Indian ’ Movement (IWM) emerged as a part of the social reform movement during the British rule. Initially, men and later reformers devotedly bore social ridicule, religious excommunication, and loneliness to against some of the injustices perpetrated on *, especially the ill-treated widows, such as Sati, prostitution, child marriage etc.
After a prolonged campaign and much reluctance on the part of the British, a law banning Sati was passed in 1829. ***** remained confined, by purdah and feudal custom, to household chores. The first Mahila Mandals organised by the Aiya Samaj and the Brahmo Samaj, the reformist organisations, provided the space for reformation.
By the early 1900s, ’ organisations based on language, religion or ** services proliferated, mainly in urban centers. For example, a Brahmin ’ Home was built by Subbalakshmi Ammal in Madras, the Mahila Seva Samaj in Mysore, the Bhagini Samaj in Pune, the Chamanbai Maternity and Child ** Board in Baroda etc.
The All India ’ Conference (AIWC), which was established in 1924, and became the single largest voice of the divergent groups, infused all its old and new demands with an equal rights perspective. They demanded for co-education, while the reform law included marriage, divorce and inheritance; economic equality included a right to one’ husband’ income and pension for widows; and surprisingly the right to **** was also included.
Independence brought many promises and dreams for too — the dream of an egalitarian, democratic society in which both men and would have a voice. After Independence, the dust and din of ****’ activism gave way to the development of institutions and organisations.
Many middle class ***** found a place in the expanding service and educational sectors, government structures or the professions. This – numerically small but conspicuous entry into formerly prohibited areas gave rise to an image of the ‘new’ emancipated Indian woman.
By the 1960s, it was clear that many of the promises of independence were unfulfilled. Thus the 1960s and 1970s saw a spate of movements in which took part in campaigns against rising prices, movements for land rights, peasant movements etc. from different parts of the country came together to form groups both inside and outside political parties.
Towards the beginning of the 1980s in Mumbai the Stree Mukti Sanghatana, the Socialist ’ Group organised study circles and the first * activists’ meeting. The Stree Shakti Sanghatana in Hyderabad influenced the formation of the Purogami Sanghatana in Pune. The Stree Sangarsh, and the Mahila Dakshata in Delhi, Pennurimai gyakkam in Chennai, Vimochana in Bengaluru were a few of the new well known organisations.
Rallying around specific instances of **** against , the feminists sought to create public awareness through protest marches, sit-in strikes and media publicity. ’ organisations established in the post-independence days have, consistently attacked the anti- bias in society, provided support to * in distress and remained vigilant against sexist bias in national policies and implementations.
These include: invasive reproduction and family planning technologies; discriminatory practises in education and employment; and laws that countervail gender equality. The ****’ movement in India has, over the years, seen different splits and alliances, organisations and platforms, and responded to different issues with different answers and actions.
The leadership of the ’ movement has remained predominantly middle class The ’ movement in India has chosen to influence and pressurize the State and its organs rather than oppose, ***** and seize State power.
