ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF GENDER EQUALITY IN TRIBAL SOCIETY BY - KAILAS P. VASAVE
ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF GENDER
EQUALITY IN TRIBAL SOCIETY
AUTHORED BY - KAILAS
P. VASAVE
Designation- Assistant Professor of Law,
Affiliated Institute- Maharashtra National Law University,
Nagpur
Contact- kailasvasavep@gmail.com / 9405372708
Abstract-
The
structure of tribal society is based on equality. It has been observed that
women have more than equal social status in tribal communities as compared to
Indian women. But this belief is controversial when we analyze today’s scenario
of tribal women when it comes to legal or educational status. However, it
cannot be debated that tribal women have an important role to play in the
customary practices, following their own rituals and cultural activities.
Tribal women enjoy every right equally to men in society. The census report of
2011, HDI, health issues in tribal areas, various welfare schemes provided to
tribal women, and their implementation are in doubt. Tribal communities
generally lived in isolated places in hilly and rural areas, where no
government or its machinery reached for the empowerment of tribal women. Tribal
women face many problems relating to their economic backwardness, health
(Reproduction and Nutrition issues), and education. For this research article, the
researcher’s purpose is to use the primary and secondary data available and
analyze the facts with social reality. Researchers want to attempt how tribal
society treats tribal women on various occasions and how tribal women participate
in social change. For this, researchers have opted for doctrinal research and
informal observation. Researchers want to focus on how modernization or
liberalization impacts tribal women’s livelihood, various issues and challenges
before gender equality, and justice relating to tribal women in India.
Keywords-
Gender Equality, Tribal Society, Women, Social Status.
Introduction
After Independence, first time in
Indian history, a scheduled tribe’s women were elected as the President of
India. And this is nothing but a victory of Indian democracy that the Women
belonging to the tribal community are the first Citizens of Nations. A tribal
society is a society that believes in labor, culture, and community worship.
There is no gender discrimination in tribal society. Women have a place of
honor in the tribal society women are given a better position and status than
men. Tribal women were comprised half of the Indian Tribal Population and
deeply connected to the customary practices.
- Customary Practices
And Tribal Women
Mainly tribal women take priority in
various social and cultural activities of tribals. Tribal women have the lead
role in various festivals, birth and death rituals, marriage ceremonies, and
nature worship. Tribal Women have their place in every cultural program held in
the tribal society. Thus, we say that the place of women is very important in
tribal customs and traditions.
It can be seen that women are not
much involved in settling disputes or conflicts and settling issues in the
tribal society. Tribal Women do not have
a special place in the ‘Panch’ people who function as village Judge. It can
also be said that women are not called as judges (Panch) to adjudicate the
matter. However, women have indeed been given a place in the tribal justice
system. The women’s involvement and active participation are in the tribal
justice system. In case of any women’s issues, women are consulted.
Women were given special status as
witnesses and women were called witnesses. The freedom of tribal women is
mainly taken up in the tribal social structure. Tribal Women have the freedom
to choose their partners. A widow is remarried. Tribal women are not suspected
of character. Without a girl, the tribal
family cannot be completed. Thus, tribal women do not have to pay dowry in
marriage. It will be seen that the practice of paying 'dowry' to the girl's
parents at the time of marriage is practiced in almost all tribal communities.
Tribal women are well versed and skilled in mud pots for daily use, know about
traditional medicine, are acquainted with forests very well, and use all the
natural things for their survival. Thus, tribal women have high immunity and
physical strength as compared to other women.
- Role of Tribal
Women in Tribal Society
Although the tribal culture is sometimes
male-dominated, women's position in this society is high and respected. It
depends on how much women help in facilitating economic and social life while
moving in society. Tribal culture and tradition have given equal rights to
women. Everywhere women have free movement. Due to labor power, she is the
support of the family in daily housework and economic activities. The quality
of labor power and fertility make him a useful person in the family.
