📘 History & Political Science
👩⚖️ Empowerment of Women and Weaker Sections
Learn about India's journey towards equality - women's movements, anti-dowry laws, constitutional provisions, and the empowerment of marginalized communities.
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Mind Map
Slide Deck - India's Journey: Women Activism and Social Justice
Video Overview
📹 Video 1: Empowerment in India
📹 Video 2: India's Women's Movement
Audio Overview
Listen to an AI-generated podcast discussing India's Social Justice: Laws vs Custom:
Study Guide
✍️ Essay Questions
Develop detailed responses to the following prompts, drawing evidence from the source material.
- Analyze the role of grassroots movements, such as the laatne morcha, the Chipko movement, and the anti-liquor movement, in demonstrating and consolidating "woman power" in post-independence India.
- Trace the evolution of legal protections for women in India from the 1950s to the 1990s. Discuss the objectives and impact of at least four specific laws mentioned in the text.
- Examine the significance of the 1975 International Women's Year on the women's movement in India. How did it lead to the formation of new organizations, publications, and a more critical analysis of women's issues?
- Compare and contrast the social and economic challenges faced by Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Nomadic/De-notified Tribes. How does the Constitution and government policy attempt to address the unique circumstances of each group?
- Evaluate the relationship between legal reform and social awareness in addressing deep-rooted issues like the dowry system. Using the data and events provided, discuss why the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 had to be amended in 1984.
Timeline of Movements & Legislation
| Year | Movement/Law | Key Personalities | Objective | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Hindu Law Reform | — | Women's rights in family & property | Right to alimony, streedhan; polygamy made illegal |
| 1961 | Dowry Prohibition Act | — | Dismantle dowry tradition | Made dowry a cognizable criminal offence |
| 1961 | Maternity Benefit Act | — | Leave for childbirth | Women entitled to maternity leave |
| 1972 | Laatne Morcha | Mrinal Gore | Protest rising prices & scarcity | Success; showed united woman power |
| 1973 | Chipko Movement | Gaura Devi, Sunderlal Bahuguna | Prevent commercial felling of trees | Women embraced trees to protect them |
| 1975 | Committee on Status of Women | Dr Phulrenu Guha | Survey women's social position | Identified issues; evaluated constitutional provisions |
| 1975 | Stree-mukti Sangharsha Samiti | — | Fight gender/caste discrimination | Published manifesto; "Streemuktichi Lalkari" |
| 1976 | Mahila Dakshata Samiti | Pramila Dandavate | Address women's issues | Branches across states |
| 1977 | Streemukti Andolan Samiti | Saudamini Rao | Fight women's oppression | Anti-dowry protection committees formed |
| 1980 | Akhil Bharatiya Janavadi Mahila Sanghatana | Communist Party | Fight dowry, foeticide, domestic abuse | Branches all over India |
| 1984 | Family Courts | — | Resolve domestic conflicts justly | Priority to mutual understanding & counsellors |
| 1984 | Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) | — | Strengthen anti-dowry law | More stringent provisions enacted |
| 1985 | Shah Bano Case | Shah Bano Begum | Right to alimony for divorced woman | Supreme Court ruled in favor; Muslim Women's Act passed |
| 1988 | Sati (Prevention) Act | Roop Kanwar case | Prevent sati practice & glorification | Stringent provisions enacted after 1987 sati case |
| 1992 | Anti-liquor Movement | Women of Dubuganta village | Ban alcohol/arrack sales | Closure of arrack shops; strict government policy |
| 1993 | Protection of Human Rights Act | — | Prevent injustice to all | National Human Rights Commission formed |
| — | 73rd & 74th Amendments | — | Political representation for women | 33% (50% in Maharashtra) seats reserved in local bodies |
Flashcards
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Interactive Quiz
Question 1 of 9
What was the primary objective of the Chipko movement that began in 1973?
Question 2 of 9
The anti-liquor movement in Andhra Pradesh in 1992 was significantly
inspired by a narrative from a state-run literacy programme. What was the name of this
narrative?
Question 3 of 9
In 1975, the United Nations' International Women's Year, the government
of India formed a committee to survey the status of women. Who was its appointed chairman?
Question 4 of 9
The Dowry Prohibition Act was first enacted in 1961. What was the primary
reason for the introduction of the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act in 1984?
Question 5 of 9
What was the key principle guiding the establishment of Family Courts in
1984?
Question 6 of 9
The passing of the Sati (Prevention) Act in 1988, with its very stringent
provisions, was a direct response to which specific event from the previous year?
Question 7 of 9
Which set of constitutional amendments mandated the reservation of seats
for women in local self-government bodies like Gram Panchayats and municipalities?
Question 8 of 9
Under the British Law of 1871, certain groups were labelled 'criminal
tribes'. After this unjust law was repealed post-independence, what category were these
groups included under?
Question 9 of 9
Which of these women's organisations was established in 1980 by the
Communist Party to start a struggle against issues like dowry and domestic abuse?
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