The status of women in India has been subject to many changes over the span of recorded Indian history. Their position in history deteriorated early in India’s ancient period, especially in the Indo-Aryan speaking region and their subordination continued to be refined well with India’s early modern period.

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Even though, women nowadays are aware of their basic rights like right to vote, right to freedom etc but most women of India are unaware of their rights because of illiteracy and the oppressive traditions. Some of the challenges faced by India women are:

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=> Gender discrimination: Women face discrimination right from the birth in the form of female foeticide and infanticide.

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=>Major socio-cultural challenges such as patriarchy and gender inequality in society is the main cause of women’s deprivation by way of health, food and nutrition, more susceptible to mortality and contributing to unbalanced male female ratio as well as in the sphere of education, employment, wages and that of political representation. Subsequently this has led to increasing violence and denial of human rights, liberty, equality and justice.

=> The patriarchal family system that prevails in India gives more rights and authorities to the male enabling them to enjoy more power over the female in the family. So women are suppressed, oppressed, harassed, subjugated and deprived of even their basic rights till date.

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=>Illiteracy and traditional beliefs and practices of family have prevented a great majority of women from access to health care and knowledge about their rights and privileges resulting in high rate of maternal mortality and morbidity. The high mortality rates among women as revealed by maternal death due to various diseases indicate that women health in general and reproductive health in particular are neglected in our society.

=> Rising crime and violence against women is only due to social stigma that women are weaker section of society. Due to financial constraints and acute poverty, young girls are often married at a very early stage.

=> Political challenges such as less political participation and Pati panchayats affects the role of women in decision-making process in society. Even after the reservation in Panchayats, women leaders are often used as a rubber stamp by their male family members thereby affecting the significance of the laws enacted by the government for women empowerment.

Conclusion:

Rightly did Swami Vivekanand say, “Just as a bird cannot fly with one wing only, a Nation cannot march forward if the women are left behind”.Men and women are two halves of a perfect whole. Therefore the women ought to be empowered as well as respected.

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