She Still Rises: The Relentless Pursuit of Equality
Why in News?
As the world observed International Women’s Day 2024, the United Nations, in a report released on March 6, warned of a global regression in women’s rights. Nearly a quarter of governments worldwide reported a backslide. In India, significant strides in women’s education and representation are met with persistent structural barriers. Yet, despite the roadblocks, the spirit of women’s progress continues undeterred.
The Struggles That Paved the Way
It is often easy to lose sight of the struggles and assertions that led to the recognition of International Women’s Day. The roots of this global movement can be traced back to 1909, when labour movements across the world gained momentum. In New York, 20,000 female garment factory workers marched demanding better pay, shorter working hours, and voting rights. Their movement, known as the New York Shirtwaist Strike, became an inspiration for the International Women’s Day proposal by German activist Clara Zetkin during the Second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen in 1910.
The movement grew, and women’s rights were gradually recognized across the world. In India, the Constitution enshrined universal suffrage and equality before the law for women from the very moment the nation became independent. However, much like their counterparts around the world, Indian women have had to work twice as hard, and often more, to make themselves seen and heard.
The Remarkable Resolve of Indian Women
Despite historical struggles, women-led development has become one of the foundational promises of governance in India today. Political parties across the spectrum have increasingly reached out to women with competing promises and schemes, which suggests that women’s aspirations are now central to the political discourse.
The Female Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in India has overtaken Male GER since 2017-18, signaling a strong upsurge from below.
- In medicine, for every 100 men, there are 100 women enrolled in medical colleges (2020-21).
- At premier institutes like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), women’s representation has increased, supported by affirmative action.
These are signs of innate resilience, where progress is achieved despite hurdles, often without the direct support of men. The irrepressible force of women’s determination has ensured that every day is Women’s Day in the country. Women are now nurturing their passage from home to the larger world, and this empowerment is increasingly being institutionalized.
The Persistent Constraints of the Male Gaze
Yet, the male gaze continues to constrict the imagination of women’s rights. Many of the same schemes that address women’s needs, such as the Ladki Bahin Yojana, Mahalakshmi Scheme (Maharashtra), Kanyashree (West Bengal), and Ladli Behna Yojana (Madhya Pradesh), can often reduce women to mere beneficiaries of doles, rather than empowered individuals.
Moreover, public spaces and transport systems are often designed without considering women’s safety. This exclusion reinforces patriarchal norms in the design of cities, further marginalizing women in public life.
Global Backsliding and India’s Complex Picture
The United Nations report from March 6, 2024, highlights a disturbing global trend—a quarter of governments worldwide have reported backsliding on women’s rights.
In India, legal reforms such as the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) introduced in Uttarakhand are contentious. Critics argue that such laws can infantilize women’s choices, as they regulate who women can fall in love with, marry, or choose to share a home with. These regulations risk undermining women’s agency and autonomy.
The Time Use Survey 2024: Women’s Invisible Labor
Findings from the Time Use Survey 2024 (January-December), released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in March 2024, reveal that:
- Women continue to spend more time in unpaid work at home compared to men.
- Despite a rise in labor force participation to 41.7% in 2023-24, women still account for a small proportion of the total workforce.
- Much of women’s economic activity remains self-employment, often in low-paying or informal sectors.
The Unfinished Journey
Despite clear gains, women continue to face systemic roadblocks. While female literacy, education enrollment, and representation in politics and employment are improving, true equality remains elusive. The same policies that claim to empower women often fall short of respecting their autonomy and ensuring safety in the public sphere.
The journey toward women’s empowerment in India is far from over. Yet, in the words of Maya Angelou,
“Still, she rises.”
Women across India continue to rise—pushing boundaries, breaking stereotypes, and claiming their rightful place in society, despite the odds.
