Iskra ( The Spark)

1.) Swadeshi movement :- After the partition of bengal Sarojini naidu :- Sarojini Naidu was the first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress and the first woman to become the governor of a state in India.(Uttar Pradesh) She travelled all over India and carried India`s message to the USA and other countries. She was a participant in the Second Round Table Conference as a representative of Indian women, along with Gandhiji S. Ambujammal  - Ambujammal worked towards making women self-supportive. She organised welfare schemes for destitute women, provided food and basic education for orphans. This she did by starting a printing press to provide vocational training. She studied Hindi and taught it as Gandhi emphasised that the knowledge of Hindi was important to bring the people of India together. Ambujammal was awarded the Padma Sri in 1964. A.V. Kuttimalu Amma :- A.V. Kuttimalu Amma actively participated in all movements of the Cong...

The Constitution of India not only grants equality to women but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women for neutralizing the cumulative socio economic, education and political disadvantages faced by them. Fundamental Rights, among others, ensure equality before the law and equal protection of law; prohibits discrimination against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, and guarantee equality of opportunity to all citizens in matters relating to employment.   Articles 14, 15, 15(3), 16, 39(a), 39(b), 39(c) and 42 of the Constitution are of specific importance in this regard.   (i)     Equality before law for women (Article 14) (ii)             The State not to discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex , place of   birth or any of them (Article 15 (i)) (iii)  ...

i) Anti-dowry Movements Dowry murders have witnessed a sustained campaign by several women’s organisations and civil rights groups. Journalists wrote extensively about the dowry problem.   In the 1980s several women’s and other progressiveorganisations formed a joint front in Delhi called “ Dahej Virodhi Chetna Manch ”. Organisations in other major cities also campaigned through protest, demonstrations, discussions, street theatre, posters etc. against the ghastly murders of young brides for dowry. The Law Commission and the Parliamentary Committee also looked into the problem. After a sustained campaign, finally a Bill was introduced in the Parliament in 1984, which made certain changes in the Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act of 1961. The Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1984 was passed. The Act sets a limit to the amount given in dowry but does not ban dowry. “ While cruelty by thehusband and his relatives leading to suicide or death has become an offen...

During the freedom movement, the struggle for Women’s right and equality was seen as an integral part of the struggle for national Independence.   Many women who fought for the country’s freedom were also active on the issues of women’s rights. In 1885 the Indian National Congress was founded , In 1889 congress meeting  10 women participated.   With the spread of women’s education among middle class by the last part of the nineteenth century, several women became active in the social and political life of India. Gandhiji’s call to women and large scale participation of women in India’s freedom movement brought about changes in the perception of nationalist leaders. Role of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru Mahatma Gandhi played the most significant role in involving large number of women in the nationalist movement. Hence it is important to understand the impact of Gandhian ideology on women’s movement. He proclaimed: “Woman is the compani...