Gender Equality & Role of Women's Organisations in India - History & Impact

♀️ Gender Equality and Role of Women’s Organisations in Indian Society

✍️ Introduction

Women across the world have historically faced issues like:

• ❌ Inferior status

• ❌ Lack of education

• ❌ Early marriage

• ❌ Exclusion from public life

• ❌ Poor condition of widows

🌊 Global Movements: 19th & 20th centuries ➔ Worldwide protests for voting rights & gender justice.

🇮🇳 In India:

• ✊ Reform began by men in 19th century.

• ✊ Later, women formed their own organisations.

• ✊ Post-independence: Fights for legal rights, equality, anti-violence laws.

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⌚ Timeline: Status of Women in India

🧵 Prehistoric to Vedic Period:

• ✅ Indus Valley: Women worshipped as Mother Goddess.

• ✅ Rig Vedic: Women had liberty, education, and could attend Gurukuls.

• ✅ Upanishadic Age: Women had spiritual roles, teachers, and remarriage rights.

➡️ Later decline:

• Early marriage began.

• Education stopped for women.

• Sati system increased (Maurya & Gupta era).

• Women confined to homes.

⛓ Medieval Period:

• ❌ Rise in social evils:

  • Female infanticide

  • Child marriages

  • Purdah system

  • Misery of widows

• ❌ Caste system restricted freedom

✅ Modern India:

• ✊ Start of women’s awakening.

• ✊ Reformers & organisations began working for women’s upliftment.

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⚖️ Role of Social Reformers

✅ Raja Ram Mohan Roy:

• Fought against Sati, polygamy, and for women’s property rights.

✅ Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar:

• Championed widow remarriage.

• Helped pass Widow Remarriage Act (1856).

✅ Jyotirao & Savitribai Phule:

• Opened schools for girls.

✅ Others:

• M.G. Ranade & Chandavarkar (Women’s education & widow remarriage)

• ❌ These reforms kept women within domestic boundaries.

⚡ Age of Consent Act, 1891:

• ➕ Raised consent age from 10 → 12 years.

• Triggered by Phulmoni Dasi & Rukmabai cases.

• ⚠ Opposed by revivalists like Tilak.

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🌟 Women’s Organisations by Women

🌿 Ladies Society (1882):

• By Swarnakumari Devi.

• Focus: Widow education & skills.

🌿 Arya Mahila Samaj:

• By Ramabai Saraswati.

• Fought against child marriage.

🌿 Bharat Mahila Parishad (1905):

• Women's wing of Indian National Congress.

• Worked on: Dowry, widow condition, child marriage.

🌿 Stri Zarthosti Mandal:

• Parsi community’s main org.

• Focus: Education, medical help, funded by Ratan Tata.

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🚀 National Women’s Organisations

📅 Bharat Stree Mahamandal (1910):

• Founded by Sarala Devi Chaudhurani.

• Aim: Unite women across caste/religion.

• Fought purdah system, encouraged education.

💜 Women’s Indian Association (WIA):

• Founded in 1917 by Margaret Cousins, Annie Besant.

• All-caste, all-religion focus.

💜 National Council of Women in India (NCWI):

• Formed in 1925.

• India’s branch of International Council of Women.

💜 All India Women’s Conference (AIWC):

• Focus: Women’s & children’s welfare.

• Leaders: Sarojini Naidu, Kamla Devi, Renuka Roy, etc.

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🏛️ Impact of Women’s Organisations

• ✅ 1919: Montague-Chelmsford Reforms → Voting rights to women in state elections.

• ✅ 1920: Travancore-Cochin gave women the right to vote.

• ✅ 1921: Madras & Bombay allowed wealthy/educated women to vote.

• ✅ 1925: Punjab granted universal voting to Sikh women.

• ✅ 1926: Women gained legislative council membership (by nomination).

• ✅ 1929: Sarda Act ↑ Marriage age: Girls → 14, Boys → 18.