"Though women in post-Independent India have excelled in various fields, the social attitude towards women…

Question

"Though women in post-Independent India have excelled in various fields, the social attitude towards women and feminist movement has been patriarchal." Apart from women education and women empowerment schemes, what interventions can help change this milieu?

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Beyond education and schemes, India's patriarchal milieu changes through real political quotas, gender-sensitised courts and police, property and workplace rights, shared care, men as allies, stereotype-free media and inclusive feminism. The Time Use Survey 2024 found women doing 289 minutes of unpaid domestic work daily against 88 for men.

**Introduction**

Despite women's achievements in science, sport and defence, a 2022 Pew survey found 87% of Indians agreeing a wife must always obey her husband. Beyond education and schemes, change needs interventions in law, institutions and culture.

**Interventions in Law and Institutions**

SKETCH: concentric | Levels of Intervention
- State and law
- Media and culture
- Workplace and market
- Community
- Family

1. **Political voice**: Operationalise the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (2023) promptly after delimitation and curb "sarpanch pati" proxy rule in panchayats.
2. **Sensitised justice**: Take the Supreme Court's Handbook on Combating Gender Stereotypes (2023) and the Aparna Bhat (2021) ruling down to trial courts and police stations.
3. **Property and work**: Turn Vineeta Sharma (2020) coparcenary rights into actual titles, enforce the POSH Act 2013 and add paid paternity leave.

**Interventions in Family, Community and Culture**

1. **Sharing care**: The Time Use Survey 2024 found women doing 289 minutes of unpaid domestic work daily against 88 for men; crèches and shared-housework campaigns reduce this burden.
2. **Men and media**: Engage men as allies, as Bell Bajao and MASVAW do, and enforce ASCI's 2022 guidelines against gender stereotypes in advertising.
3. **Inclusive feminism**: Amplify Dalit and Adivasi women's leadership, as the National Federation of Dalit Women does, so the movement itself is less hierarchical.

**Way Forward**

1. **Track mindsets**: Measure attitudes on dowry, mobility and violence in NFHS and district dashboards, and audit laws and party ticket lists for gender bias every year.

**Conclusion**

Article 51A(e) asks citizens to renounce practices derogatory to women's dignity. When care is shared and women hold property and power, India's social attitude will match its women's achievements and SDG 5.

"Though women in post-Independent India have excelled in various fields, the social attitude towards women and feminist movement has been patriarchal." Apart from women education and women empowerment schemes, what interventions can help change this milieu?

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