8 Socio – Cultural Status of Women

(Smt.) V. Vimala

WOMEN 1. INTRODUCTION

The modern women are inclined towards the social issues, and trying hard to improve the social status of women at large. Increased awareness and education has inspired women to come out of the four walls of the home. Many women actively supported and participated in the nationalist movement and secured eminent positions and offices in administration and public life in free India. Traditionally Indian women exist because of the family and for the family. Just like their man counterpart, women are also fond of attending social functions and value her social life quite a lot. Previously, men-folk used to discourage women from leaving their households for attending social functions. Now the spread of education, especially that of women, and with that the changing social attitudes of educated women have changed the order.

2. WOMEN: HISTORICAL PERCEPTION

In Vedic times, woman was given a high status in the Indian society and she was honoured, and compared to God. And women were called as Ardhangini. At the time of marriage, all women have to procure solemn vows prior to the ritual functions. In ancient period no religious activities will be performed without her participation because it wouldn’t bear fruit without her involvement in any ritual ceremony. Women were honoured for various positions she held such as mother, daughter, wife, goddess and so on in India. The epitome of women’s bravery, love and friendliness, sacrifice and suffering were quite common role she played in ancient time, but , at the same point of time most of the women has lost their privileged position due to several influencing factors like social, economic, legal issues, technological factors and political factors. In ancient period, many evil customs followed such as sati system, purdah culture, early or child marriage, enforced widowhood, harassment of dowry system, creep in the society which was led to gradually decrease the women’s status both in inside and outside house. In last few decades there was an increase in sexual harassment at work-place in various organizations, institution, firms, increase in eve teasing among the college students, abduction among many women and increase in female feticides has led to partiality of the nasty behavioural patterns existing in the civilization at that time. Mainstream of women survive a life due to the dependence that does not acquire any self-dignity. The great effort has been taken for the equal opportunity or equality, integrity, honesty and uniformity between women and men which continues with additional literature on the subject on empowerment of women in the nation.

The concept of Mathru Devo Bhavaa (Mother of Goddess) is a very ancient culture practiced by all the Indians. At that time, women have been considered as divine position as a goddesses like Durga Parameshwari, Parvathidevi, Kaliyamma, Shaktidevi,Vaishnovodevi, Bhairavi and so on. On the other hand, women who are treated as a ‘goddesses’ are brutally killed in the mother’s womb, many a time they also burnt the women alive for the reason of dowry, harassed in their workplaces and streets, child abuse, girls are raped viciously, abduction has been increased, demoralized and discriminated in the society. Indians worship and greet the country as ‘Janani’ or ‘Jagan Mathaa’ or as a mother. On other side, they show their devotion towards their mother or goddesses and on the grey part, they disregard their sisters, mothers and wives.

3. THE STATUS OF WOMEN

About half of the population in the country is structured by women, but their position has been notice as a pathetic in many of the situation in India. In last few centuries back, it was observed as they were intentionally deprived of many opportunities of growth in terms of religious customs and socio-cultural practices. During pre-independence period the women were victim to many horrible traditions, due to which their position in the society was frightening. Most of the women’s victims of much pervasive illiteracy, isolated in dark and dirty rooms with the system called purdah and also forced to child marriages, widowhood at even young age, many women turned to Devadasi system or prostitutes. Above and beyond, the women were economically dependent on their husbands, father, or any elder persons, they were remain unpaid and unrecognized for their work at home and work-place, lack of career opportunities, underprivileged work environment and remuneration, and tedious jobs which men usually refused to do, put them in the pathetic state of affairs.

4. EXPLOITATION OF WOMEN

In India, women have been sufferer a lot of degradation, sufferings from torture and abuse her. In many cases, such as gang rapes, brutal murder, dowry harassment, live burning of women or girls, beating their wife, and intolerance in the socio-economic aspects and teaching fields. India is a male-chauvinism society where men are strongly dominated and hence women are a victim by the male domination in many times; particularly in their economic state of affairs. For example, in many decision making process, utilization women’s earnings on her physical body men take his right 100 per cent without her consent in the ancient period. Hence a women’s life lies between pleasures, joy, happiness on one end and but on the other side her life was under high risk and danger. In everyday the role of women are defined by sex only some time she was victims of kidnapping and rape. But man has not matured has an adequate amount to overcome the self-made mental slavery to the laws of the harsh world.

