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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | 'Mothers' in rural India continue to face discrimination

'Mothers' in rural India continue to face discrimination

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published Published on May 10, 2010   modified Modified on May 10, 2010


Though Mother's Day is celebrated across the world to honour mothers and motherhood, a number of women (mothers) in rural areas and urban slums are bound to face hardships and neglect.

Even after decades of independence, rural women continue to be in a state of neglect in Naugarh block of Chandauli district. Gender bias, lack of education, excessive responsibility, lack of recognition, conservative attitude of society and lack of awareness are major problems they face.

A study conducted in some selected villages of Naugarh block by a professor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) revealed that only nine out of 303 women of these villages were literate, but not enough to be able to read. The study was conducted on socio-personal characteristics of women from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes conducted by Prof Indira Bishnoi of Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, BHU, and Shivani Srivastava.

"The fundamental issues concerning women and their socio-personal characteristics are illiteracy, traditional beliefs, poor transport facilities, small land holdings, over work, mental stress, pregnancy and typical agro-ecological situations," Bishnoi told TOI. She said out of 111, six villages including Aurawant, Semar, Nunwat, Musahar, Shahpur and Karmbandh were selected randomly for the study. About 50 per cent area of Naugarh block belongs to SC and ST communities like Kharwar, Chamar, Mushar, who live in close vicinity to the forest areas of Naugarh and Chakiya blocks.

In Aurawantand village, 30 per cent men and only one woman were found literate up to eighth standard. There was only one primary school run by an NGO and children had to go to Naugharh for further studies. The analysis of the socio-economic condition indicated that 40 per cent of their income came from the forest, 40 per cent from agriculture and 20 per cent from animal husbandry and labour. The forest provides tendu patta, piyar (chiraungi) seeds and mohua fruit, which contribute to a major part of their income. Due to gradual deforestation, women have to walk long distances for fuel wood collection.

According to the report, there was one primary school and an anganwadi centre in Nunwat village dominated by Kharwar caste. The village had no source of irrigation except rain. The women in the area were subjected to early marriages and early child bearing. The first pregnancy often occurred before 18 years of age. The average age of marriage among girls was 13 years. As far as literacy was concerned, 98 per cent women were found illiterate.

The situation was more or less similar in other villages. In Muahar village, all inhabitants belonged to the Musahar caste. The main occupations of the village included making leaf plates, honey collection and agricultural labour. The natives of Semar village had to go to Chakiya, 53-km away, for shopping or medical purposes. There was one primary school, one well and a handpump in the village. Women used to take baths and wash their clothes near the well in the open. There were no literate women in the village. Karmabandh village about 3-km from Naugarh market was properly linked by road and had two primary schools. However, girls up to the age of 15 years were literate up to primary level.

Social backwardness and gender discrimination are the main hindrances to the upliftment of women in the area, Prof Bishnoi said adding women realised that they were being discriminated against, but lacked the will and the courage to fight for their rights. The report said the area was deprived of proper schooling facilities. Though efforts have been made by NGOs to provide basic and primary education, the results are not very encouraging. Women participation in agricultural activities, household activities and collecting forest produce is commendable, but even so, the right to take major decisions rests with the men. It was suggested that women should be provided with formal education so that they could not become victims of their ignorance and backwardness.


The Times of India, 9 May, 2010, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Varanasi/Mothers-in-rural-India-continue-to-face-discrimination/articleshow/5910337.cms


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