Feminist Views on Family in India

Feminist Views on Family in India

Author Name : Ayesha Siddika Sekh

ABSTRACT

Indian feminists reject the notion of family as a realm of cooperation and harmony. They believed that family is based on unequal resources distribution between male and female members of the household. They note that economic self-interest governed the relations within a family. In India women’s lives in the family is also a struggle as women do not own land.  Women in lower caste cannot access village resources easily as they are constantly harassed by members of higher caste. Women’s work is also not valued as it is considered as an extension of household activities. this is also the main reason for women’s work to be considered as parttime therefore women’s labour is paid less.  Women if they earn also they have no control in their earning, their menfolk control the meagre earnings they have.  Women’s endurance is valued by the society and women when go out in public to earn, they are judged from the patriarchal moral perspective. Women are given less nutritious food within household. Leaving home or divorce becomes a question of honour of the family.  In majority of Indian family male children are preferred thus women also bear this burden. The 1991 census operations included home based domestic as well as productive labour under the category of employment. This process established a recognizable shift in Indian state thinking on women’s work. During this time the Shramshakti Report on women’s worker in the non-formal sector was also published. This shift in perception of women’s work from valueless to valuable had an impact on policy making concerning employment and health options for women. Women’s health from childhood and puberty to menopause is neglected. There is a need to take care of women’s right to property, nutrition , health and the need to inculcate the perception of women’s labour as productive.