Women Change the World — Study Notes

1. Introduction

For centuries, women have been excluded from many areas of life - from education, from paid work, and from positions of power. Yet throughout history, women have struggled against these barriers and changed the world. This chapter explores the ways in which women have worked to overcome discrimination, the history of women's education in India, and the women who have made a difference.

The chapter tells the stories of women like Laxmi Lakra (a railway engine driver), Rashsundari Devi (the first Indian woman to write an autobiography), Pandita Ramabai, and Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain. These women broke the barriers that society placed before them and opened the way for other women to follow. Their stories show that when women get the chance, they can achieve anything.

2. How Women Were Treated in the Past

In the past, women were treated very unequally. They were not allowed to go to school, they could not own property, and they could not work outside the home. Girls were married early, and their lives were confined to the household. Women had no say in the important decisions of the family and society.

This treatment was based on the belief that women were inferior to men and that their proper place was in the home. These ideas were so deeply entrenched that they seemed natural, but they were actually social customs that kept women subordinate. Women were denied the education and opportunities that would allow them to live independent and fulfilling lives.

3. The Struggle for Women's Education

The Early Pioneers

The movement for women's education in India began in the nineteenth century. Pioneers like Pandita Ramabai and Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain campaigned for the education of girls. Ramabai, who was a scholar and social reformer, set up homes and schools for widows. Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain started a school for girls in Calcutta in 1910, despite great opposition.

The first Indian woman to write an autobiography was Rashsundari Devi, who learned to read and write secretly in the nineteenth century, at a time when women were not allowed to be educated. She wrote her autobiography, 'Amar Jiban' (My Life), which is an account of the life of a woman in a joint family. Her struggle shows how determined women were to get an education.

The Spread of Girls' Education

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, schools for girls began to open across India. Reformers and social movements campaigned for girls' education, and the government gradually opened schools for girls. However, the spread of education was slow, and for a long time, very few girls could attend school.

Today, education for girls has increased greatly, and the government has started many schemes to encourage girls' education. The Right to Education Act, 2009, makes education free and compulsory for children aged 6 to 14 years. Yet even today, many girls drop out of school because of poverty, household work, and early marriage.

4. Women's Work: Then and Now

The Work Women Did

Women have always worked, but their work has often not been counted or valued. In the past, women worked in the fields, looked after animals, and did all the household work. They also worked in crafts like weaving and pottery. Yet their work was not considered "real" work because it was not paid.

Today, more women work outside the home, in offices, schools, factories, and the professions. Yet many women work in low-paid jobs, and they are often paid less than men for the same work. Women who work inside the home still do unpaid housework, which is not recognised. The value of women's work is still not fully appreciated.

Women at Work Today

Some women have achieved great success in their professions. Laxmi Lakra, a young woman from a poor tribal family, became the first woman railway engine driver of the Northern Railway. Her achievement shows that women can succeed in any profession if they are given the opportunity and support.

However, the majority of women still face discrimination at work. They are paid less, they are not promoted, and they face harassment. The struggle for equal treatment at work is an important part of the women's movement.

5. The Women's Movement

The women's movement is a struggle by women for equal rights and equal treatment. The movement has campaigned for education, equal wages, protection from violence, and equal representation. It has also worked to raise awareness about issues like dowry, child marriage, and female foeticide.

The women's movement has won many important victories. Laws have been passed to protect women, such as laws against dowry, child marriage, and sexual harassment at the workplace. The movement has also changed attitudes, so that more and more people recognise the rights of women and the value of their work.

6. Issues Faced by Women Today

Despite the progress, women today face many problems:

• Education: Many girls still drop out of school, especially in rural areas, because of poverty and household work.
• Work: Women are paid less than men, and many work in low-paid and unsafe jobs.
• Violence: Women face violence at home and in public, including domestic violence, dowry-related violence, and sexual harassment.
• Health: Women's health is often neglected, and many women die during childbirth.

The women's movement continues to work on these issues, and the government has passed laws and started schemes to protect women's rights. But changing the deep-rooted attitudes of society is a slow process that requires the participation of everyone - men and women alike.

7. How Women Change the World

Women have changed the world in many ways. By getting an education, women have opened up new possibilities for themselves and for their daughters. By working in new professions, women have shown that they are capable of anything men can do. By campaigning for their rights, women have won laws and changed attitudes.

The stories of women like Rashsundari Devi, Pandita Ramabai, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, and Laxmi Lakra show the power of determination. Each of them broke the barriers of their time and changed the world for women who came after them. Their example teaches us that when women are given equality, the whole society benefits.

Quick Revision Tables

Table 1: Women Who Changed the World

Table 2: Achievements of the Women's Movement

Mind Map

Important Diagrams (SVG)

Diagram 1: The Path to Women's Education

Diagram 2: Achievements of the Women's Movement

Common Mistakes

1. Thinking that Rashsundari Devi was educated in a school; she learned to read and write secretly because women were not allowed to be educated.
2. Confusing Pandita Ramabai (schools for widows) with Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain (school for girls in 1910).
3. Believing that women did not work in the past; they always worked, but their work was not counted or paid.
4. Thinking that the Equal Remuneration Act has eliminated all wage discrimination; it exists but is not fully implemented.
5. Believing that the women's movement is only about one issue; it works on education, wages, violence, and representation.
6. Thinking that Laxmi Lakra was a doctor; she became the first woman railway engine driver.
7. Believing that gender discrimination has ended; many girls still drop out of school and women are still paid less.

Exam Tips

1. Know the stories of the four key women: Rashsundari Devi, Pandita Ramabai, Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, Laxmi Lakra.
2. Mention the Right to Education Act, 2009 as a major achievement for girls' education.
3. For the women's movement, list its campaigns: education, wages, safety, dowry, child marriage.
4. Explain why women's work is undervalued: it is unpaid or low-paid.
5. For analysis questions, present both the achievements and the continuing problems.
6. Use Laxmi Lakra's story to show women succeeding in new professions.
7. Argue that equality needs changes in attitudes as well as laws.

Conclusion

Women have changed the world, but the journey has been long and difficult. From the days when women were denied education, property, and paid work, to the present, women have struggled and won many victories. Pioneers like Rashsundari Devi, Pandita Ramabai, and Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain opened the doors of education, and women like Laxmi Lakra have broken into professions once closed to them. The women's movement has won laws against dowry, child marriage, and harassment. Yet many problems remain - girls dropping out of school, unequal wages, and violence against women. The lesson of this chapter is that when women are given equality, everyone benefits, and the struggle for equality must continue.