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Unit 10: Women's Empowerment

welfare agencies is to be able to respond to women’s problems of injustice quickly, effectively, and Notes
in a manner that treats the causes of injustice and abuse, not just the symptoms. The males have
also to be made to reanze their new roles in the changed times and understand the necessity of
their own contribution to family life and housework.
Economic Remedies
Education and vocational training for women will enable them to seek jobs and become economically
independent. The independence will reduce their stress, bring fundamental changes in their values
and beliefs and make them bold enough to demand and stand-up for their rights.
Women need resources to help them to shape better conditions of life for themselves and their
families. Following Elise Boulding (1977 : 132), ten resources may be suggested for women in our
society : technological aids which will be labour-saving devices and will lighten women’s burden
of heaviest daily tasks, basic community facilities, encouraging girls to join schools and get education
and training, non-formal education, specialists who may train women, opportunities for
paraprofessional training, credit facilities, legal protection of rights, voluntary organizations, and
programmes of placing women in important positions at various levels.
It may be concluded that making women aware of their rights in the rural areas requires a
different type of planning and approach than making women aware of rights in the urban areas.
At the same time, we have to concede that legislative sanctions by themselves cannot raise the
status of women. This effort has to be coupled with other efforts suggested earlier. It is only this
conjunctive approach that can get justice to women in our society.
Constitutional Provisions, Special Laws and Women’s Empowerment

The Indian Constitution has several articles designed to secure gender equality and non-
discrimination. In specific terms, they provide for :
• Equality before law and equal protection of laws (Article 14).
• Non-discrimination, inter alia, on ground of sex-specifically in the matter of gaining free
access to places of public resort; and State having authority to make special provisions for
women (Article 15).
• Equality of opportunity in public employment (Article 16).
• Equal rights for men and women to adequate means of livelihood (Article 39-a).
• State directing its’ public policy towards securing the health and strength of workers, men
and women (Article 39 - e and 0-f).
• Human conditions of work and maternity relief for women (Article 42).
• State endeavouring to establish a Uniform Civil Code (Article 44).
• Fundamental duty of every citizen to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women
[Article 51 - A(e)].
In pursuance of the constitutional provisions, the Government have also enacted specific laws for
the protection of women and for up gradation of their status.
• Special Marriage Act, 1954 : Any girl of 18 years of age or boy of 21 years can take recource
to this law irrespective of caste or religious considerations.
• Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 : Marriage is deemed to be solemnized on the performance of
certain rites, especially Saptapadhi; while first marriage subsists, second marriage is forbidden
: right to judicial separation and divorce is made available on certain grounds like, for
example, unsoundness of mind, conversion to a different religion, incurable or communicable
diseases etc.
• Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 : Giving, abetting or taking dowry is a cognizable, non-bailable

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