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Gender Issues in Rehabilitation & Resettlement

Condition of Women in India
It is extremely difficult to find a perfect title that sensitively reveals the complexities in the life of women and also highlights the immense contribution of women towards domestic and economic life. Their work since time immemorial has been devalued by society at large. Most discussions about civilization progress, development models, the routes to economic prosperity, the search for human happiness wear the lens of the patriarchal vision. Not only do our languages need to alter but our understanding needs to take into consideration the fine multiple strands that create women's histories, their identities, their losses and the redefinitions of the human condition that they have given to this world as it renews itself.

Despite the exalted position given to women in some of India’ religious texts and the exceptional attainments of individual women in fields as diverse as philosophy, statecraft and even warfare, the profile of the average woman through the ages has been that of a perpetually poor, perpetually pregnant and perpetually powerless being.

The half-century of struggle and reform has undoubtedly had considerable impact on women’s world. Some of the key indicators of development have perked up significantly- women’s life expectancy has risen; education levels have improved; economic participation has grown. But there are areas of darkness too; crimes against women, both at home and outside, continue unabated; traditional economic occupations have withered in the face of global competition; there is increasing commodification of women’s persona and vulgarization of their image in the media’s marketplace.

However; laws change; minds don’t. Therefore between progressive legislation and sensitive enforcement falls a long shadow. Critics also point out that whatever advances have been made remain confined to urban...