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Unit 10: Women's Empowerment

men in social, political and economic fields. It grew in the west as a sequel to the industrial, Notes
revolution and the tradition in western democracies of denying voting rights to women. In it’s
extremist form feminism promoted a militant women’s liberation movement in the second half of
the twentieth century based on the premise that all of society is organised along sex lines to ensure
male dominance. Some of the liberationist’s acts, such as ‘bra-burning’ and use of such phrases as
‘male chauvinist pig’ were manifestations of rebellious spirit but these also proved counter-
productive. But this women’s liberation movement in the west also inspired the oppressed and
dispossessed women of the third world countries. Some of the leaders of the western feminist
movement such as Gloria Steinheim and Germaine Greer became household names among the
educated women of Asia, Africa and South American countries.
Most feminist thinking and research draw upon one or more of three related but distinct perspectives :
(i) Liberal, (ii) Socialist or Marxist and (iii) Radical. Within this field there are a great diversity of
feminist movements and positions. In the third world, feminist movements have also taken a
variety of forms, though a similar division into marxist or socialist feminist ideologies and bourgeois
feminism can be made. Marxist or socialist ideologies focus on feminism as a part of overall
political programmes opposing the capitalist system; bourgeois feminism concentrates more deeply
on ideologies of male dominance and on the subjective liberation of the middle class women.
Indian Scenario
Feminist movement in India is not of recent origin. It also did not originate on the streets of Delhi
and Mumbai. It’s beginning may be seen in thousands of places and through hundreds of forms.
Yet, this is also true that an organized ‘feminist movement may be traced back to he freedom
struggle and the period immediately after we secured freedom.
The social reform movements of the 19th century calling for widow remarriage, ban on sati and
child marriage and promotion of women’s education may be taken as the first wave of feminist
movement. The active participation of women in the freedom movement and the emergence of
several national level women’s organizations such as All India Women’s Conference, National
Federation of Indian Women and Women’s India Association may be seen as the next wave of
feminist movement. They raised the issues of women’s education, right the movement began after
1947. As Dipti Priya Mehrotra (2001) rightly points out, women’s movement between 1947-1970
was characterized by lethargy as compared to the period before and after it. Perhaps, most of the
women activists thought that with India getting independence their problems would be solved.
Organizations such as All India Women’s Conference thought that they had nothing to do with
political issues and hence turned their attention to social welfare. During this period most of the
women’s organizations worked in the field of social service and welfare.
The period immediately after independence witnessed two leftist movements - Taibhaga Movement
in Bengal and Telengana Movement in Andhra Pradesh. Led by the Communist Party the poor
peasants fought against the landlords and capitalist forces. The women took active part in these
movements alongwith men. The Telangana Movement threw up, for the first time, radical and
militant women’s leadership. They also organized Andhra Mahila Sabha, Andhra Yuvati Mandal
and Mahila Sangam. They fought against not only military power but also against gender inequality,
domestic violence, child marriage, polygamy and restriction on their movement outside the
fourwalls of household.
After the promulgation of Indian Constitution and enactment of various laws for women, the
feminist movement went from strength to strength. The Hindu Marriage Act, the Hindu Succession
Act and other legislative measures prepared ground for further struggle. A number of schemes
and programmes were formulated for women. The decade of 1960s witnessed a number of economic
and political crises. The Naxalite Movement emerged with full force especially in Bihar and
Bengal. Though the Naxalite Movement, led by Marxists and Leninists, was primarily a peasant

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