While discussing the issues of Indian
women, the issues of tribal women have been consistently neglected. Even today
tribal women living in primitive states are free. The established society
believes that they live independently, so they have no questions. Tribal women
who are the pike of the matriarchal system are seen living in poverty today.
So, there is no organizational unity
in this tribe. Considering the tribals of Maharashtra, the tribal issues have
changed according to that region's geographical, political, and social
conditions. At present, the tribal woman is in a desperate struggle for
survival. Her life is full of many contradictions. Even today the influence of
the matriarchal system is felt in tribal tribes. Since the British era, the
tribes started to turn towards patriarchy as they came in contact with the
established people. Although these women are far away from the problems created
by religion and the caste system, their journey has started in the opposite
direction. Today the process of Hinduization of tribals is dynamic. In this,
the problems of tribal women are becoming more serious.
A tribal woman who was once sexually
free is today a victim of sexual violence. Isn't this a journey of woman's
destruction? As the evolution of man from the primitive stage was divided into
religion and caste reality, the journey of women became more difficult. Even
the tribal woman who lives in the forest and is considered to be the symbol of
the primitive matriarchal culture could not stay away from this exploitation.
When we think about tribal women in
terms of health, employment, and survival, their current situation is very well
remembered. Today, looking at issues of malnutrition, maternal and child
mortality, and exploitation of tribal women in tribal areas, it can be seen
that women in tribal society are moving towards self-sufficiency and their
future is based on self-empowerment.
There are certain specific criteria
for tribal women and their status in tribal society. These criteria are the
status of tribal women in society, legal status, and space given in public
employment, and the nature and scope of work of tribal women. Based upon this
criterion we can evaluate the status of tribal women and their place in the
tribal society. Apart from these criteria, traditional rituals, women’s status
after marriage, women’s participation in government processes, and economic
stability are important criteria.
- Present Status of
Tribal Women and Ground Reality
Tribal women lag far behind in terms
of health, education, employment, and empowerment compared to other women. A
big difference between the issues of other women and the tribal women can be
seen. Tribal women have to do labor work, sometimes tribal women do more work
than men. Tribal women engage in self-independence, arts, skills, and other
developmental activities within the social framework. It will be seen that
tribal women are conscious of their language, traditional jewelry, dress code,
folk songs, dance, and ritual ceremonies. It is always been seen in the tribal
culture that certain sets of collective experiences of customary ideas, norms,
values, and beliefs are associated with tribal people vis-a-vis tribal women.
There is a very thin line between gender inequalities and the socialization
process of tribal society. This perception of the tribal community determines
the position of women in society.[1]
The tribal women are differentiated
on their participation in assisting the economy and the customary practice of
bride price that supported equality in tribal society or the high status of
tribal women as compared to other women.[2]
The status of tribal women quite
often depends on the system of authority that they enjoy in the tribal
community. The freedom given in the society itself demarcates the line of
freedom of tribal women. If tribal women have their own space and certain
rights to enjoy in the community itself then only tribal women enjoy those
rights. The position of indigenous women mostly depends on the jobs they
perform in the economy. In the past, tribal peoples typically lived in the
forests and relied heavily on the food-gathering economy for their subsistence.
The tribes have indeed been subjected to the industries in central India for a
long time. Numerous large and small dams as well as development projects have
been built. The tribes are forced to work as coolies in the industrial sector
due to the destruction of the forests and the lack of suitable land for
farming. The tribes are also being compelled to labor in brick kilns and the
construction industry in several areas of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat,
and Rajasthan. Tribal men and women who visit these locations seasonally are
taken advantage of by contractors and middlemen. The suffering of the women is
made worse by their sexual assault. Additionally, they receive substantially
lower pay.[3] Though it
has been seen that the women in the indigenous community in India enjoy wider
freedom to live and go ahead around, their social commitment and institutions
are still more or less discriminatory in particular to regard to the customary
laws that guide the ownership of property and inheritance or also with subject
to enjoying freedoms at the level domestic and public at large.
