Women's Empowerment in India
“You can tell the condition of a nation by
looking at the status of its women”
– Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
– Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
Women's empowerment is the process in which women elaborate and recreate what it is that they can be, do, and accomplish in a circumstance that they previously were denied. Alternatively, it is the process for women to redefine gender roles that allow them to acquire the ability to choose between known alternatives whom have otherwise been restricted from such an ability.
Women's economic empowerment refers to the ability for women to enjoy their right to control and benefit from the resources, assets, income and their own time, as well as the ability to manage risk and improve their economic status and well being.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama greets students during a Room to Read event with First Lady Bun Rany of Cambodia in support of the Let Girls Learn initiative, at Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School in Siem Reap, Cambodia, March 21, 2015
Delivering multiple roles effortlessly every single day, women are undoubtedly the backbone of any society. Doting daughters, caring mothers, competent colleagues and a wide range of many other roles are played by women around us flawlessly and with grace.
However, they’ve also been an ignored fraction of the society in many parts of the world. This, in turn, has caused women at large to bear the brunt of inequality, oppression, financial dependability and other social evils. For centuries now, women have been living under bondage that restricts them from achieving professional as well as personal heights.
However, they’ve also been an ignored fraction of the society in many parts of the world. This, in turn, has caused women at large to bear the brunt of inequality, oppression, financial dependability and other social evils. For centuries now, women have been living under bondage that restricts them from achieving professional as well as personal heights.
“There is no chance of the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing.“– Swami Vivekananda.
Need for women empowerment :-
- Even in this 21st century, gender inequality still exists.
- There are so many women, who are silently bearing the harassment from their life partners and others because of the lack of education, lack of legal awareness and lack of empowerment.
- When women are empowered, whole society benefits, because women constitute half of the society.
- Educating women about health care promotes healthier families.
- Even though women works 24/7 to raise their children and to maintain their families, they are not getting enough recognition for house chores and home maintenance. As this work is unpaid, women who choose to be home makers are not considered as working persons in the Indian economy. Due to this, their self-esteem tends to be low.
Challenges for women in India :-
- Female foeticide.
- Female infanticide.
- Neglect during childhood.
- Gender Bias.
- Eve-teasing
- Abuse of girl children
- Childhood marriages.
- Gender-specific specialization at work.
- Cultural definition of appropriate gender roles.
- Belief in the inherent superiority of males. Families are considered as a private sphere and stays under male control.
- Honor killings – Family honor is associated with women in general, which is an extra burden on women.
- Limited access to education. Low literacy levels.
- Limited employment opportunities
- Limited access to cash and credit.
- Restriction on widow remarriage.
- Still house chores are women’s duty.
- Domestic violence.
- Dowry.
- Safety.
- Harassment at the workplace.
- Poverty affects women more than men.
Women’s Empowerment educates and empowers women, who are homeless, with the skills and confidence necessary to secure a job, create a healthy lifestyle, and regain a home for themselves and their children. Each woman who is homeless carries great potential. Women’s Empowerment offers a pathway to a new life for herself and her children.
Importance of women's empowerment in societies
Entire nations, businesses, communities, and groups
can benefit from the implementation of programs and policies that
adopt the notion of women empowerment. Empowerment of women is a
necessity for the very development of a society since it enhances
both the quality and the number of human resources available for
development. Empowerment is one of the main procedural concerns when
addressing human rights and development.
Women's
empowerment and achieving gender equality is essential for our
society to ensure the sustainable
development of the country. Many world
leaders and scholars have argued that sustainable development is
impossible without gender equality and women’s empowerment.
It is widely believed that the full participation of both men
and women is critical for development. Only acknowledging men’s
participation will not be beneficial to sustainable development. In
the context of women and development, empowerment must include more
choices for women to make on their own. Without gender equality and
empowerment, the country could not be just, and social change
wouldn’t occur. Therefore, scholars agree that women’s
empowerment plays a huge role in development and is one of the
significant contributions to development. Without the equal inclusion
of women in development, women would not be able to benefit or
contribute to the development of the country.
Methods
Economic empowerment
Economic empowerment increases women's agency,
access to formal government programs, mobility outside the home,
economic independence, and purchasing power. Policy makers are
suggested to support job training to aid in entrance in the formal
markets. One recommendation is to provide more formal education
opportunities for women that would allow for higher bargaining
power in the home. They would have more access to higher wages
outside the home; and as a result, make it easier for women to get
a job in the market.
Strengthening women's access to property
inheritance and land rights is another method used to economically
empower women. This would allow them better means of asset
accumulation, capital, and bargaining power needed to address
gender inequalities. Often, women in developing and underdeveloped
nations are legally restricted from their land on the sole basis
of gender. Having a right to their land gives women a sort of
bargaining power that they wouldn't normally have; in turn, they
gain more opportunities for economic independence and formal
financial institutions.
Race has a huge impact on women’s empowerment in
areas such as employment. Employment can help create empowerment
for women.
Work opportunities and the work
environment can create empowerment for women. Empowerment in the
workplace can positively affect job satisfaction and performance,
having equality in the workplace can greatly increase the sense
of empowerment. However, women of color do not have the same
accessibility and privileges in work settings. Women of color are
faced with more disadvantages in the workplace. Patricia Parker
argues that African American women’s empowerment is their
resistance to control, standing up for themselves, and not
conforming to societal norms and expectations. In connection to
power, feminist perspectives look at empowerment as a form of
resistance within systems of unequal power relations. ”When talking about women’s empowerment, many scholars
suggest examining the social injustices on women in everyday
organizational life that are influenced by race, class, and
gender.
Another popular methodology for women's
economic empowerment also includes microcredit. Microfinance
institutions aim to empower women in their community by giving
them access to loans that have low-interest rates without the
requirement of collateral. More specifically, they aim to give
microcredit to women who want to be entrepreneurs. The success and
efficiency of microcredit and microloans is controversial and
constantly debated. Some critics claim that microcredit alone
doesn't guarantee women have control over the way it is used.
Microfinance institutions don't address cultural barriers that
allow men to still control household finances; as a result,
microcredit may simply be transferred to the husband. Microcredit
doesn't relieve women of household obligations, and even if women
have credit, they don't have the time to be as active in the
market as men.
Political empowerment
Political empowerment supports creating policies
that would best support gender equality and agency for women in
both the public and private spheres. Popular methods that have
been suggested are to create affirmative action policies that have
a quota for the number of women in policy-making and parliament
positions. As of 2017, the global average of women who hold lower
and single-house parliament positions is 23.6 percent. Further
recommendations have been to increase women's rights to vote,
voice opinions, and the ability to run for office with a fair
chance of being elected. Because women are typically associated
with child care and domestic responsibilities in the home, they
have less time dedicated to entering the labor market and running
their businesses. Policies that increase their bargaining power in
the household would include policies that account for cases of
divorce, policies for better welfare for women, and policies that
give women control over resources (such as property rights).
However, participation is not limited to the realm of politics. It
can include participation in the household, in schools, and the
ability to make choices for oneself. Some theorists believe that
bargaining power and agency in the household must be achieved
before one can move on to broader political participation.
Role of education
It is said that education increases "people's
self-confidence and also enable them to find better jobs and
they can work shoulder to shoulder with men".They engage
in public debate and make demands on government for health
care, social security, and other entitlements". In
particular, education empowers women to make choices that
improve their children's health, their well-being, and chances
of survival. Education informs others about preventing and
containing the disease, and it is an essential element of
efforts to reduce malnutrition. Furthermore, it empowers women
to make choices that can improve their welfare, including
marrying beyond childhood and having fewer children. Crucially,
education can increase women's awareness of their rights, boost
their self-esteem, and provide them the opportunity to assert
their rights.
Despite significant improvements in recent
decades, education is not universally available and gender
inequalities persist. A major concern in many countries is not
only the limited number of girls going to school but also the
limited educational pathways for those that step into the
classroom. More specifically, there should be more efforts to
address the lower participation and learning achievement of
girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM) education.
The Internet as a tool of empowerment
The growing access to the web in the late 20th century has allowed women to empower themselves by using various tools on the Internet. With the introduction of the World Wide Web, women have begun to use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter for online activism. Through online activism, women are able to empower themselves by organizing campaigns and voicing their opinions for equality rights without feeling oppressed by members of society. For example, on May 29, 2013, an online campaign started by 100 female advocates forced the leading social networking website, Facebook, to take down various pages that spread hatred about women.
In recent years, blogging has also become a
powerful tool for the educational empowerment of women.
According to a study done by the University of California, Los
Angeles, medical patients who read and write about their
disease are often in a much happier mood and more knowledgeable
than those who do not. By reading others' experiences, patients
can better educate themselves and apply strategies that their
fellow bloggers suggest.
With the easy accessibility and affordability
of e-learning (electronic learning), women can now study from
the comfort of their homes. By empowering themselves
educationally through new technologies like e-learning, women
are also learning new skills that will come in handy in today's
advancing globalized world.
Oftentimes, the internet is very useful
as a source of empowerment for women through its creation,
dispersion, and utilization of hashtags on social media. One
prime example of hashtags supporting women's empowerment was in
2017 when the #AintNoCinderella hashtag came into existence.
This hashtag spread like wildfire on social media after Varnika
Kundu (a 29-year-old woman in India) was driving home past
midnight on August 4 when she was followed and harassed by two
men in an SUV.
Kundu was blamed for being out late at night, particularly by
the BJP government Vice-President Ramveer Bhatti. This led to
women all across India and the world posting pictures of
themselves out late at night with the hashtag
"#AintNoCinderella" to show that women do not have a
particular curfew to which they have to adhere to (like
Cinderella did).
Women
empowerment means the emancipation of women
from the vicious grips of social, economic, political,
caste, and gender-based discrimination. It
means granting women the freedom to make life choices.
In the simplest of words, it is basically the creation
of an environment where women can make independent
decisions on their personal development as well as shine
as equals in society.
Women want to be treated as equals so much so that if a woman rises to the top of her field it should be a commonplace occurrence that draws nothing more than a raised eyebrow at the gender. This can only happen if there is a channelized route for the empowerment of women.
Thus it is no real surprise that women's empowerment in India is a hotly discussed topic with no real solution looming in the horizon except to doubly redouble our efforts and continue to target the sources of all the violence and ill-will towards women.
Women want to be treated as equals so much so that if a woman rises to the top of her field it should be a commonplace occurrence that draws nothing more than a raised eyebrow at the gender. This can only happen if there is a channelized route for the empowerment of women.
Thus it is no real surprise that women's empowerment in India is a hotly discussed topic with no real solution looming in the horizon except to doubly redouble our efforts and continue to target the sources of all the violence and ill-will towards women.
Challenges
There are several challenges that are currently plaguing the issues of women’s rights in India. A few of these challenges are presented below. While a lot of these are redundant and quite basic issues faced across the country, these are contributory causes to the overarching status of women in India. Targeting these issues will directly benefit the empowerment of women in India.Education
While the country has grown from leaps and bounds since its independence where education is concerned, the gap between women and men is severe. While 82.14% of adult men are educated, only 65.46% of adult women are known to be literate in India. Not only is an illiterate women at the mercy of her husband or father, she also does not know that this is not the way of life for women across the world. Additionally, the norms of culture that state that the man of the family is the be-all and end-all of family decisions is slowly spoiling the society of the country.
About a third of the country’s
population lives on less than 1.25USD per day. The GINI
index keeps rising slowly over the years, indicating that
the inequality in the distribution of wealth in the
country is increasing, currently hovering a little close
to 33.9.
Poverty is considered the greatest threat to peace in the world, and eradication of poverty should be a national goal as important as the eradication of illiteracy. Due to abject poverty, women are exploited as domestic helps and wives whose incomes are usurped by the man of the house. Additionally, sex slaves are a direct outcome of poverty, as unearthed by Davinder Kumar:-
Andhra Pradesh accounts for nearly half of all sex trafficking cases in India, the majority involving adolescent girls. According to police estimates, a shocking 300,000 women and girls have been trafficked for exploitative sex work from Andhra Pradesh; of these just 3,000 have been rescued so far.
The state is relatively prosperous, ranking fourth in terms of per capita GDP in India, but it is also home to some of the poorest people in the country.
If poverty were not a concern, then the girl child will be able to follow her dreams without concerns of sexual exploitation, domestic abuse and no education or work.
In its 2009 report, UNICEF came up with shocking figures on the status of new mothers in India. The maternal mortality report of India stands at 301 per 1000, with as many as 78,000 women in India dying of childbirth complications in that year. Today, due to the burgeoning population of the country, that number is sure to have multiplied considerably. The main causes of maternal mortality are:-
Poverty and illiteracy add to these complications with local quacks giving ineffective and downright harmful remedies to problems that women have. The empowerment of women begins with a guarantee of their health and safety.
The third MDG is centred towards promoting gender equality and empowering women: “Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education by no later than 2015”
While India’s progress in this front has been brave, there are quite a few corners that it needs to cut before it can be called as being truly revolutionary in its quest for understanding what is women empowerment. As UNDP says:-
India missed the 2005 deadline of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education. However, the country has hastened progress and the Gender Parity Index (GPI) for Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER) in primary and secondary education has risen. Given current trends, India is moderately or almost nearly on track. However, as the Government of India MDG Report 2009 notes, “participation of women in employment and decision-making remains far less than that of men, and the disparity is not likely to be eliminated by 2015.” Achieving GPI in tertiary education also remains a challenge. In addition, the labour market openness to women in industry and services has only marginally increased from 13-18 percent between 1990-91 and 2004-05.
Formulate plans, policies and programmes; enacts/ amends legislation, guiding and coordinating the efforts of both governmental and non-governmental organisations working in the field of Women and Child Development.
It delivers such initiatives such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) which is a package of services such as supplementary nutrition, health check-ups and immunisation. As mentioned earlier, the empowerment of women begins with their safety and health and this Ministry is committed to providing them.
Swayamsidha Programme
Additionally, the Ministry is also implementing the Swayamsidha programme – an integrated scheme for the empowerment of women at a total cost of Rs. 116.30 Crores. Core to this programme will be the establishment of women’s self-help groups which will empower women to have increased access to all kinds of resources that they are denied, in addition to increasing their awareness and skills. This programme will benefit about 9,30,000 women with the setting up of 53,000 self-help groups, 26,500 village societies and 650 block societies.
National Commission for Women
The National Commission for Women is a Department within the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It was set up exclusively to help women via the Constitution – by reviewing Legal and Constitutional safeguards for women, recommending remedial legislative measures, by facilitating quick redressal of grievances and by advising the Government of India on all policy matters affecting women.
The website allows for online submission of complaints and fast redressal exclusively for women. Additionally it is also a good resource of information for women and the Commission is committed to helping out women in need.
The Preamble, the Fundamental Rights, DPSPs and other constitutional provisions provide several general and special safeguards to secure women’s human rights.
Preamble:
The Preamble to the Constitution of India assures justice, social, economic and political; equality of status and opportunity and dignity to the individual. Thus it treats both men and women equal.
Fundamental Rights:
The policy of women empowerment is well entrenched in the Fundamental Rights enshrined in our Constitution. For instance:
Directive Principles of State Policy:
Directive principles of State Policy also contains important provisions regarding women empowerment and it is the duty of the government to apply these principles while making laws or formulating any policy. Though these are not justiciable in the Court but these are essential for governance nonetheless. Some of them are:
Fundamental duties are enshrined in Part IV-A of the Constitution and are positive duties for the people of India to follow. It also contains a duty related to women’s rights:
Article 51 (A) (e) expects from the citizen of the country to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.
Other Constitutional Provisions:
Through 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment of 1993, a very important political right has been given to women which is a landmark in the direction of women empowerment in India. With this amendment women were given 33.33 percent reservation in seats at different levels of elections in local governance i.e. at Panchayat, Block and Municipality elections.
Thus it can be seen that these Constitutional provisions are very empowering for women and the State is duty bound to apply these principles in taking policy decisions as well as in enacting laws.
One of the most important among them is the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), ratified by India in 1993.
Other important International instruments for women empowerment are: The Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985), the Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome Document adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development & Peace for the 21st century, titled “Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action”. All these have been whole-heartedly endorsed by India for appropriate follow up.
These various national and International commitments, laws and policies notwithstanding women’s situation on the ground have still not improved satisfactorily. Varied problems related to women are still subsisting; female infanticide is growing, dowry is still prevalent, domestic violence against women is practised; sexual harassment at workplace and other heinous sex crimes against women are on the rise.
Though, economic and social condition of women has improved in a significant way but the change is especially visible only in metro cities or in urban areas; the situation is not much improved in semi-urban areas and villages. This disparity is due to lack of education and job opportunities and negative mind set of the society which does not approve girls’ education even in 21st century.
In the year 2001, the Government of India launched a National Policy for Empowerment of Women. The specific objectives of the policy are as follows:
Various schemes of the Ministry are like Swashakti, Swayamsidha, STEP and Swawlamban enable economic empowerment. Working Women Hostels and Creches provide support services. Swadhar and Short Stay Homes provide protection and rehabilitation to women in difficult circumstances. The Ministry also supports autonomous bodies like National Commission, Central Social Welfare Board and Rashtriya Mahila Kosh which work for the welfare and development of women. Economic sustenance of women through skill development, education and access to credit and marketing is also one of the areas where the Ministry has special focus.
6 ways to empower women across the world
Get more women in global leadership goals. ...
Create self-help groups in rural areas. ...
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Teach business skills to women. ...
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Create a better environment for career development.
Pankaj Kapur narrates a story of women empowerment in Bengaluru
The dramatic reading of Dopehri was nothing short of a gripping solo performance by Pankaj Kapur. The legendary actor took the stage in Bengaluru recently, narrating the story of 65-year-old Amma Bi, who is battling loneliness in a deserted haveli in Lucknow. The way in which a story of self-discovery eventually turned into one of empowerment kept the audience interested through the play. The show was attended by several theatre lovers.
Meet Tania Shergill: India’s fourth generation Army officer
Tania Shergill became the first woman ‘Parade Adjutant’ to lead an all-men contingent at an Army Day function. She is a graduate from Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai. Tania is serving at 1-Signal Training Centre in Jabalpur, MP. She was commissioned into the Corps of Signals in 2017. Tania has a B. Tech in electronics and telecommunications from Nagpur University. Her father served 101 Medium Regiment (Artillery). Tania’s grandfather served in the 14th Armed Regiment (Scinde Horse). Her great grandfather was in the Sikh Regiment. Tania will also lead the Army’s contingent during the Republic Day parade this year.
Miss Diva Universe 2019 Vartika Singh was all for women empowerment
The Rannsamar Foundation, a centre providing legal aid to women, held a seminar titled ‘Know your rights’ on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Lucknow. The event was graced by the presence of Justice AR Masoodi, Judge of the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench), OP Singh, Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, renowned actress Bhagyashree and Miss Diva Universe 2019 Vartika Singh.
'Think Tank' Marathi play empowers women
At the State Theatre Competition, women-centric play Think Tank inspire from Stree Janma Hi Tujhi Kahani was staged in Kolhapur recently. The play focused on the importance of education among women, and the need for them to be financially independent. The play depicted how today's women are challenging patriarchy and breaking barriers in order to live their lives happily.
shakti
With the theme ‘Accelerating the gender equality journey: Empowering women from classroom to boardroom’, the launch event brought together stalwarts from across the government, industry and academia, who have become changemakers in society.
Recognition for women
At the launch, Meenakshi Lekhi emphasised that women must be recognised for the work they do. She also spoke about the manifestation of gender gaps in workplaces.
“When you want care or someone to do the mundane jobs of pension and human resources, you will always find a lady. But when it comes to distribution of resources, like funding or finance, there’s always a man,” she said.
“Competence is not an issue,” she said, adding, “It is networking where women end up missing out.”
However, she also said that gender equality in India is in a much better state than in other countries.
Empowering women through education
A panel of eminent speakers deliberated on the importance of education in empowering women.
It included big names from the industry, including Meenakshi Gupta, Co-founder of Goonj; Talish Ray, Founding Partner at TRS Law Offices; Renu Batra, Additional Secretary of UGC; Vidhu Goyal, Founder and Partner at WONK App; Rajashree Rao, Head of Partnerships and Ecosystem (APAC) at R² Data Labs, Rolls Royce; and Vijay Kumar Singh, Dean of UPES School of Law. The discussion was moderated by Dipti Nair, Editor of YourStory.
The discussion began with Dipti elucidating how women have been influenced by their teachers and people who have supported them in their journey. She added that women who stood up with confidence in their abilities were successful in their journeys no matter how tough the going got.
Panellists spoke about how their families – from mothers and teachers to mothers-in-law and husbands – supported them through their journey.
Renu Batra, said, “I want to give credit to my mother who was illiterate but made sure all her children received good education.”
On the other hand, Meenakshi Gupta lauded her mother for supporting her in becoming self-reliant when she was busy burning the midnight oil. She added that her husband was also highly supportive during the difficult choices she had to make.
Talish Ray spoke about breaking the glass ceiling, highlighting that she hails from a small city, and always struggled to venture beyond boundaries. In the early years of her life, she was deemed an ‘impossible child’ by her teachers.
She concluded by saying, “The impossible women are the ones who make history,” adding that women should not be afraid to fail.
Rajashree Rao spoke about her struggles in the boardroom, based on her experiences of being in rooms full of men and how she never let her gender come in the way of her success.
Coming from a place with limited exposure and opportunities, Vidhu Goyal said she believes that giving girls opportunities to expand their horizons while they are still in school is essential for their empowerment.
Vijay Kumar Singh said he was mentored by several women in academics and at work, adding that women putting the needs of their families before themselves is something that has influenced him greatly.
Difficult conversations lead to historic breakthroughs
Tisca Chopra spoke about some of the uncomfortable things she had to bear to emerge stronger. In the show business, where women are unabashedly objectified, discriminated against, and paid less than their male counterparts, Tisca stood her ground and refused to pander to stereotyping.
From demanding equal support from her husband in taking care of their daughter to creating work by directing and producing films, Tisca lived life on her own terms. She urged women to be unapologetic about demanding support, conduct themselves with utmost professionalism and never make compromises in reaching their career goals.
Difficult conversations lead to historic breakthroughs
Sports
To create more Sindhus, Himas and Dutees, India needs to develop women’s sports at the grassroot level
Indian women are slaying it on the international arena. Sportswomen in athletics, badminton, and table tennis have kept the Indian flag flying high. Encouraging girls into sports at a young age, and giving them a healthy foundation and infrastructure is key to their future success.
The entire nation watched in awe as champion shuttler PV Sindhu became India’s first world champion in badminton when she beat Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in the women’s singles finals of the BWF World Championships held in Basel last week.
So far, Sindhu has won five medals at the World Championships and after the defining moment, she said, “I felt on top of the world.”
Just like Sindhu, Indian sportswomen have been making their mark across the world this year. It has been raining gold - from Hima Das and Dutee Chand in track and field, shooter Rahi Das, Divya Karan and Vinesh Phogat in wrestling, Mirabai Chanu in weightlifting to Ayhika Mukherjee and Manika Batra in table tennis and Harmanpreet Kaur in cricket.
Most recently, the Indian women’s hockey team won an Olympic test event against Japan 2-1. Also, 17-year-old Komalika Bari became the third Indian to win the world archery champion crown beating the higher ranked Sonoda Waka of Japan at the 2019 World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid.
Girls are finding their place in the international sports arena, and flying the Indian flag higher. Now is the time to hone talents in all sports.
In the Interim Budget presented by then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal in February 2019, Rs 214.2 crore was allocated to the Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry. The allocation was increased to Rs 450 crore in the budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in July, with an added fillip of widening the Khelo India Programme by announcing the setting up of a National Sports Education Board (NSEB).
With the government’s emphatic thumbs up to sports in India, can this augur the golden period for Indian women in sports in India?
Women are being empowered to break barriers and making a positive difference. Now, the onus lies in creating a conducive environment for women in diverse sports to get the support they need to flourish.
Unwavering spirit
Swapna Burman, who became the first heptathlete to win a gold at the Asian Games last year, became a champion despite having two extra toes, and many other challenges.
The athlete tells HerStory, “I come from a very modest family where financial struggles were constant and training wasn’t easily accessible. But despite these difficulties, I have never stopped dreaming. On the field, it isn’t about where you are from, what you do or how long it has taken you. It’s about the grit you show. Most importantly, I had the support of my family who believed in my dreams and never stopped me from pursuing sports as a career. I have all the support I need now, and I will utilise it, and hope for the best possible outcome.”
She adds, “Two extra toes meant an increased chance of injury, and that’s just one of the things to be careful about while training. I have always believed that it is mind over body. This belief has instilled in me the courage to overcome challenges.”
It’s this indomitable spirit that has carried the women through. Look at PU Chitra, for instance, who hails from Munrad village in Palakkad district (Kerala), whose her parents are daily wage earners. Like many other sportswomen from small towns in India, Chitra did not have any gear and access to resources. Despite the odds, she won gold in the 1,500 m event in at Doha and was dubbed ‘Queen of Asia in the mile’. Many other athletes like Dutee Chand, PR Poovamma, and Annu Rani fall into the small town, big dreams category, and have proved their mettle despite humungous obstacles.
Alpine skier Mishael Kanwal says, “Indian sportswomen don’t wait for freedom. They set themselves free. India has a long way to go in terms of women’s sports, and they need to be encouraged with funding and helping them break social barriers.”
On the other side of the spectrum is Paromita Sit, a coach at the South United FC Academy in Bengaluru, who believes things are improving, though slowly. Even as the Indian senior women’s national football team is in Uzbekistan for back-to-back international friendlies against Uzbekistan, the scenario for football needs an impetus that enables women to succeed.
Paromita says, “For women in India, playing sport itself is a challenge, but I think it’s improving now and it’s a bit more equal now. Especially in football, we’re now seeing more girls at the grassroots levels, and football festivals happening for girls because of academies like South United FC so I definitely think we’re going in the right direction.”
Challenges on the road to glory
Amoolya and Paromita Sit
Despite their success in the international arena, Indian sportswomen have to overcome many obstacles. Training foundation at school level, and facilities and opportunities to excel are the need of the hour.
Did you know at the end of the Indian Women’s League held in Ludhiana recently, none of the 12 participating teams had any major competitive football. A report revealed that five teams did not even had the chance to practice as a team.
Paromita explains,
“There are so many challenges. Firstly, there’s no security in playing football. It’s difficult to explain to family that you want to play football for a living, because as a woman there are few or no positions even in government jobs where you can play football as opposed to the positions available to men. The basic difference is that at the very least, women start getting into the sport and are encouraged, at least for the security of a government job.”
A lack of training, workshops, and resources makes it tough for women to pursue a sport of their choice.
Mishael feels there is immense potential for sports in India. “There is a necessity for better coaching and training of international standards. There are too many gaps to be filled but we can start with basic financial, physical and mental support for athletes. This would be a great starting point because without this basic structure going through the process of training and succeeding without seeing any change is very demoralising.”
What more can be done?
Alpine skier Mishael Kanwal
While it’s heartening to see Hima run to the podium or Vinesh Phogat wrestle to success, there are scores of talented women out there who need a platform to perform and excel.
For women’s football, Coach Amoolya, from the South United FC Academy, feels the key lies in the grassroots. “The encouragement for boys and girls has to be equal. Most schools have a boys team but not a girls team because they don’t think the girl's team has a chance to win. That’s definitely not the right way, the decision has to come from there and has to continue through the system. Even at the senior level, we see men’s sport get a preference over women’s sport, and I’m not entirely sure why. Only now are we seeing women’s leagues as well, if these decisions had come earlier for women, maybe we would have been way ahead in terms of our development?”
Family support is crucial in the larger scheme of things.
Swapna says, “The common ground for all successful athletes, including myself, is the support from our families. It is important that parents encourage their children, and support them in their endeavours of becoming professional athletes. It is also essential for schools to make sports compulsory for all students.”
Mishael believes more can be done to make Alpine skiing popular. “Equal opportunity should be given to all the skiers. There is a dire need for better training and infrastructure, followed by the creation of a clear qualification process to represent your country where athletes are selected on the basis of merit and competition, rather than indulging in foul play or favouritism.”
It’s time women in sport are given their due. Equip them with the best, and then see India give rise to more Himas, Sindhus, and Swapnas. It’s not a pipe dream. As they say, “Every day is a new opportunity.”
To truly understand what is women empowerment, there needs to be a sea-change in the mind-set of the people in the country. Not just the women themselves, but the men have to wake up to a world that is moving towards equality and equity. It is better that this is embraced earlier rather than later, for our own good.
Swami Vivekananda once said “arise away and stop not until the goal is reached”. Thus our country should thus be catapulted into the horizon of empowerment of women and revel in its glory.
We have a long way to go, but we will get there someday. We shall overcome.
Poverty is considered the greatest threat to peace in the world, and eradication of poverty should be a national goal as important as the eradication of illiteracy. Due to abject poverty, women are exploited as domestic helps and wives whose incomes are usurped by the man of the house. Additionally, sex slaves are a direct outcome of poverty, as unearthed by Davinder Kumar:-
Andhra Pradesh accounts for nearly half of all sex trafficking cases in India, the majority involving adolescent girls. According to police estimates, a shocking 300,000 women and girls have been trafficked for exploitative sex work from Andhra Pradesh; of these just 3,000 have been rescued so far.
The state is relatively prosperous, ranking fourth in terms of per capita GDP in India, but it is also home to some of the poorest people in the country.
If poverty were not a concern, then the girl child will be able to follow her dreams without concerns of sexual exploitation, domestic abuse and no education or work.
Health & Safety
The health and safety concerns of women are paramount for the wellbeing of a country, and is an important factor in gauging the empowerment of women in a country. However there are alarming concerns where maternal healthcare is concerned.In its 2009 report, UNICEF came up with shocking figures on the status of new mothers in India. The maternal mortality report of India stands at 301 per 1000, with as many as 78,000 women in India dying of childbirth complications in that year. Today, due to the burgeoning population of the country, that number is sure to have multiplied considerably. The main causes of maternal mortality are:-
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Haemorrhage: 30%
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Anaemia: 19%
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Sepsis: 16%
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Obstructed Labour: 10%
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Abortion: 8%
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Toxaemia: 8%
Poverty and illiteracy add to these complications with local quacks giving ineffective and downright harmful remedies to problems that women have. The empowerment of women begins with a guarantee of their health and safety.
Actions Taken to Empower Women
Millennium Development Goal
The United Nations Development Programme constituted eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for ensuring equity and peace across the world. The third MDG is directly related to the empowerment of women in India. The MDGs are agreed-upon goals to reduce certain indicators of disparity across the world by the year 2015.The third MDG is centred towards promoting gender equality and empowering women: “Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education by no later than 2015”
While India’s progress in this front has been brave, there are quite a few corners that it needs to cut before it can be called as being truly revolutionary in its quest for understanding what is women empowerment. As UNDP says:-
India missed the 2005 deadline of eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education. However, the country has hastened progress and the Gender Parity Index (GPI) for Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER) in primary and secondary education has risen. Given current trends, India is moderately or almost nearly on track. However, as the Government of India MDG Report 2009 notes, “participation of women in employment and decision-making remains far less than that of men, and the disparity is not likely to be eliminated by 2015.” Achieving GPI in tertiary education also remains a challenge. In addition, the labour market openness to women in industry and services has only marginally increased from 13-18 percent between 1990-91 and 2004-05.
Ministry for Women & Child Development
The Ministry for Women & Child Development was established as a department of the Ministry of Human Resource Development in the year 1985 to drive the holistic development of women and children in the country. In 2006 this department was given the status of a Ministry, with the powers to:-Formulate plans, policies and programmes; enacts/ amends legislation, guiding and coordinating the efforts of both governmental and non-governmental organisations working in the field of Women and Child Development.
It delivers such initiatives such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) which is a package of services such as supplementary nutrition, health check-ups and immunisation. As mentioned earlier, the empowerment of women begins with their safety and health and this Ministry is committed to providing them.
Swayamsidha Programme
Additionally, the Ministry is also implementing the Swayamsidha programme – an integrated scheme for the empowerment of women at a total cost of Rs. 116.30 Crores. Core to this programme will be the establishment of women’s self-help groups which will empower women to have increased access to all kinds of resources that they are denied, in addition to increasing their awareness and skills. This programme will benefit about 9,30,000 women with the setting up of 53,000 self-help groups, 26,500 village societies and 650 block societies.
National Commission for Women
The National Commission for Women is a Department within the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It was set up exclusively to help women via the Constitution – by reviewing Legal and Constitutional safeguards for women, recommending remedial legislative measures, by facilitating quick redressal of grievances and by advising the Government of India on all policy matters affecting women.
The website allows for online submission of complaints and fast redressal exclusively for women. Additionally it is also a good resource of information for women and the Commission is committed to helping out women in need.
Constitution of India and Women Empowerment
India’s Constitution makers and our founding fathers were very determined to provide equal rights to both women and men. The Constitution of India is one of the finest equality documents in the world. It provides provisions to secure equality in general and gender equality in particular. Various articles in the Constitution safeguard women’s rights by putting them at par with men socially, politically and economically.The Preamble, the Fundamental Rights, DPSPs and other constitutional provisions provide several general and special safeguards to secure women’s human rights.
Preamble:
The Preamble to the Constitution of India assures justice, social, economic and political; equality of status and opportunity and dignity to the individual. Thus it treats both men and women equal.
Fundamental Rights:
The policy of women empowerment is well entrenched in the Fundamental Rights enshrined in our Constitution. For instance:
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Article 14 ensures to women the right to equality.
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Article 15(1) specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex.
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Article 15(3) empowers the State to take affirmative actions in favour of women.
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Article 16 provides for equality of
opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to
employment or appointment to any office.
Directive Principles of State Policy:
Directive principles of State Policy also contains important provisions regarding women empowerment and it is the duty of the government to apply these principles while making laws or formulating any policy. Though these are not justiciable in the Court but these are essential for governance nonetheless. Some of them are:
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Article 39 (a) provides that the State to direct its policy towards securing for men and women equally the right to an adequate means of livelihood.
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Article 39 (d) mandates equal pay for equal work for both men and women.
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Article 42 provides that the State to make
provision for securing just and humane conditions of
work and for maternity relief.
Fundamental duties are enshrined in Part IV-A of the Constitution and are positive duties for the people of India to follow. It also contains a duty related to women’s rights:
Article 51 (A) (e) expects from the citizen of the country to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.
Other Constitutional Provisions:
Through 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment of 1993, a very important political right has been given to women which is a landmark in the direction of women empowerment in India. With this amendment women were given 33.33 percent reservation in seats at different levels of elections in local governance i.e. at Panchayat, Block and Municipality elections.
Thus it can be seen that these Constitutional provisions are very empowering for women and the State is duty bound to apply these principles in taking policy decisions as well as in enacting laws.
Specific Laws for Women Empowerment in India
Here is the list of some specific laws which were enacted by the Parliament in order to fulfil Constitutional obligation of women empowerment:-
The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976.
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The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
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The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.
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The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961.
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The Medical termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
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The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987.
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The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
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The Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act, 1994.
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The Sexual Harassment of Women at Work Place
(Prevention, Protection and) Act, 2013.
International Commitments of India as to Women Empowerment
India is a part to various International conventions and treaties which are committed to secure equal rights of women.One of the most important among them is the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), ratified by India in 1993.
Other important International instruments for women empowerment are: The Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985), the Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome Document adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development & Peace for the 21st century, titled “Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action”. All these have been whole-heartedly endorsed by India for appropriate follow up.
These various national and International commitments, laws and policies notwithstanding women’s situation on the ground have still not improved satisfactorily. Varied problems related to women are still subsisting; female infanticide is growing, dowry is still prevalent, domestic violence against women is practised; sexual harassment at workplace and other heinous sex crimes against women are on the rise.
Though, economic and social condition of women has improved in a significant way but the change is especially visible only in metro cities or in urban areas; the situation is not much improved in semi-urban areas and villages. This disparity is due to lack of education and job opportunities and negative mind set of the society which does not approve girls’ education even in 21st century.
Government Policies and Schemes for Women Empowerment
Whatever improvement and empowerment women have received is especially due to their own efforts and struggle, though governmental schemes are also there to help them in their endeavour.In the year 2001, the Government of India launched a National Policy for Empowerment of Women. The specific objectives of the policy are as follows:
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Creation of an environment through positive economic and social policies for full development of women to enable them to realize their full potential.
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Creation of an environment for enjoyments of all human rights and fundamental freedom by women on equal basis with men in all political, economic, social, cultural and civil spheres.
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Providing equal access to participation and decision making of women in social political and economic life of the nation.
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Providing equal access to women to health care, quality education at all levels, career and vocational guidance, employment, equal remuneration, occupational health and safety, social security and public life etc.
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Strengthening legal systems aimed at elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.
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Changing societal attitudes and community practices by active participation and involvement of both men and women.
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Mainstreaming a gender perspective in the development process.
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Elimination of discrimination and all forms of violence against women and the girl child.
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Building and strengthening partnerships with
civil society, particularly women’s organizations.
Various schemes of the Ministry are like Swashakti, Swayamsidha, STEP and Swawlamban enable economic empowerment. Working Women Hostels and Creches provide support services. Swadhar and Short Stay Homes provide protection and rehabilitation to women in difficult circumstances. The Ministry also supports autonomous bodies like National Commission, Central Social Welfare Board and Rashtriya Mahila Kosh which work for the welfare and development of women. Economic sustenance of women through skill development, education and access to credit and marketing is also one of the areas where the Ministry has special focus.
Conclusion
and Suggestions:
In conclusion, it can be said that women in India, through their own unrelenting efforts and with the help of Constitutional and other legal provisions and also with the aid of Government’s various welfare schemes, are trying to find their own place under the sun. And it is a heartening sign that their participation in employment- government as well as private, in socio-political activities of the nation and also their presence at the highest decision making bodies is improving day by day.
However, we are still far behind in achieving the equality and justice which the Preamble of our Constitution talks about. The real problem lies in the patriarchal and male-dominated system of our society which considers women as subordinate to men and creates different types of methods to subjugate them.
The need of us is to educate and sensitize male members of the society regarding women issues and try to inculcate a feeling of togetherness and equality among them so that they would stop their discriminatory practices towards the fairer sex.
For this to happen apart from Government, the efforts are needed from various NGOs and from enlightened citizens of the country. And first of all efforts should begin from our homes where we must empower female members of our family by providing them equal opportunities of education, health, nutrition and decision making without any discrimination.
Because India can become a powerful nation only if it truly empowers its women.
In conclusion, it can be said that women in India, through their own unrelenting efforts and with the help of Constitutional and other legal provisions and also with the aid of Government’s various welfare schemes, are trying to find their own place under the sun. And it is a heartening sign that their participation in employment- government as well as private, in socio-political activities of the nation and also their presence at the highest decision making bodies is improving day by day.
However, we are still far behind in achieving the equality and justice which the Preamble of our Constitution talks about. The real problem lies in the patriarchal and male-dominated system of our society which considers women as subordinate to men and creates different types of methods to subjugate them.
The need of us is to educate and sensitize male members of the society regarding women issues and try to inculcate a feeling of togetherness and equality among them so that they would stop their discriminatory practices towards the fairer sex.
For this to happen apart from Government, the efforts are needed from various NGOs and from enlightened citizens of the country. And first of all efforts should begin from our homes where we must empower female members of our family by providing them equal opportunities of education, health, nutrition and decision making without any discrimination.
Because India can become a powerful nation only if it truly empowers its women.
6 ways to empower women across the world
Get more women in global leadership goals. ...
Create self-help groups in rural areas. ...
Empower entrepreneurs in developing countries. ...
Teach business skills to women. ...
Encourage more women to take apprentice roles. ...
Create a better environment for career development.
Pankaj Kapur narrates a story of women empowerment in Bengaluru
The dramatic reading of Dopehri was nothing short of a gripping solo performance by Pankaj Kapur. The legendary actor took the stage in Bengaluru recently, narrating the story of 65-year-old Amma Bi, who is battling loneliness in a deserted haveli in Lucknow. The way in which a story of self-discovery eventually turned into one of empowerment kept the audience interested through the play. The show was attended by several theatre lovers.
Meet Tania Shergill: India’s fourth generation Army officer
Tania Shergill became the first woman ‘Parade Adjutant’ to lead an all-men contingent at an Army Day function. She is a graduate from Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai. Tania is serving at 1-Signal Training Centre in Jabalpur, MP. She was commissioned into the Corps of Signals in 2017. Tania has a B. Tech in electronics and telecommunications from Nagpur University. Her father served 101 Medium Regiment (Artillery). Tania’s grandfather served in the 14th Armed Regiment (Scinde Horse). Her great grandfather was in the Sikh Regiment. Tania will also lead the Army’s contingent during the Republic Day parade this year.
Miss Diva Universe 2019 Vartika Singh was all for women empowerment
The Rannsamar Foundation, a centre providing legal aid to women, held a seminar titled ‘Know your rights’ on the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Lucknow. The event was graced by the presence of Justice AR Masoodi, Judge of the Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench), OP Singh, Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, renowned actress Bhagyashree and Miss Diva Universe 2019 Vartika Singh.
'Think Tank' Marathi play empowers women
At the State Theatre Competition, women-centric play Think Tank inspire from Stree Janma Hi Tujhi Kahani was staged in Kolhapur recently. The play focused on the importance of education among women, and the need for them to be financially independent. The play depicted how today's women are challenging patriarchy and breaking barriers in order to live their lives happily.
shakti
With the theme ‘Accelerating the gender equality journey: Empowering women from classroom to boardroom’, the launch event brought together stalwarts from across the government, industry and academia, who have become changemakers in society.
Recognition for women
At the launch, Meenakshi Lekhi emphasised that women must be recognised for the work they do. She also spoke about the manifestation of gender gaps in workplaces.
“When you want care or someone to do the mundane jobs of pension and human resources, you will always find a lady. But when it comes to distribution of resources, like funding or finance, there’s always a man,” she said.
“Competence is not an issue,” she said, adding, “It is networking where women end up missing out.”
However, she also said that gender equality in India is in a much better state than in other countries.
Empowering women through education
A panel of eminent speakers deliberated on the importance of education in empowering women.
It included big names from the industry, including Meenakshi Gupta, Co-founder of Goonj; Talish Ray, Founding Partner at TRS Law Offices; Renu Batra, Additional Secretary of UGC; Vidhu Goyal, Founder and Partner at WONK App; Rajashree Rao, Head of Partnerships and Ecosystem (APAC) at R² Data Labs, Rolls Royce; and Vijay Kumar Singh, Dean of UPES School of Law. The discussion was moderated by Dipti Nair, Editor of YourStory.
The discussion began with Dipti elucidating how women have been influenced by their teachers and people who have supported them in their journey. She added that women who stood up with confidence in their abilities were successful in their journeys no matter how tough the going got.
Panellists spoke about how their families – from mothers and teachers to mothers-in-law and husbands – supported them through their journey.
Renu Batra, said, “I want to give credit to my mother who was illiterate but made sure all her children received good education.”
On the other hand, Meenakshi Gupta lauded her mother for supporting her in becoming self-reliant when she was busy burning the midnight oil. She added that her husband was also highly supportive during the difficult choices she had to make.
Talish Ray spoke about breaking the glass ceiling, highlighting that she hails from a small city, and always struggled to venture beyond boundaries. In the early years of her life, she was deemed an ‘impossible child’ by her teachers.
She concluded by saying, “The impossible women are the ones who make history,” adding that women should not be afraid to fail.
Rajashree Rao spoke about her struggles in the boardroom, based on her experiences of being in rooms full of men and how she never let her gender come in the way of her success.
Coming from a place with limited exposure and opportunities, Vidhu Goyal said she believes that giving girls opportunities to expand their horizons while they are still in school is essential for their empowerment.
Vijay Kumar Singh said he was mentored by several women in academics and at work, adding that women putting the needs of their families before themselves is something that has influenced him greatly.
Difficult conversations lead to historic breakthroughs
Tisca Chopra spoke about some of the uncomfortable things she had to bear to emerge stronger. In the show business, where women are unabashedly objectified, discriminated against, and paid less than their male counterparts, Tisca stood her ground and refused to pander to stereotyping.
From demanding equal support from her husband in taking care of their daughter to creating work by directing and producing films, Tisca lived life on her own terms. She urged women to be unapologetic about demanding support, conduct themselves with utmost professionalism and never make compromises in reaching their career goals.
Difficult conversations lead to historic breakthroughs
Sports
To create more Sindhus, Himas and Dutees, India needs to develop women’s sports at the grassroot level
Indian women are slaying it on the international arena. Sportswomen in athletics, badminton, and table tennis have kept the Indian flag flying high. Encouraging girls into sports at a young age, and giving them a healthy foundation and infrastructure is key to their future success.
The entire nation watched in awe as champion shuttler PV Sindhu became India’s first world champion in badminton when she beat Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in the women’s singles finals of the BWF World Championships held in Basel last week.
