INTRODUCTION:

Women’s rights are most discussed topic around two or three centuries. These include the right to live free from violence and discrimination; to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; to be educated; to own property; to vote; and to earn an equal wage. It is important to talk about this every day, as long as there is violence against female¹. The woman performs the role of wife, partner, organizer, administrator, director, re-creator, disburser, economist, mother, disciplinarian, teacher, health officer, artist and queen in the family at the same time. A woman is an affectionate mother, a devoted wife, a caring daughter, a trust worthy sister and a loyal friend. Apart from it, a woman plays a key role in the socio-economic development of the society. In a true sense, a woman is the very existence of nature.

She is Shakti and the very embodiment of supreme power. A woman is the personification of ageless beauty, selfless love, purity, grace and dignity².

Globally, the biggest problems woman faces today are; the lack of women in positions of power, patriarchy, not enough women at the table, sexism, racism and economic inequality, trauma-centred feminism, access to equal opportunity, the lack of respect for care giving, navigating career and motherhood, increasing rates of maternal mortality and the economy is not working for women³.Women empowerment leads to increase levels of literacy in this world. The empowerment is complete when women are empowered in individual empowerment, gender empowerment, social, educational, economic, political, psychological, and physical empowerment⁴.

Women empowerment has five components; women’s sense of self-worth; their right to have and to determine choices; their right to have power to control their own lives, both within and outside the home; and their ability to influence the direction of social change to create a more just social and economic order, nationally and internationally⁵. For many years the women’s rights movements have fought hard to address this inequality, campaigning to change laws or talking to the streets to demand their rights are respected. And new movements have flourished in the digital age, such as the #MeToo campaign which highlights the prevalence of gender-based violence and sexual harassment⁶.

The Constitution of India clearly defines the legal rights of a wife. When women are aware of their rights, only then they can protect themselves⁷. Across the globe, gender inequality underpins many problems which disproportionately affect women and girls such as domestic and sexual violence, lower pay, lack of access to education, and inadequate health care. During the 19th and early 20^th centuries people began to agitate for the right of women to vote.

On average 30% of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence committed against them by their partner around the world⁸. Often, women are the subject of gender-based discrimination in the workplace. One way of illustrating this is to look at the gender pay gap. Recently Greg Ircurci (2022)⁹, the finance reporter figures that women currently earn roughly 77% of what men earn for the same work. This leads to a lifetime of financial disparity for women, prevents them from fully exercising independence, and means an increased risk of poverty in later life. In many countries around the world, women are denied their rights on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics. Lesbian, bisexual, trans and intersex women and gender non-confirming people face violence, exclusion, harassment, and discrimination many are also subjected to extreme violence, including sexual violence or so called “corrective rape” and “honour killings.”

India worships women during the early Vedic period enjoyed equal status with men in all aspects of life⁹. In India the harassment against women are comparatively high in other parts of the world. Common forms of violence in our country include acts such as domestic abuse, sexual assault and murder. The COVID lockdown is one of the major contributing elements in massive increase the incidence in delinquency in women’s rights. The NFHS- 5 (2019 – 2020) only captures if the women respondent was subject to domestic violence by her husband, irrespective of reporting that incidence. It echoes the stark reality of domestic violence in India. 44% of women respondent in Karnataka have experienced spousal violence, followed by Bihar (40%). The largest underreporting seems to be occurring in Bihar, Karnataka and Manipur, where the prevalence of domestic violence is around 40%, while reporting is less than 8%. Meanwhile India is in first place, where celebrating female as goddess.

When looking at women’s rights its helpful to have an understanding of feminism. Feminism is committed to ensuring women can fully enjoy their own their rights on an equal footing with men. A lot of people think that feminism is like misandry (a hatred of men) which is not true whatsoever. Feminism has focused mostly on women’s rights because women are still not equal to men, especially in regards to equal pay for equal work and representation. Our culture directly taught wives to depend on her husband and his family. They have to rely on husband’s permission to start over anything even for visiting her parents. The higher education, career is still neglected to females after marriage in countries like India. It’s paramount to talk about basic women’s rights for married women.

OBJECTIVE:

The main aim of the study is to explore about the ideas, concepts and perspectives of women’s empowerment and the measures and ways to protect the women’s rights in the modern society among the working women in Puducherry.

