Western patriarchy which surrenders feminine principles is new development project in India. Do you agree with this view? Why?. (UPSC CSE Mains 2018 - Sociology, Paper 2)
- The concept of Western patriarchy refers to a social system where power, authority, and privilege are disproportionately held by men, and male-dominated norms and values are entrenched in various aspects of society. Western patriarchy is a system where men hold power, marginalizing feminine principles.
- Feminist movements and advocacy have been instrumental in promoting gender equality and challenging the surrender of feminine principles in Western patriarchy. These efforts seek to create a more equitable and inclusive society that values and respects all gender identities .
India has taken several steps to develop a gender-inclusive society, recognizing the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment. The legal reforms aligns idea of liberal feminists agenda of social reforms.
Some of these steps include:
- Legal Reforms: India has enacted numerous laws and amendments to protect women’s rights and promote gender equality. These include the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, and amendments to the Indian Penal Code related to crimes against women. The legal reforms aligns idea of liberal feminists agenda of social reforms.
- Positive Affirmative Steps: The Indian government has implemented reservations for women in local governance bodies (Panchayats) with a percentage of seats reserved for women at various levels of government.
- Education Initiatives: Initiatives like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao aim to promote girls’ education and combat gender-based discrimination in education.
- Economic Empowerment: Schemes like the Stand Up India program, which promotes entrepreneurship among women and marginalized groups, and the MUDRA Yojana, which provides financial support to small businesses, aim to economically empower women.
- Maternity Benefits: The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act extends maternity leave and benefits, providing better support for working mothers.
- Women’s Safety: Initiatives like the Nirbhaya Fund have been established to enhance the safety and security of women, including the creation of One-Stop Centers for victims of violence.
- Transgender Rights: Recognizing the rights of transgender individuals, including legal recognition of the third gender and affirmative action for their inclusion.
However radical feminism agenda and Marxists and conflict school feminists sees these reforms as insufficient and masking the exploitative systems.
- According to Marxists feminist the state is working to safeguard capitalism and they seek abolition of capitalism to solve the patriarchal issues.
- Radical feminists agenda aligns with abolition of family structures as a solution to achieve gender equality. They seek all women space and all women organisations.
While these steps are important, challenges persist, including the need for greater awareness, cultural shifts, and continued efforts to combat gender-based discrimination and violence. Developing a truly gender-inclusive society in India requires on-going commitment and collaboration among government, civil society, and individuals at all levels.
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