IASbaba's Flagship Course: Integrated Learning Programme (ILP) - 2024 Read Details
TOPIC:
General studies 1:
General studies 2:
In News: Like any other day, Archana Jayant was present along with her six-month-old daughter, Anika, in the police station in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district, but was clicked by someone and her picture went viral on social media last week. The Deputy Inspector General of Police applauded the dedication of Archana who also has a 10-year-old daughter.
Woman is an integral part of the society. According to census 2011, females contribute to 48.5% of the Indian population. Traditionally, Indian women had been home makers. In late decades, with the spread of education and better awareness, along with increasing cost of living, women have shifted from home to career. Like many other countries, India has provided a stage for growth and development for women. However, women in India are still seen as the family manager back home. This attitude of the society has put dual responsibilities on women: pursuing a career and economic independence, while continuing, to bear the stress of household work. It can eventually take a toll on women’s physical and mental health.
The plight of scores of other working mothers is no different from Archana's. Lack of proper infrastructure means mothers have to suffer to be bread winners or support their families. Several other mothers give up on their careers and lifestyle due to lack of adequate facilities. Those in the un-organised sector however, don't even have that option, their plight is far worse.
The biggest challenge to work as women in this country and then when you are a mother it adds to your challenges.
Some of the solutions that can be incorporated:
At policy level:
At an organisation level:
Conclusion:
We, as a society, are in deep slumber on these issues concerning women. I think it's time that we started talking about equal partnerships at home with her husband. But what does she do when she leaves the confines of her home and goes to a workplace – you can't negotiate from a position of weakness. Even the working father should be able to demand a crèche. It should not be just the responsibility of a mother to raise the child. A tragic question to ponder upon as we struggle as a country to benefit from the demographic dividend that we are blessed with!
Connecting the Dots:
A World Bank study suggests that female labor force participation has been declining since 2004 in comparison to other developing countries as far as India is concerned. How do we reverse that trend really? Discuss.