The instances and social reality of
tribal women are misery. The tribal women are at stake in a modern world where
their space and freedom are not recognized by the state as well as the
community. In cultural regimes, the voice of tribal women is in trope as
non-speaking participants, passive subjects of cruelty, and awaited women to
participate in governmental and community decisions. It is time to provide an opportunity
for the voice of tribal women in the mainstream to lead the community with a
high value of social-political thinking.[4]
- Issues Of Tribal
Women In India
The issues of tribal women are
getting more complicated and serious day by day. However, the problems faced by
mainstream women and tribal women are different. Therefore, we need to think pragmatically
and innovatively while looking for solutions to the problems of tribal women.
There are various issues related to tribal women in education, health,
employment, and day to day-based injustice-tyranny cum discrimination faced by
tribal women, their living conditions, and the disadvantaged position of women
in tribal society are different from the problems dealing with other societies’
women. Among the various factors regarding the socio-geographical conditions of
tribal women, the cultural-political atmosphere should be considered while
dealing with the issue of tribal women.
Absence
of proper livelihood-
Even today, in tribal
areas, there are no roads, water, toilets, proper houses, health centers,
electricity, and various other infrastructure facilities. As the abode of the
tribal community is in remote and mountainous areas, it takes a lot of effort
to reach the government schemes, systems, and facilities. Nowadays tribal areas
or villages do not get facilities like banks, Anganwadi, and primary health
centers. Tribal women do not get an adequate meal two times a day. Thus,
problems like Health and nutrition are faced by tribal women today.
Lack
of access to education- The ratio of education of tribal women is very low and
dropout and stagnation are the main problems in tribal girl education. Lack of
girl schools in tribal areas, dis-interested of tribal parents towards girl
education, school distance from home-village is in remote areas, lack of
educational environment, failure of government schemes, lack of hostels
facilities for secondary-higher secondary education, dependence of metro city
based higher education, lack of financial support, etc. are the problems faced
by tribal girls while taking education. The reasons are become hurdles and
difficulties in the education of tribal girls.
Poor
condition of health-
Tribal women are physically weak and sick in nature. The various social and
other problems directly effect on health of tribal women. Among these problems,
Malnutrition is a very common health problem among tribals. In addition to
this, communicable diseases such as TB, malaria, and STDs are the main public
health problems. Some of the tribal groups are also at high risk for sickle
cell anemia. Normally, tribal diets are seen to be deficient in protein, iron,
iodine, and vitamins. Malnutrition among children and tribal women is a general
issue of health. Anemia, being underweight among women, Vitamin Deficiency, and
Sickle cell are the major health issues that adversely affect tribal women’s
all-around development. There is a lack of access to public health facilities
in tribal areas. Proper and adequate healthcare facilities are not available to
tribes. Non-availability of health staff in centers, the quality of services is
very poor, and traditional health practices and superstitions are nothing but
obstruct the health of tribal women.[5]
Social-political
exploitation- Tribal women have very little participation in social and
political processes. Although the Indian Constitution provides reservations for
women in the Panchayat Raj system, even today in most of the Panchayat Raj
elections, women's participation in the decision-making process can be seen to
be negligible. That no one can deny the husbands of the elected women are
involved in politics. Addiction of alcohol, tobacco, and bidi has a serious
impact on women's health in tribal society and women as well. Although tribal
women have more freedom in the social framework, tribal women struggle more to
earn two meals a day for the family. Women who migrated to work at Construction
sites, sugar factories, and house working, are sexually assaulted.
There is an example of Kumari Matas
(unwed mothers) among tribals of Maharashtra in the Yavatmal district where
tribal girls are lured by non-tribal men in the name of marriage, gifts, and
offerings sexually exploited through fraudulent illicit relationships. The matter
is known when tribal girls, followed such encounters and gave birth to a child
without socially and legally recognized relationships. The children born out of
these relations were termed as “Kumari Mata” in a general sense.[6] It will be
seen that tribal women have to be victims of social and political injustice-
oppression at many levels especially when they migrate for labor work.
