WOMEN MOVEMENT IN INDIA: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

INTRODUCTION:-
A social movement is a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a
particular goal; typically a social and political one. This may be a carry out, resist or undo a
social change. There are several social movements occurred in India, among them women
movement allowed a positive and social change in Indian society. The women movement
has a long history in India. Because women constitute the most discriminated section of
world population .so that women movement provides a platform for women to come
together to raise their voices as one big force to reckon with. These united protests created
a strong bond among women, A sisterhood that formed a strong front against the evils that
they were fighting against. It showed that women were no less when it came to fighting to
get their rights, and in many movements, they showed that they can fare better than their
male counterparts, giving confidence to young women and girls that with the rights
leadership and guidance, they can also make staggering changes for the betterment of the
lives of the oppressed
.The patriarchal society hard for some of their basic rights. The beginning of women’s
movements can be observed first from a social reform movement in the 19th century.
During the colonial period women’s movements in India were born out of the same
historical circumstances and social milieu as earlier 19th century social reform movements,
which provoked a new thinking about various social institutions, practices and social reform
legislations. The time women’s movements ideological and social content changed from
time to and continued into our times. The movement in its entirety can be divided into
three distinct phases. The Indian women’s movement was influenced by western ideals and
the main focus areas of women’s movements in India as well as the west largely remained
the same
While the ultimate goal which is the upliftment of women is the same for feminists from
both parts ,the obstacles faced by the Indian both reformers and the issues that needed
their attention differed. Aspects like education and equal rights were common to both,
however; Indian reformers paid special attention to local issues like sati and dowry related
harassment. The basic message of this movement was to prevent the ill-treatment of
women, maintain dignity and raise the
status of women (Gandhi, 2019).By the 1920’s however, the movement had gained impetus
and different rationales were being expressed. Reformers argued that “women’s rights
should be recognized because of women’s socially useful role as mothers.” They also said
that “women have the same needs, desires and capacities as men and were thus entitled to
the same rights” (Gandhi, 2019).This was one of the first movements that saw a large
number of women coming together and fighting for their rights. It saw women from all
strata of society participate and included the participation of rich, poor, young, old, tribal
women among others. This period also saw the emergence of a number of local women’s
organizations like the Women’s Indian Association (WIA), the National Council of Women in
India (NCWI) and the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC).Organizations like these worked
towards the welfare of women and played an important role in the movement. The social
reformers focused on issues like eradication of Sati, promotion of widow remarriage, ending
polygamy, abolishing child marriage among others. They also focused on promoting
women’s education (Gandhi,2019).Post-independence however, the campaign for women’s
rights and issues took a back seat. The women had to go through heavy trauma and were
left with tragic experiences from the independence struggle.
It was also assumed that independence and development would automatically
lead to changes in the social order of the nation and women’s issues would be
tackled. Women’s groups were divided and it was mainly the middle-class and
elite educated women doing most of the activism. It was only after the 1970’s
that the movement was considered a legitimate one. The women’s movement
in India is therefore commonly divided into three phases- the first phase
(1850– 1915), the second phase (1915-1947) and the Post-independence
phase.
As of the 21st Century, much debate has been going on about the position of
women in society. In a country like India, the status of women has always been
regrettable. One can barely remember a time when Indian women enjoyed
equal power as men. The structure of the culture and society in India is far
more complex than most societies and therefore, tackling women’s issues is
slightly more complicated owing to the country’s rich history of traditions. India
has a historically traditional society and ancient texts like the manusmriti
greatly influenced the way our society works. The controversial text had many
inconsistent views on women and portrayed women as incomplete and
incapable without men. It was through the help of such texts that male
supremacy thrived in the Indian context. Reformers like Rajaram Mohan Roy,
Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Ishwarachandra Vidya Sagar, Annie Besant, M.G. Ranade
and Jotibha Savithribai Phule fought for change in the nineteenth century. They
fought for reforms with regard to social practises like sati, purdah system,
enforced widowhood and child marriage which highlighted and encouraged the
oppression of women. The women’s movement in India took various forms in
different parts of the nation. Despite facing severe resistance and several
hurdles, a lot of good came off the movement

