes• Article 14: equal protection of the lawsArticle 14: equal protection of the laws• Article 15: government shall not Article 15: government shall not

discriminate on the ground of sexdiscriminate on the ground of sex• Article 15a: renounce the practices Article 15a: renounce the practices

derogatory to the dignity of womanderogatory to the dignity of woman• Article 42: provision for ensuring just and Article 42: provision for ensuring just and

human working conditions and maternity human working conditions and maternity reliefrelief

Women´s contribution to Women´s contribution to the Economythe Economy

• most women work but it is not most women work but it is not documented in official statisticsdocumented in official statistics

• working on farm (plow fields)working on farm (plow fields)

• household industry (weave)household industry (weave)

• informal sectorinformal sector• about 90% of working womenabout 90% of working women• very low paymentvery low payment• like small trader or artisanlike small trader or artisan

Women´s contribution to Women´s contribution to the economythe economy

• recent years:recent years:• find more and more themselves in positions of find more and more themselves in positions of

respect and prestigerespect and prestige• more and more women work on equal terms more and more women work on equal terms

as menas men

• women also party to governancewomen also party to governance• participate more often in politics participate more often in politics • relatively many elected womenrelatively many elected women

Images of the work of Images of the work of Indian women Indian women

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