METHODOLOGY:

Qualitative research approach and descriptive research design was adopted for this study. This study conducted at Puducherry among 50 working women from the various health care setting who were selected by non-randomized convenient sampling technique. The working women, who were willing to participate, able to understand Tamil and English and mentally sound were included and working women who were, not available at the time of data collection were excluded from this study. After getting formal permission from the authority, the investigator selected samples based on sampling criteria. The purpose of the study was explained to each sample and gave consent for confidentiality. The data was collected by face-to-face interview and by telephonic method by using structured open-ended questionnaire. The questions are as follows;

· What is your perception about women’s empowerment?

· Are women’s rights protected or neglected in this modern society?

· Areas and reasons for which the women’s rights are neglected?

· What are the measures we can do to protect the women’s rights as a married woman?

During interview the response was recorded and the interviewer took notes of key points. Investigator encouraged samples to share their own opinion in detailed manner. The recorded verbalization then translated for thematic analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The investigator, collected data from the samples, who were working women in health care educational setting, and complied with the themes and subthemes as follows:

Perception about women’s empowerment:

Samples of recordings:

· Women do not need to be calm and quite to anyone who is making them uncomfortable...

· Women are not slaves to men and his family....

· Nowadays, women are given respect only if they go for their wok and been educated...

· Iam comfortable in my family, i have given full respect from my husband....etc...

· Women empowerment is in the hands of the women, she should be bold and raise the voice against her pain and mistreatment..

· No much awareness related to laws protecting women’s rights.....

The themes identified were:

1. Maintenance of standard of living measures like food, shelter, clothes and education for women in real empowerment of women

2. She has to be treated with dignity and respect anywhere.

3. Mainly after marriage, women should be treated with real care and affection by her husband or his relatives.

4. Domestic violence acts should be made into zero.

5. Sexual violence are hidden in the workplace which should be acknowledged

6. Dowry and its issues is indirectly proportional to women education and salary

Protecting women’s rights in the modern society

Theme 1: Protecting women’s rights by her.

· When the investigator interviewed, found the protection of women’s rights are depends on the women/ girl’s own will power and action. Theme 1 is explained in subthemes as education, know their role and elucidation of her value and her assertiveness. Education has the important role in know her rights and value in the family and society. No curriculum is framed only for man. Women are allowed to choose her profession. Even uneducated girls also know their value in society by influence of social media. She should elucidate her importance, her needs, her tolerance to the family or to the society openly without any hesitation. This will help all the women and girls to express her needs, and help the society to understand them.

· The working woman verbatim as follows; “The women’s rights are on women hand only, if she needs anything like career or education or to own property or even child chore too, she have to communicate with her family members in order to make them understand her decision. Then nobody is going to take away her rights until she allows”

Theme 2: Protecting woman’s rights by peer group.

· Theme 2 is explained in subthemes like Equality, Motivation, psychological support and Recognition.Workplace bias and gender inequality are common conception among women. The woman supports other women with equally with all her good decisions and stands with the victims of woman violation. In that case, women’s rights are protected evenly with unity. The peer support is most important, in any work place violence by male co-worker or by customers, and most importantly the higher officials should hear her problem and stand with them in protest against the violence. Thus psychological support plays a key role in protecting the women rights.

· The working woman verbatim as follows: In female oriented professions and any other health care setting, the working women should get the psychological support from the female superiors but actually men are giving support and care in the working area men understands women in the crisis area female superiors are rude and not underastanding womens problems. I was not provided with child care leave when it was really needed to me.

Theme 3: Protecting woman’s rights by family:

· Theme 3 is explained in subthemes like Freedom of speech, Understanding, Voice against the dowry and violence, gender equality and no discrimination`When the researcher asked to working mothers to express about the protection of women’s rights by family, almost most of the woman explained the protection by allowing freedom to them and understanding family. When the family members are supporting woman or girl, she can break all the obstacles from the external environment. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

· The working woman verbatim as follows; I’m accused as call girl by my colleagues when i receive my promotional order in the Woking area....I ‘am always cornerwise by my female friends for my well groomed and attractive personality, in such a case , my mother is the only person who understands me that I’m right and she cared me.......

Theme 4: Protecting woman’s rights by society

· While the investigator asked to express about the protection of women’s rights by society, the discussion made subthemes like awareness, humanity and acts and campaigns. India as a developing country, growing in education leads to the equal valuing both genders. Education and growing media aid in creating awareness regarding violence and harassment against the women. It also shows the various incidences of the women issues in the country. It is one of the ways for valuing women in society.