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM:-

The women’s movement in India has played a crucial role in advocating for
gender equality, legal reforms, and social justice. From the colonial era to the
present, women have mobilized to challenge discriminatory practices, demand
equal rights, and address issues such as domestic violence, workplace
harassment, and political representation. Despite these efforts, gender
inequality remains deeply entrenched in Indian society due to social, cultural,
economic, and political barriers.
While significant progress has been made through legislative reforms and
grassroots activism, women in India continue to face major challenges. Issues
such as gender-based violence, wage disparity, lack of political representation,
and restricted access to education and healthcare persist. Moreover,
intersectional factors, including caste, class, and religion, further marginalize
certain groups of women, making the movement's impact uneven.
Contemporary women’s movements in India also encounter challenges related
to digital activism, political backlash, and societal resistance. The rise of social
media has amplified feminist voices, but it has also led to increased online
harassment and misinformation. Furthermore, government policies, patriarchal
institutions, and inadequate law enforcement often hinder the full realization
of gender justice.
This research aims to critically examine the issues and challenges faced by the
women's movement in India, evaluate its impact on policy and social change,
and explore strategies to overcome existing barriers. By identifying the gaps in
advocacy, legal implementation, and social awareness, this study seeks to
contribute to strengthening the movement for a more inclusive and equitable
society

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:-

1) Leonard, Karen,2014, in his article, “women in India: some recent

perspective’’ university of British Columbia, he describe here the author
interrogates about issues regarding women Movement in India also studied
Hindu caste systems such as caste endogamy, marriage within its own cast
and so on. Also studied about the changing nature of women's position.
Clearly, scholarly research on women in India has not been limited to the
immediate problems of survival and achievement of a reasonable standard
of living faced by most Indian women. And it may be misleading, causing
those who read the work on women without knowing much about India to
underestimate the gravity of the negative economic and demographic
trends. But the research, in conjunction with government and organizational
 activity on women's issues, has made the position of women in Indian
society a matter of public concern.

2) Krolekke, Cuarlotte and Anne Scott Sorenson,2005,"Three Waves of

Feminism: From Suffragetter to girls” In Contemporary Gender
Communication Theories & Analyses: In his article, he described how have
theories about gender and Communications evolved and been influenced
by first, second and third wave of feminism. They outline how:

 First-wave feminism (late 19th–early 20th century) focused

on legal rights, particularly women's suffrage and property
rights. Communication in this era was centered around
advocacy for political inclusion.
 Second-wave feminism (1960s–1980s) emphasized broader
social and cultural inequalities, including workplace rights,
reproductive freedom, and representation in media. This
wave saw an expansion of feminist communication theories
addressing systemic oppression and patriarchal structures.
 Third-wave feminism (1990s–2000s) challenged the
perceived limitations of second-wave feminism, embracing
intersectionality, individualism, and a more inclusive
approach to gender identity and expression. It critiqued
essentialist views of gender and acknowledged the role of
digital and mass media in shaping gender discourse.

3) Chandra, Rakesh,2007, in his article ‘’Women Empowerment in India-

milestones & challenges’’ he describes Empowerment is now increasingly
seen as a process by which the one's without power gain greater control
over their lives. This means control over material assets, intellectual
resources and ideology. It involves power to, power with and power within.
Some define empowerment in the prospective of women means it is a
process of awareness and conscientization, of capacity building leading to
greater participation, effective decision-making power and control leading
to transformative action. This involves ability to get what one wants and to
influence others on our concerns. With reference to women the power
relation that has to be involved includes their lives at multiple levels, family,
community, market and the state. Importantly it involves at the
 psychological level women's ability to assert themselves and this is
constructed by the'gender roles' assigned to her specially in a cultural which
resists change like India. Equality, sustainability and empowerment were
emphasized and the stress was, that women's emancipation does not
depend on national income but is an engaged political process.

4) Shah, Ghanshaym,2004, in his book “Social movement in India” has given

about the origin of women movement in India, He describes social
Movement in India in the nine categories based on participants and issues
involved peasants tribes, Dalits Backward caste, women, students, middle
class, working class, human rights and environmental groups. also focus on
social movement issue ideology organisations and leadership.