5. OBJECTIVES OF SOCIO – CULTURAL STATUS OF WOMEN

To understand the different socio –cultural status of Women
To know the role of women in economic development
To study the historical perception of women status
To find out the impact of socio – cultural factors on rural and urban Women
To help the status of women to improve their standard life style
To empower the status of women with the help of socio – cultural dimension

6. STATUS OF WOMEN IN INDIA

Women’s status is a complex issue and a hard-to-define subject. Around the world, women’s status in each society and culture varies in different ways. In some societies, women’s status improved gradually, while in other, it declined or remained unchanged. In the past few millennia, the status of women in India has been remarkably changed a lot, in connection to this it notice large decline in the women life style. Since ancient to the medieval period the promotional activities of the women to get her equal rights in many reformers, struggled a lot. In modern India, women’s role is very high in all the areas and she played many roles in administrative post such as , Speaker of parliament in India, member or speaker of Lok Sabha, President, Prime Minister(PM), chief minister, Opposition Leader, Union Ministers and Governors. Under the Constitution of India, the role of women’s rights is highly secured such as in case of equality, self-esteem, and freedom from intolerance. In earlier Vedic period most of the women has been enjoyed equal status with men in all aspect of their livelihood. In earlier rigvedic period, there was a practice such as swayamvar or live-in relationship called Gandharva marriage, where the women can feel free to select their own husband. In Upanishads and rigveda, it is very specifically mention that several women sages and seers, remarkably Ghirhini ot Gargi and Maitreyi.

7. Status of Women in Modern India

Status of Indian Women began to change radically during the modern period.
Historically the period after 1750 A.D is known as the modern period.

7.1. The status of Indian women during this period can be divided into two stages:

7.1.1. Status of women during the British rule in India,

7.1.2. The status of women in post independent India.

7.1.1. Status of Women during the British Rule

After the fall of the Mughal Empire at the decisive Battle of Plassey (1775 A.D) the British people established their complete supremacy over the Indian people. During the British rule, a number of changes were made in the economic and social structures of our society.

Though the quality of the life of women during this period remained more of less the same, some substantial progress was achieved in eliminating inequalities between men and women in education, employment, social right and so on. Some social evils such child marriage, sati system devadasi system, purdah system prohibition of widow marriage remarriage etc., which were a great hurdle in the path of women’s progress were either controlled or removed by suitable legislations. After the lapse of several centuries for the first time some attempts were made all India basis to tackle the problems that confronted women. Social reformers with patriotic spirit on the one hand and the British Government of the other together took several measures to improve the status of women and to remove some of their disabilities.

7.1.2. The status of women in post independent India

The status of Indian women has radically changed since independence. Both the structural and cultural changes provided equality of opportunities to women in education, employment and political participation. With the help of these changes, exploitation of women, to a great extent was reduced. More freedom and better orientation were provided to the women’s organization to pursue their interest. The centuries of slavery were over. Today women want equality, education and recognition. The advancement of women is the most significant fact of modern India. Gandhiji once said Women is the noblest of God’s creation, supreme in her own sphere of activity.

8. SOCIO – CULTURAL FACTORS

Socio – cultural factors are customs, lifestyles and values that characterize a society. Some examples are religion, attitudes, economic status, class, language, politics and law. These factors can affect quality of life, business and health. For example, those without economic means often have poor health, according to the National Institutes of Health. Socio – cultural factors are the larger scale forces within cultures and societies that affect the thoughts feelings and behaviours of individuals. Socio – cultural norms influence how people engage and interact with their environment. This lesson describes socio – cultural factors that impact economic development.

8.1. Socio – cultural Values and Economic Development

Every society has a set of values, beliefs, traditions, and habits known as their socio – cultural values. These values shape how we approach risk, how we view careers, our perceptions of money, and our ideas of an ideal lifestyle. Because of this, socio – cultural values are one of many interacting factors that can impact economic development within a country. Socio – cultural Values Some socio – cultural values that can impact economic development include:

Materialism/Post-Materialism
Obedience
Collectivism/Individualism
Thrift
Innovation
Risk Propensity
Religion

(a) Economic Development(ED) is when is a society shifts from traditional, agricultural-based living standards, into an industrialized and business-driven society–for example, the Industrial Revolution and the move from farming to factory jobs. In general, economic development is associated with a higher quality of life and an overall increase in the standard of living. Because socio – cultural values influence how we, as people in society, interact with the world; they also influence how we approach the process of economic development.

9. ROLE OF WOMEN IN INDIA

Traditionally, an Indian woman had four fold status-role sequences. These were her role as a daughter, wife, housewife (homemaker), and mother. There is the major role of women in India. She is playing a role of four-fold status-role sequences. These were her role is daughter, wife, housewife (homemaker), and mother. The woman, whose status and role traditionally was well defined and almost fixed in the society, is now experiencing far-reaching changes. The woman in modern times is entering into certain new fields that were unknown to the woman’s sphere of role-sets. They are activating participating in social, economic, and political activities.

