- The prejudices, misogynistic views, patriarchal mindset, anachronistic beliefs, and general discrimination towards women are seen even now despite progressing exponentially over the centuries sadly mirror how society has been stuck in a time warp. Agreed, when humanity slowly started to evolve, the great emphasis laid on physical well-being was par for the course measure. However, the present-day world is defined as the most modern one riding piggyback on the unimaginable technological advancements in every field. The moot point to ponder over here is whether the benefits of these innovations, inventions, and growth achievements reached intended beneficiaries on expected lines.
PC: News9Live
- Unfortunately, the answer must be a resounding no since the treatment meted out to women has not seen much improvement from medieval times. Despite modern governments laying tremendous emphasis on gender parity, equality of opportunities, and offering level-playing fields, women are still treated as second-class citizens where the priority is always accorded to males. Women have made their presence felt in every field, but society’s deep-rooted discriminatory tendencies haven’t stopped. The latest to emerge on this matter is that married women aren’t hired in a major manufacturing plant shows how deep discrimination runs. Labor contractors for Apple supplier Foxconn are not hiring married women for an iPhone assembly plant in Tamil Nadu.
- Reasons informally cited include married women’s work burden at home, the fact they get pregnant and need more time off, and that they wear jewelry that interferes with the production line. Can you believe these reasons? Appalling. These are not reasons but all the bad old excuses, an oppressive norm that trips women at every step. Women’s labor force participation is worryingly low in India. Women have dropped out at all levels of education, age, and income. Whether in casual work, formal salaried work, or self-employment, the gulf persists. Further, women who face intersecting forms of disadvantage, of poverty, caste, or minority status, are the worst off.
PC: Times Now
- In white-collar work, women are labeled as less than committed, given less challenging assignments, and put on a career plateau. The cost of maternity leave is held against them too. While these are global problems, India is hamstrung by the lack of a clear anti-discrimination framework in employment. So, a social bias endures in barely disguised forms, despite an equal remuneration law that prohibits discriminatory hiring and pay and several court judgments to that effect. Individuals are less able to litigate or seek a remedy. Employers find ways to justify their stance. Also, it’s telling that many employers welcome married men, and begrudge married women.
- Women are indeed burdened with childcare, eldercare, and household duties, because of oppressive social norms. And when they seek paid jobs, they are done by the same norms. It says something about our society and the state that we allow an employer like Foxconn to get away with such sweeping discrimination. This must stop. Women are second to none. The government authorities to step in to address the glaring anachronistic anomaly staring in the face.