Involuntary
displacement and migration-
Big projects, roads and
railways, various environmental projects, river dams, and lack of employment in
tribal areas lead to massive displacement of tribals. It has serious social,
cultural, and health impacts on women and children. While tribal women left
their homes for employment and migrated to big cities, drag is the fate of
tribal women. Migrant tribal women have to live in barren places or fields by
pitching tents in cities. All routine activities have to be performed there in
the open. Therefore, comes the issue of tribal women’s health and safety.
- Patriarchal
Property Laws And Family Structure
Tribals believe that the land, water,
and forest are the property of nature. They have no rights over it and they
have only a duty to preserve and protect the Natural environment. The various aspects of inherited
property rights transfers of tribal society intersect with gender justice and
its very important role in this process. The inheritance of property rights
generally devolves from the father to his sons, who get majority shares of
ancestral property. But there are instances where the daughter gets some shares
of ancestral property. Such as the daughter
inherits all the ancestral property when other class one heirs. Sometimes
daughters have equal rights with sons over movable and immovable ancestral
property. Special care has been taken by the daughter in tribal society. In
tribal society, sons and daughters are equally treated and inherit equal
rights.
- Schemes For
Empowerment of Tribal Women And Their Implementation
The
central and state government frames a certain special scheme for the
advancement and empowerment of tribal women. The National Scheduled tribes
financial and Development Corporation and Tribal Ministry implement the Adivasi
Mahila Shashktikaran Yojna exclusively for the economic development of tribal
women. Mahila Bachat Gat has been created and financially assisted by Central
and state governments for small businesses. The scheme of strengthening
education among Scheduled Tribes Girls in law Literacy Districts has been
implemented to increase the ratio of tribal girls in education, Special grants
have been provided under the heads of Article 275(1) of the Indian
Constitution, and special central assistance has been given to Scheduled and
Tribal Areas. The funding of Central and State Governments supported the tribal
women through educational awareness, health services to remote areas, Emergency
Ambulance services for pregnant women, ASHA Workers-Health workers for help to
guide patients, explaining the doctor’s prescriptions to help tribal women take
advantage of welfare schemes. Though the state announces various schemes and
policies to empower the tribal women state fails to execute and implement these
policies, which ultimately fails in state machinery concerning tribal women’s
empowerment in India.
For
the Empowerment of tribal women, the
government needs to take the initiative to execute and proper implementation of
such schemes. Also, the government should monitor the functioning of its
officials and NGOs to ensure that the tribal women are benefitted. They should
run campaigning for schemes provided by the Government, laws and policies
enforced and promote education, scholarship fellowship for Higher education,
Health and hygiene, Sports facilities and encouragement, and computer and
skills-based education for the empowerment of tribal women in the true sense.
As we consider and think that tribal women are physically and mentally strong personalities,
who enjoy life despite the hardship in life.
- Gender Justice and
Equality in Tribal Women
The
cultural norms and practices were highly protective of the freedom of tribal
women. Generally, tribal women are free and independent to choose their partners.
The folk songs and goddess of tribes was based on the female character.
Most
of the Indian Tribals perform the ‘Fer’ dance (Tribal women and men hold
each other hands and dance in groups) while celebrating festivals. It is not
considered bad in tribal society to drink alcohol. Population report shows that
the male-female ratio of the population is better in the tribal society as
compared to the non-tribal society. Tribal women did not have to struggle for
internal social freedom in community life, reasoned that men and women are
equal in tribal society. Tribal women are not treated as inferior to men.
Tribal women marry off their own free will. The freedom is given to decide or
to end the marriage if the marriage does not work out. The concept of widow
remarriage existed in tribal society for a long time. Women are given special
protection in tribal society by customary practices and social norms. Today,
while non-tribal women are demanding special protection, tribal women are given
social protection in their customs and rituals. Generally, the offenses like
Rape and outraging women’s modesty have no place in tribal society. A woman is
self-sufficient. But as the tribals started imitating urban people for
technology and material convenience, it can be said that tribals got into bad
habits.
