Indian Society
Role of Women and Women's Organisations
GS Paper I
Role of Women — Quick Revision
One-page UPSC revision on women in Indian society: dated indicators, women's organisations, constitutional provisions, laws, judgments and schemes.
SyllabusGS I · Role of women and women's organisation
A last-week sheet on women and women’s organisations. Quote every figure with its source.
Indicators
| Indicator | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sex ratio | 943 | Census 2011 |
| Child sex ratio (0–6) | 919 | Census 2011 |
| Female literacy | 65.5% | Census 2011 |
| Sex ratio (total population) | 1,020 | NFHS-5 (2019–21) |
| Sex ratio at birth | 929 | NFHS-5 (2019–21) |
| Child marriage (women 20–24 married before 18) | 23.3% | NFHS-5 (2019–21) |
| Anaemia, women 15–49 | 57.0% | NFHS-5 (2019–21) |
| Female LFPR (15+, usual status) | 41.7% | PLFS 2023-24 |
| MMR | 97 per lakh live births | SRS 2018–20 |
Organisations and Movements
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1910 | Bharat Stree Mahamandal (Sarala Devi Chaudhurani) |
| 1917 | Women’s Indian Association, Madras |
| 1925 | National Council of Women in India |
| 1927 | All India Women’s Conference, first session at Poona |
| 1972 | SEWA, Ahmedabad (Ela Bhatt) |
| 1973 | Chipko movement begins |
| 1974 | Towards Equality report |
| 1998 | Kudumbashree, Kerala |
Constitution
| Provision | Content |
|---|---|
| 15(3) | Special provisions for women and children |
| 39(a), 39(d) | Livelihood; equal pay for equal work (DPSP) |
| 42 | Maternity relief (DPSP) |
| 51A(e) | Renounce practices derogatory to women’s dignity |
| 243D, 243T | One-third in panchayats and municipalities |
| 330A, 332A, 334A | 106th Amendment (2023) — legislatures |
Laws and Cases
| Law / case | Year | Point |
|---|---|---|
| Dowry Prohibition Act | 1961 | Dowry an offence |
| PCPNDT Act | 1994 | Ban on sex selection |
| Vishaka | 1997 | Workplace harassment guidelines |
| PWDVA | 2005 | Civil remedies for domestic violence |
| Hindu Succession (Amendment) | 2005 | Daughters as coparceners |
| POSH Act | 2013 | Internal Committee (10+ employees) |
| Maternity Benefit (Amendment) | 2017 | 26 weeks |
| Joseph Shine | 2018 | Adultery decriminalised |
| Vineeta Sharma | 2020 | Coparcenary right by birth |
High-yield facts
- 106th Amendment: Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and Delhi only; 15 years; after delimitation.
- NCW is statutory (1990 Act), not constitutional.
- Beti Bachao Beti Padhao was launched in January 2015 at Panipat.
- Mission Shakti has two arms: Sambal (safety) and Samarthya (empowerment).
Traps
- