Social evils in India

Social evils are issues which inone way or another affectsmembers of a society and isoften considered controversialor problematic in terms ofmoral values. Some of the mostcommon social values wouldbe child labor, child marriage,dowry system, genderinequality at work, castesystem etc…

CHILD MARRIAGE

Child marriage, defined as a formal marriage or informal union before age 18, is a reality for both boys and girls, although girls are disproportionately the most affected. Child marriage is widespread and can lead to a lifetime of disadvantage and deprivation.

child marriage violates girl’s rights to health, education and opportunity. It exposes girls to violence throughout their lives, and traps them in a cycle of poverty. More than 700 million women and 150 million men already suffer the consequences of child marriage.

CHILD LABOR

Child labor refers to the employment ofchildren in any work that deprives childrenof their childhood, interferes with theirability to attend regular school, and that ismentally, physically, socially, or morallydangerous and harmful. Child labor hasexisted to varying extents, through most ofhistory. During the 19th and early 20thcenturies many children aged 5-14 frompoorer families still worked in Europe, theunited states and various colonies ofEuropean powers. These children mainlyworked in agriculture home-basedassembly operations, factories, miningetc…

DOWRY SYSTEM

In our Indian society there are numerous problems like superstitions, illiteracy, caste system and dowry system etc… One of the most worst evils of Indian society is the dowry system. The word ‘dowry’ means the property and money that a bride brings to her husband’s house at the time of her marriage. It is a custom that is prevalent in all the sections of our society in one form or the other. At the beginning it was voluntary, but later on the social pressure was such that very few could escape from it. The dowry at present is a source of both joy and curse in the society. It is also a joy to the husband and his relatives who get cash, costly dress and utensils, furniture, bedding materials etc… a demand of dowry does not diminish even after marriage.

PRACTICE OF SATHI

Sati or suttee is an obsolete Hindu funeral custom where a widow immolates herself on her husband’s pyre or commits suicide in another fashion shortly after her husbands death. Mention of the practice can be dated back to the 4th century BC. Under British rule the practice was initially tolerated. In the province of Bengal, sati was attended by a colonial Govt: official, which states Ahmed, “not only seemed to accord an official sanction, but also increased its prestige value. Under sustained campaigning against sati by Christian missionaries such as William Carey and Brahmin Hindu reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy the provincial Govt: banned sati in

1829.

CASTE SYSTEM

The origins of caste system in India and Nepal are shrouded, but it seems to have originated more than two thousand years ago. Under this system, which is associated with Hinduism, people were categorized by their occupation. Although originally caste depended upon a person’s work, it soon became hereditary. Each person was born into a unalterable social status.

The four primary castes are: Brahmin, the priests; Kshatriya, warriors and nobility; Vaisya, farmers, traders and artisants; Shudras, tenents farmers and servants.

POVERTY

Poverty in India is an important issue in India, despite having one of the fastest growing economies in the world, clocked at a growth rate of 7.6% in 2015, and a sizable consumer economy: deutsche bank research estimated that there are nearly 300 million people who are middle class. Poverty is a national problem and it must be solved on a war footing. The govt: is taking a number of steps to mitigate poverty. Eradication of poverty would ensure a sustainable and inclusive growth of economy and society.

GENDER INEQUALITY AT WORK

Gender inequality is a type of sex discrimination which results in a particular individual being treated disadvantageously because of their gender. This is something which has plagued women in the workplace for a long time now, and still persists despite all the leaps and bonds women’s rights movements have made. It must also be noted that while gender inequality is something that mainly women have to deal with, there are some men who have had to deal with this issue too. In the workplace, it is common for most women to encounter some form of gender bias.

ALCOHOLISM

Alcoholism is the inability to controldrinking due to both a physical andemotional dependence on alcohol.Symptoms include repeated alcoholconsumption despite related legal andhealth issues. Those with alcoholism maybegin each day with a drink, feel guiltyabout their drinking and have the desire tocut down on the amount of drinking.Treatment involves counseling by ahealthcare professional. A detoxificationprogramme in a hospital or medical facilityis an option for those who need additionalassistance. Medications are available thatreduce the desire to drink.