The world is progressing, but oppression persists, particularly for women. Degrading women has been a polarising issue throughout history, and unfortunately, it lingers in many parts of the world today, including India. Women are still stained with inferiority as people resist deeply ingrained cultural, gender, and societal norms.
And, like any humanitarian belief, you want to see a significant change in women’s empowerment in India. You’ve emerged because you believe slow progress is better than no progress. You are intent that once you ignite the flame of hope for equality, the right goals for women’s empowerment will undoubtedly spread worldwide, not just in India.
So, to back up your emotions with accurate facts and examples about women’s degradation, let’s look at the past and recent history of women’s empowerment in India.
A Travel Back in Time: Oppression for Indian Women
It’s difficult to say where it all began. Still, one thing is sure: gender degradation took many forms and was fueled by various factors, including culture, religion, and socioeconomic status.
Seventy-three years ago, women were traditionally placed below men in a caste system. Young or old, women from marginalised communities have faced sexual abuse, violence, and discrimination from men of the higher cast. When you are born Dalit and a woman, you are bound to face a life of abuse from patriarchal rules that transcends the boundary of logic.
And today, gender discrimination still exists, with women accounting for only 1% of entrepreneurs. It appears that empowerment has been a challenge to advocate. As a result, more organisations, such as Udyogini, are consistently working hard to create a gender-just world.
A Glimmer of Hope: The Beginning of Women’s Empowerment in India
It all starts with Savitribai Phule, India’s first female educator. When women see one woman rise, it ignites their freedom-fighter hearts and drives them to break free from oppression. Since that one change, women’s rights organisations, activists, and donations have significantly increased.
For example, in February 2022, Udyogini held a national-level referendum in which leaders informed members about the program’s goal of empowering women to become financially independent and influential decision-makers. This program is in line with the organisation’s mission of value chain intervention and livelihood development.
Udyogini’s Fight for Women’s Equality
Udyogini is an Indian non-governmental organization (NGO) that aims to empower women in India by achieving several goals, including:
- Assist women in developing skills and knowledge in areas of business;
- Encourage women to start and run their businesses by providing capital, business resources, and networking opportunities;
- Give women access to credit and other financial services that will assist them in growing their businesses;
- Raise awareness in India about gender-based violence and discrimination;
- Improve women’s socioeconomic status by creating opportunities for them;
- Encourage long-term growth by promoting environmentally friendly business practices; and
- Increase women’s leadership and decision-making abilities by allowing them to participate in community activities.
“If Not Today, When?”
In a nutshell, oppression may have been a widespread problem in the past, but it still exists today. However, more organisations advocate for and empower women to eliminate gender discrimination.
You can do something to give women the equality they deserve, like Udyogini’s objectives of women’s empowerment for a gender-just world. You can get involved by partnering with, donating to, supporting, and amplifying women’s empowerment in India through reputable non-governmental organisations (NGOs). With your advocacy, let’s create a world where children and women feel safer.
Get Involved!
Communicate with us if you are determined to be a catalyst of change for positive results in our advocacies of women empowerment in India. Please get in touch with us at +91-11-45781125 or +91-9319620533.
