CBSE · Class 10 · Social Science · Civics: Gender, Religion and CasteDiscuss how gender division is understood in social terms rather than biological terms in Indian society, and explain the various ways in which women face discrimination and disadvantage in patriarchal societies.

Understanding Gender Division in Social Terms

\nGender division is not based on biology, but on social expectations and stereotypes. In patriarchal societies, roles are pre-assigned by society rather than being determined by individual capabilities. Boys and girls are brought up to believe that the principal role of women is housework and bringing up children. This social attitude is reflected in a sexual division of labour in most families: women do all work inside the home such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes, tailoring, and looking after children, while men do the work outside the home.

Forms of Discrimination and Disadvantage Faced by Women

\nWomen in patriarchal societies face systematic discrimination and disadvantages across various spheres of life:

• Unequal Access to Education: Literacy rate among women is significantly lower compared to men (54 percent compared to 76 percent as per historical trends). Even when girls study, they drop out earlier or are not encouraged to pursue higher education for specialized careers.

• Economic Exploitation and Lack of Paid Work: A smaller proportion of women are engaged in paid work. Even though women do fifty percent of the work globally and domestically, much of their labor remains unpaid and unrecognized in national income statistics.

• The Equal Remuneration Act Violation: Even where women are employed, they are paid less than men for the same amount of work in many sectors, despite the Equal Remuneration Act.

• Political Representation Deficit: The proportion of women in elected bodies like Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies has been extremely low (less than 15 percent in Lok Sabha). This marginalization keeps their voices and issues out of mainstream policy-making.

• Violence and Exploitation: Women face violence, harassment, and exploitation both within the domestic sphere and in public spaces, reflecting deep-seated gender inequality. \nThus, gender division is a deep-rooted social injustice that requires proactive legal reforms, educational empowerment, and a cultural shift in societal mindsets.