The women of the present generation have received higher education than the women of their preceding generation. There have been far-reaching consequences in the economic status of their families.

9.1. Role of women in the society

The contemporary women are prone towards the societal issues and find difficult to progress their social status of women at outsized numbers.

Due to better awareness level, education systems have motivated women to come out of the four ramparts of the home. Conventionally Indian women survive because of their family and for the family alone. Currently woman has started caring for her fitness, academic pursuits, body shape, enriching needs, and wellbeing, social association, spiritual activities entertaining or recreational needs, etc.

9.2. Role of women as a wife

Woman as a wife enjoyed a position supremely almost equally to that of her partner and performed both societal as well as genetic functions. Still today, the Indian girls are brought up on models portraying self-sacrifice, frugality, and sacrifice. The aspiration for common love and friendliness is beginning to materialize in their formation of their association with their husbands. The husband-wife rapports are more equalitarian in personality and companionable.

9.3. Role of women in politics

Teaching to women has benefited a lot to aware of the political problems, but they are progressively becoming active participants in the political life. Few women are carrying out political programs, attending party summits, meetings, conventions, where as other category women are engaged in attaining the influential political stature of their own and have become active in shaping the public outlook for the betterment of women’s state of affairs in society.

9.4. Role of women in socio-economic activities

The woman in current scenario is entering into positive new fields that were unidentified to the woman’s sphere of role-sets. These are the woman’s who participate in various economic, political, and social life. Recently, woman keenly needs to have a greater enter into their career for the reason that of the pressing economic requirements of the family. Most of the middle-class family’s emphasis is given to the maintenance of high standard of living in order to fulfill the economic requirements of their family and to achieve the higher economic status.

9.5.Role of women in marriage

The majority educated women, regard marriage as a matter of parental choice. Today, even most of young girls of the middle and upper classes educated are intending to marriage rather than to careers. The great number girls even plan to enter into their careers for completion, not because they want them.

9.5. Role of women at Universal on his equality

The role of women in the current scenario has changed a lot in terms of equality, service, edification, and supremacy. The reputations of our women are still pleased to acknowledge the inferior status. Even though legally women have counterpart rights with all men in the society, there are not adequate jobs for women and valuable women not effectively protected from maltreatment in the society?

9.6. Less awareness of his legal status

Most of the women in India are not aware about the requirements concerning to the progress on their state of affairs. There are lots of rights for the women provision which are known to be very perfectly right of progression, marriage, or family set up. There are many families who put restrictions on women for their rights and gratification. The rationale is that they are conventional mind set up or dominance of the authority of the gentleman companion, and other senior members of the family. Most of the women are misery from the traditional governance and they not raising voice, very rarely they are raising voice against the customary dominance.

9.7. Rural women in India

In the nationwide progress, women are significantly played equal and imperative role in India on the Gandhiji vision. The Indian constitution, says that women have higher rights for their enjoyment and civil liberties, in case of either urban women or rural women. Usually, the women are living in the urban area and belongs to middle class educated women have the rights for raising the progress of socio-economic status. But the rural women hitherto to enjoy their rights and privileges as enshrined in the constitution.

9.8. Women welfare organization

In many organizations, the women welfare functions took a active place. In such organization both at national level or international level the importance are given to youngster. For examples, All India women’s conference (AWC), National Council of Women (NCW), Women Christian Association(WCA), Women’s section of the rotary International(IWSRI). The local organization for the women welfare are also in large number in many cities such as, Mahila Samiti, Mahila Mandal, and Recreation Clubs, etc.

CONCLUSION

Knowledgeable or highly educated women are presently on the threshold of transition from conventional mind set up to modernity. The women themselves aspire for their status and place in society to rise up higher level. The time-honored status and role sets of women are breaking up and new role-sets based on realization, of independence and fairness are progressively coming up. The contemporary woman has started caring for her health, physical fitness, figure and shapes, cultural, philosophical needs, beliefs, customs and interests, academic pursuits, social intercourse, associations, religious and spiritual activities recreational requirements, etc. The women in the present generation are commonly received higher education than the women of their preceding generation. There have been far reaching consequences in the economic status of their families. The woman, whose status and role traditionally was well defined and almost fixed in the society, is now experiencing far-reaching development and progressive in nature. The woman in modern era is entering into certain innovative areas/fields that were unknown to the many women’s sphere of role-sets. They are actively participating in social, economic, and political actions.

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Web links

http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/8562/7/07_chapter%202.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4534149/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12347368
https://www.jstor.org/stable/41261079?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
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