Gender inequality in India - case study full notes

Question 1

Violence againt women

Answer 1

• Underpinned by social norms
• Unice states 52% OF WOMEN in india think it is justifiable for a man to beat his wife
• Domestic violence is tolerated by communities → illustrates deep rooted patriarchachy
• A increase in rapes/dowry killing

Question 2

According to UNICEF what is the % of women in India who think it is justifiable for a man to beat his wife?

Answer 2

52%

Question 3

Modern slavery - how many people in 2014 subjeced to it?

Answer 3

Estimated in 2014 14.3million ppl were subjected to slavery
Trafficking / sexual exploitation / forced marriage / forced labour

Question 4

Property ownership

Answer 4

Women have fewer rights to own property
Inheritance is patriarchal

Question 5

Employment

Answer 5

• Women have limited access to opportunities and are expected to stay home
• Even women with up to tertiary education may not enter the workforce → fight it hard to resist the social pressures of tradition of marriage

Question 6

Discrimination within work

Answer 6

• Maternity benefits are denied by many employers → may not even employ women in the first place due to this reason
• In Dehli only 25% of women return to work after childbirth → social conditioning is that women stay at home and these norms of their responsibility to raise children

Question 7

In Dehli % of women who return back to work after having a child

Answer 7

25%

Question 8

Political participation - % of women represented within parliment?

Answer 8

Women have a poor representation - only 12%

Question 9

Access to healthcare

Answer 9

The inequality is closely related to to the cultural norms which women have little influence in

• CARE found nearly ⅓ of all houses on Bihar don’t have access government health services

Question 10

Education

Answer 10

Nationally 70% girls attend primary school but less at secondary school

The average female literacy rate throughout the world is 79.9%, while for men it is 89.2%.

Question 11

Define Dowry

Answer 11

• where the father of the woman who is getting married has to give assets to the partner –> reinforce that women are economic liabilities ( system designed to financially compensate because a wife is viewed as a ‘burden on resources’)
• Began in 476 AD → is a large historical practise → used to up a families class
  1961 is when it was outlawed in India but still occurs illegally
  1960-2008 → Dowry paid in 95% of marriages
• Dowry deaths of women are often covered up
  Smaller Dowry for younger bride → may lead to more younger married due to lower funds → less likely to be able to go to school → restricts economic opportunities

Question 12

Define the Caste system?

Answer 12

an intricate hierarchy - groups are split into work and duty

• Dalit → the lowest level are subjected to the most vulnerable at risk persecuted part of society
  are less likely to be persecuted and get justice

Question 13

economic factors affecting gender inequality

Answer 13

• Limited education → in terms of higher education
• Discrimination in the workplace
• Is difficult for opportunities for women economic employment within manufacturing so are often still employed in agriculture - earn less - financially dependent on their husbands
• re-entering the workforce after childbirth is difficult
• Perceived importance of dowries

Question 14

social factors affecting gender inequality

Answer 14

• Violence against women
• Child marriage
• Limited access to, knowledge of, reproductive health services

Question 15

political factors affecting Gender inequality

Answer 15

• Lack of political participation
• Child marriage and modern slavery
• India Labour laws protect existing workers which are mostly men at the expense of aspiring workers which are women.
• Patriarchal society