GENDER DESCRIMINATION

CONTENTS OF PRESENTATIONInfanticide Child marriageDowry deathWomen traffickingSexual harrassment at work placeWage gapWomen status in conservative

nations

MANU SMRITI (The laws of manu) Gender descrimination is deep rooted in the

society since ancient period.I. Women should be controlled at youth and adult

by father and husband respectively. She never be left independent.

II. Father sins if he keeps his matured daughter at home without being married.

III. If women hears chant by accident, molten iron should be poured into her ears.

FEMALE INFANTICIDEIt is an act of deliberately killing the female

infant.

In the societies that are patrilineal the family choose to allow more sons and kill daughters as the former will support their birth family whereas the latter will leave economically and geographically to join their husband’s family.

ONE CHILD POLICYToday in china, there are 124 males for every

100 femalesDue to the government policy of one child per

couple there is enormous disparity in sex ratio, so people would prefer male child leading to female foeticide.

by 2020 there will be 35 million surplus males in china.

In 1992 there was a shocking news from tamil nadu where 196 girls were killed in the Usillampatti area.

If the same situation prevails by 2020 there could be more than 25 million young surplus males in india

CHILD MARRIAGEFACTORS ENDORSING CHILD MARRIAGE:

i. The aristocracy of some cultures tend to use child marriage among different states as a method to secure political ties between them. Eg: the son or daughter of the royal family of a weaker power would sometimes be married to the royal family of a stronger neighbour to prevent humiliation.

ii. Parents substantiate that physical attraction at youth is not a suitable foundation upon which to build a marriage and a family.

iii. Sometimes consanguineous marriages are enforced on the children by elders just to reinforce and strengthen the relationships.

TWO SORTS OF CHILD MARRIAGESI. Marrying the young child to an adult man

II. Here parents of the two children from different families arrange a future marriage, the individuals who do not meet one another untill the wedding ceremony.

EFFECTS OF CHILD MARRIAGEIt hampers the educationIt violates the right of the girl to choose her

partner.It confines the girl to the household chores at

an early ageThe girl will have limited access to the

society which will affect her all round development

All these factors will have adverse psychological effect on the girl.

DOWRY DEATHSIt is wealth given to the bride for her

wellbeing by her family at the time of departure with her inlaws.

But often it is misused by the inlaws for their vested interest.

Women are subjected to various atrocities when her family fails to meet the demands of her inlaws.

WOMEN MAY BE SUBJECTED TO: Mental torture leading to suicide Hanging Burnt to death

SEXUAL HARRASMENT AT WORKPLACE

Usage of vulgar, sexually explicit languageSexual comments regarding physical appearance and

clothing.Whistling, kissing sounds and smacking noisesStanding inappropriately close to womenHugging and kissing when uninvitedCalling to one’s personal no. at inappropriate timeIntimidation if she refuses to fulfill ones pleas

COMMON VICTIMS- HOUSE MAIDSThe least powerful section of the society is

exploited by upper classes.

MOLESTATIONOf late its incidence is on the rise.Some men take advantage of the fact that

women can be easily overpoweredWe have the recent examples of nandigram

and SPS Rathore.

EFFECTS ON THE VICTIMDecreased performance at work and

increased absenteeismDefamation of character and

reputationBeing humiliated by gossipHaving to drop jobs which affects

their incomeHaving one’s personal life come

under scrutiny and attack.

WOMEN TRAFFICKINGIt is a illegal trade in human beings for the

purpose of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labour

Tactics used by traffickers to pursue womeni. Promise lucrative opportunities unacheivable in

the normal course of their lifeii. Promise of an opportunity to studyiii. Offering legitimate workiv. Forceful kidnapping

There are two kinds of trafficking;

1. Intra border2. Inter border

Most of the girls are sold in metropolitian cities where they are forced into prostitution and bonded labour.

By the time they realise their purpose of involvement it is too late.

STATUS OF WOMEN IN CONSERVATIVE NATIONS

Women neither have right to vote nor are they given any political participation

Women have no right to dress as per their wish

- In some countries women are forced to cover

their face with veil.

On disobeying the laws of religion women are subjected to inhuman punishment according to a fatwa declared by a clergy.

BLOOD MONEYIt is the money given as a solace to the family

of murdered/killed person The blood money given after death of a

woman is half of that given following the death of a man.

BEFORE CHANGING STATUS OF WOMEN IT IS ESSENTIAL TO CHANGE MENTALITY OF MEN

When she raised her voice for the revision of shariya in her literary work ‘Lajja’, she was hounded and forced to flee her nation following which she is in exile even today.