· The working woman verbatim as follows; I am educated and working in this college for ten years. But I learned about many laws and rules supporting the women and laws against dowry and extra marital relationship from the show of solvathellam unmai... neeya naanah... media is powerful tool in creating awareness about womens rights

Neglecting women’s rights in the modern society

Theme 1: Neglecting women’s rights by her.

· The investigator concluded that parenting is most important way to grow a healthier and productive generations. In 19^th century most of the parents were illiterate, in 20^th century half of the parents were educated. As coated already the education is major contributing factor, the educated parents are comparatively taught their child about the gender equality and social rights to their child than the uneducated one.. In the event that, women or girl make a stand with her own rights, she has to break out all the myths around her by explaining her value in society. Wearing male attire, riding heavy vehicle, non involvement in family chores, disrespecting elders are not women’s rights. Above all teach her son to respect other women and her rights.

· The working woman verbatim as follows....I am the mother of two sons, if I grew my sons with the basic understanding of humanity and valuing other people, my son will surely respect women and protect them... and surely he will have a happy healthy marital life.”

Theme 2: Neglecting women’s rights by peer group.

· The investigator found workplace bias and gender inequality are common conception. The woman supports other women with equally with all her good decisions and stands with the victims of woman violation. In that case, women’s rights are protected evenly with unity. The peer support is most important, even if we faced any work place violence by male co-worker or by customers, the higher officials should hear her problem and stand with us in protest against the violence.

· The working woman verbatim as follows...Most of the female are supported by the peer group rather than the family members in the aspect of violence against female.. in my family...boy bestie of my daughter have tried to protect my daughter in falling against the depression and other crimes.

Theme 3: Neglecting women’s rights by family.

· The investigator considers that modern culture both genders were equally educated and earning equally. Another point contributing factor that we can include is increase economic demand. Even family stuck on culture and protecting our culture is lays on women’s hand. They cannot take excuse by this by means of her career or education or her health.

· The working woman verbatim as follows...my family allows me to go job at one condition, to the place where only female workers to be there and not allowing me to do extra shifts and transfer even with the promotional opportunities. They believe these are against cultural practices.

· I was not allowed to wear my interested clothings to my work place. My family forbids that practice.

Theme 4: Neglecting women’s rights by society.

· The investigator observes when asking questions regarding the women’s rights, majority neglecting is happening in society by dominance. Since, India as a culture diversity country, It has hidden principal of male dominance in everywhere in family, or an organization. The female has to be under the male. The verbatim says “The women empowerment is should understand by the society. It starts from our family”

· The working woman verbatim as follows...previously my family and me afraid to say that I was going for shift duties, including night shifts. Because people in the society would say badly about them. My family restricted me to carry out my higher studies in the name of culture.

CONCLUSION:

A person who knows law, doesn’t need any weapon, which makes him the most powerful person. Awareness about women rights makes her to be smart and just. Only if the women are aware of their rights, she can fight against any injustice meted out at home, at the workplace, or in the society. The preserving or neglecting of women’s rights are depends on the women or girls action by promoting their physical and mental strength in determining the opportunities around the world by. Women can openly express their right opinion in their family and society to overcome the obstacles both in the family and society. Every women should equips in making the life-determining decisions through the different problems in society. Every women need to be strong, aware, and alert every time for their growth and development.

REFERENCE:

1. OHCHR and women’s human rights and gender equality | OHCHR

2. Module of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of Women, University of Minnesota.

3. What Are the Biggest Problems Women Face Today? Eleven female lawmakers, journalists and scholars weigh in. Politico Magazine, March 08, 2019.

4. United Nations, Literacy has empowering effect on women, UN officials say, 8 September 2010. By

5. United Nations. Declaration on the elimination of violence against women. New York: UN, 1993

7. https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/discrimination/womens-rights/

8. Rudrani Gupta, Every Married Woman in India Should Know Her Legal Rights. Here’s A List, She the people, July 20, 2020ITICO

9. World Health Organization, Violence against Women, 9 March 2021.

10. Greg Iacurci, Women Are Still Paid 83 Cents for Every Dollar Men Earn. Here’s Why. Published May,19 2022.

11. Indus Scrolls Bureau, The Timeline of Women’s Statuses in Society In Ancient India, March 8, 2022

Received on 21.05.2024 Modified on 27.06.2024

A and V Pub J. of Nursing and Medical Res. 2024; 3(3):99-103.

DOI: 10.52711/jnmr.2024.23