So far, Sindhu has won five medals at the World Championships and after the defining moment, she said, “I felt on top of the world.”
Just like Sindhu, Indian sportswomen have been making their mark across the world this year. It has been raining gold - from Hima Das and Dutee Chand in track and field, shooter Rahi Das, Divya Karan and Vinesh Phogat in wrestling, Mirabai Chanu in weightlifting to Ayhika Mukherjee and Manika Batra in table tennis and Harmanpreet Kaur in cricket.
Most recently, the Indian women’s hockey team won an Olympic test event against Japan 2-1. Also, 17-year-old Komalika Bari became the third Indian to win the world archery champion crown beating the higher ranked Sonoda Waka of Japan at the 2019 World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid.
Girls are finding their place in the international sports arena, and flying the Indian flag higher. Now is the time to hone talents in all sports.
In the Interim Budget presented by then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal in February 2019, Rs 214.2 crore was allocated to the Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry. The allocation was increased to Rs 450 crore in the budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in July, with an added fillip of widening the Khelo India Programme by announcing the setting up of a National Sports Education Board (NSEB).
With the government’s emphatic thumbs up to sports in India, can this augur the golden period for Indian women in sports in India?
Women are being empowered to break barriers and making a positive difference. Now, the onus lies in creating a conducive environment for women in diverse sports to get the support they need to flourish.
Unwavering spirit
Swapna Burman, who became the first heptathlete to win a gold at the Asian Games last year, became a champion despite having two extra toes, and many other challenges.
The athlete tells HerStory, “I come from a very modest family where financial struggles were constant and training wasn’t easily accessible. But despite these difficulties, I have never stopped dreaming. On the field, it isn’t about where you are from, what you do or how long it has taken you. It’s about the grit you show. Most importantly, I had the support of my family who believed in my dreams and never stopped me from pursuing sports as a career. I have all the support I need now, and I will utilise it, and hope for the best possible outcome.”
She adds, “Two extra toes meant an increased chance of injury, and that’s just one of the things to be careful about while training. I have always believed that it is mind over body. This belief has instilled in me the courage to overcome challenges.”
It’s this indomitable spirit that has carried the women through. Look at PU Chitra, for instance, who hails from Munrad village in Palakkad district (Kerala), whose her parents are daily wage earners. Like many other sportswomen from small towns in India, Chitra did not have any gear and access to resources. Despite the odds, she won gold in the 1,500 m event in at Doha and was dubbed ‘Queen of Asia in the mile’. Many other athletes like Dutee Chand, PR Poovamma, and Annu Rani fall into the small town, big dreams category, and have proved their mettle despite humungous obstacles.
Alpine skier Mishael Kanwal says, “Indian sportswomen don’t wait for freedom. They set themselves free. India has a long way to go in terms of women’s sports, and they need to be encouraged with funding and helping them break social barriers.”
On the other side of the spectrum is Paromita Sit, a coach at the South United FC Academy in Bengaluru, who believes things are improving, though slowly. Even as the Indian senior women’s national football team is in Uzbekistan for back-to-back international friendlies against Uzbekistan, the scenario for football needs an impetus that enables women to succeed.
Paromita says, “For women in India, playing sport itself is a challenge, but I think it’s improving now and it’s a bit more equal now. Especially in football, we’re now seeing more girls at the grassroots levels, and football festivals happening for girls because of academies like South United FC so I definitely think we’re going in the right direction.”
Challenges on the road to glory
Amoolya and Paromita Sit
Despite their success in the international arena, Indian sportswomen have to overcome many obstacles. Training foundation at school level, and facilities and opportunities to excel are the need of the hour.
Did you know at the end of the Indian Women’s League held in Ludhiana recently, none of the 12 participating teams had any major competitive football. A report revealed that five teams did not even had the chance to practice as a team.
Paromita explains,
“There are so many challenges. Firstly, there’s no security in playing football. It’s difficult to explain to family that you want to play football for a living, because as a woman there are few or no positions even in government jobs where you can play football as opposed to the positions available to men. The basic difference is that at the very least, women start getting into the sport and are encouraged, at least for the security of a government job.”
A lack of training, workshops, and resources makes it tough for women to pursue a sport of their choice.
Mishael feels there is immense potential for sports in India. “There is a necessity for better coaching and training of international standards. There are too many gaps to be filled but we can start with basic financial, physical and mental support for athletes. This would be a great starting point because without this basic structure going through the process of training and succeeding without seeing any change is very demoralising.”
What more can be done?
Alpine skier Mishael Kanwal
While it’s heartening to see Hima run to the podium or Vinesh Phogat wrestle to success, there are scores of talented women out there who need a platform to perform and excel.
For women’s football, Coach Amoolya, from the South United FC Academy, feels the key lies in the grassroots. “The encouragement for boys and girls has to be equal. Most schools have a boys team but not a girls team because they don’t think the girl's team has a chance to win. That’s definitely not the right way, the decision has to come from there and has to continue through the system. Even at the senior level, we see men’s sport get a preference over women’s sport, and I’m not entirely sure why. Only now are we seeing women’s leagues as well, if these decisions had come earlier for women, maybe we would have been way ahead in terms of our development?”
Family support is crucial in the larger scheme of things.
Swapna says, “The common ground for all successful athletes, including myself, is the support from our families. It is important that parents encourage their children, and support them in their endeavours of becoming professional athletes. It is also essential for schools to make sports compulsory for all students.”
Mishael believes more can be done to make Alpine skiing popular. “Equal opportunity should be given to all the skiers. There is a dire need for better training and infrastructure, followed by the creation of a clear qualification process to represent your country where athletes are selected on the basis of merit and competition, rather than indulging in foul play or favouritism.”
It’s time women in sport are given their due. Equip them with the best, and then see India give rise to more Himas, Sindhus, and Swapnas. It’s not a pipe dream. As they say, “Every day is a new opportunity.”
The Road Ahead
India as a country is still recovering from years of abuse in the time of the Raj and more years of economic suffering at the hands of the License Raj. It is only now that globalisation, liberalisation and other socio-economic forces have given some respite to a large proportion of the population. However, there are still quite a few areas where women empowerment in India is largely lacking.To truly understand what is women empowerment, there needs to be a sea-change in the mind-set of the people in the country. Not just the women themselves, but the men have to wake up to a world that is moving towards equality and equity. It is better that this is embraced earlier rather than later, for our own good.
Swami Vivekananda once said “arise away and stop not until the goal is reached”. Thus our country should thus be catapulted into the horizon of empowerment of women and revel in its glory.
We have a long way to go, but we will get there someday. We shall overcome.
