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5.1. Women’s Movements

The roots of the Indian women’s movement go back to the nineteenth century male social reformers who took up issues concerning women and started women’s organizations. Women started forming their own organization from the end of the nineteenth century first at the local and then at the national level. In the years before independence, the two main issues they took up were political rights and reform of personal laws. Women’s participation in the freedom struggle broadened the base of the women’s movement.

In post-independence India, large number of women’s autonomous groups has sprung up challenging patriarchy and taking up a variety of issues such as violence against women, greater share for women in political decision making, etc. both at the activist and academic level. India has a rich and vibrant women’s movement but it has still a long way to go to achieve gender equality and gender justice

 

5.1.1. Women’s Movement as a Social Movement5.1.2. Dimensions of Indian Women’s Movement5.1.3. Pre-Independence Women’s MovementsWomen’s Organization Started by WomenNational Women’s Organization5.1.3.2. National Freedom Movement-Mahatma GandhiWomen in Labour MovementOther Major Organizations5.1.4.1. Constitutional Provisions and Social Legislation5.1.4.2. Planned Development and Women’s IssuesThe Five Year PlansTowards Equality- A Report, which Actually Set the Government and Voluntary Groups Thinking.Sixth Five Year Plan: The Shift from Welfare to DevelopmentThe Seventh Five Year PlanLandmarks (highlights) of the Eighth PlanThe Ninth Five Year Plan- From Development to Empowerment-Women's Empowerment Year, 2001The Tenth Plan (2002-07)MGNREGA and WomenThe Eleventh and the Twelfth Plan5.1.4.3. Role of Voluntary OrganizationsResurgence of Women’s Movements in the 70s: Issues and ActionsEmergence of New Organizations and Approachesi) Organisationii) ApproachesDeforestation and Ecological MovementIssue Based Movements in the 1970s and 1980siii) Anti-dowry Movementsiv) Anti-sati Movementv) Anti-rape MovementOther Organizations in Voluntary SectorSHGs and Women