- Future Issues And
Challenges
Despite
of various laws protecting women in India, still women are unsecured, unsafe, and
harassed by male dominant society in day-to-day life. In the last few decades,
there has been an increase in crimes against women based on sex discrimination,
domestic violence, inferior treatment, etc. There are many incidences of Sexual
assault against women in workplaces, even in educational institutions. Though
women in India irrespective of such discrimination have shown outstanding
performance in various sectors such as business, education, politics, and culture,
etc. therefore, Tribal women should be encouraged in education, business,
sports, and protection of the natural environment to empower themselves and
advancement of Tribal society. By this, we can achieve the best position for
tribal women in Society. While discussing issues of tribal women, such as
unemployment, health-related issues of Sickle cell Anaemia, Cultural dissimilation,
literacy, financial helplessness, sexual exploitation, lack of
technology-computer-based skill education, child marriage, Addiction of
tobacco, etc. we need to have a special approach to deal with those issues of
tribal women. Opportunity should be given in all the private and government
sectors to empower and improve the status of Tribal women.
Conclusion
In
spite of the constitutional Provision for the protection of women, the right to
equality, right to education still women in India struggle for their own
identity irrespective of merit. It seems difficult to maintain and survive
tribal women in the modern world. Education is a tool for the transformation of
tribal women’s perspectives of improving and strengthening the status of tribal
women. However, there is an urgent need for attention to more focused and
tribal women-centric policy dealing with the issues of tribal women as well as
tribal society.
References-
?
Yogesh
Pratap Singh and Suvrashree Panda, TRIBAL JUSTICE, (eds.), 1st ed.,
2021.
?
K.
S. Singh, TRIBAL ETHNOGRAPHY, CUSTOMARY LAW AND CHANGE, 1993. pp. 10-16
?
V.
Srinivasa Rao, TRIBAL LIVELIHOOD AND GOVERNANCE: REGIONAL CONCERNS, (ed.),
2021.
?
S.P.
Sharma and A.C. Mittal, TRIBAL WOMEN IN INDIA, vol. 1, 1998. pp. 47-55
?
Pujasree
Chatterjee, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STATUS OF TRIBAL WOMEN IN INDIA – THE
CHALLENGES AND THE ROAD AHEAD, International Journal of Interdisciplinary and
Multidisciplinary Studies (IJIMS), 2014, Vol 2, No.2, 55-60 available at
http://www.ijims.com/uploads/3765dbde1a96580628d3D10.pdf
?
Madhu Kiswar v. State of Bihar, AIR 1996 5 SCC 125.
?
K.
Manimekalai, Gender Discrimination of
Women in Tribal Community, IJWS, Vol. 10, 2017.
[1] Veena
Bhasin, “Status of Tribal Women in
India”, STUDIES ON HOME AND COMMUNITY
SCIENCE, 1:1, 1-16, DOI: 10.1080/09737189.2007.11885234 (Visited on
October 9, 2022)
[2] Kamal
Misra and Jenet Lowry (eds.), RECENT STUDIES ON INDIAN WOMEN, 1st ed. 2007, p.
64
[3] J.J. Roy
Burman, “Status of Tribal Women in India”, MAINSTREAM, Vol. No 12, 13 March
2012 https://www.mainstreamweekly.net/article3314.(Visited on October 9, 2022)
[4] Trisha Shreyashi, Tribal Women’s Movement in Modern India,
Mar 5, 2021 https://feminisminindia.com/2021/03/05/tribal-womens-movement-modern-india/ (Visited on October 9, 2022)
[5] Bala
SM, Thiruselvakumar D. Overcoming
problems in the practice of public health among tribals of India. INDIAN J
COMMUNITY MED. 2009 Oct;34(4):283-7. doi: 10.4103/0970-0218.58383. PMID:
20165618; PMCID: PMC2822185. (Visited on October 9, 2022)