5) Tembhre, Manju,2018, in her article “challenges and prospectus of women

empowerment’’She describes the challenges that faced by women in
education, business and politics compare to their male equal also
emphasized on with changing scenario, the contributions of women in
progress and other activities. Also talking about women empowerment.
Global canvas illustrates that nearly 70% women are under the poverty line,
around 80% of the world’s refugees are women and world’s two third
women are illiterate. Domestic violence, female feticide, rape, molestation
& eve teasing, unequal wages and gender inequality are the global reality,
which hinders women empowerment. To deal with the issue of women
empowerment, women have to unite in order to be heard in the creation
and strict enforcement of laws and public policies with the purpose to
assure their economic empowerment and gender parity.

6) Sama, Afsana,2017, in her“international journal women movement; issues

and problem faced by Indian women”She describes Women’s
Empowerment has been an issue of immense discussions and
contemplation over the last few decades world-wide. This as an agenda has
been on top of the lists of most government plans & programs as well.
Efforts have been made on a regular basis across nations to address this
issue and enhance the socio-economic status of women, also emphasized
on Without the participation of women in national activities.
7) Patel,Vibhuti,2010,in his article” Understanding women’s issues-A feminist
standpoint” he described In the 19th century, the male social reformers
with the blessing of the British administrators, influenced by western liberal
democratic values initiated the process of fight against female infanticide,
widow-burning, segregation of women from the public life, prostitution and
begging by the destitute women. And in later how reforms start and
establish educational institutions, shelter homes, training centers for
women from where the first generation of teachers, nurses, skilled workers
came out.

8) Bhatt, Anushree Pratikkumar, in her journal “Understanding feminism and

women movement; activism and advocacy women's rights”she describes by
linking women's empowerment to national development, addressing
gender inequalities, providing a historical overview of feminism, and
recognizing the intersectionality of women's experiences. These elements
lay the groundwork for a deeper exploration of activism and advocacy for
women's rights in India.

9) Sahoo,Alka, in her journal “Women's movement and social change in India”

she focuses on the need of the women’s movement, its phases and its
impact on the society as well as adoption of women oriented laws to
protect them. It has been found that the women’s movements has played a
positive role among women, society and Government towards women’s
issues like gender inequality, crime against women, their social, economic,
political and legal rights. The women’s movement has brought social change
in Indian society by drawing everybody’s attention towards women’ issues
and changing the present status of Indian women.

10) K.Kartika,2020, , in her journal” Empowerment of indian women:

challenges of 21st century” A wide range of women's movements and non-
governmental organisations with a deep interest and interest in women's
issues have contributed to inspirational initiatives to empower women and
women constitute about 48% of the complete people of the country.
According India’s constitution, women are lawful citizens of the country and
states make equal constitutional rights with it. The idea of women
empowerment was introduced at the global women symposium in 1985.The
government has launched and implemented major programs, such as
assistance in women’s education, women’s development corporation etc. If
laws addressing women’s issues have a dramatic and positive impact on
women’s lives, they must take into account the social, economic and
political benefits of women around the world.

RESEARCH GAP:- The researchers want to examine the impact of

Challenges over women movement regarding their freedom, rights, and
security of life. . Cause of women movement not only in India but also
entire world as well as studied about The government of India initiated
several rules and laws for development of women, but due to the lack of
its implementation women has been deprived from their rights.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:-

1. What are the key historical phases of the women's movement in

India, and how have they shaped gender rights today?
2. What challenges do contemporary women’s movements in India
face in terms of advocacy, mobilization, and implementation of
gender equality initiatives?
3. How do intersectional factors (such as caste, class, and religion)
impact the effectiveness and inclusivity of women's movements in
India?
4. How do governmental and non-governmental organizations
contribute to the success or limitations of the women’s movement
in India?

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE:-
1. To examine the historical evolution of the women's movement in
India and its impact on gender rights.
2. To identify key challenges that hinder the success of contemporary
women’s movements in India.
3. To explore the role of intersectionality in shaping the dynamics of the
women’s movement in India.
4. To investigate the contributions of governmental and non-
governmental organizations in promoting gender equality.
TENTATIVE CHAPTERISATION:-

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:-

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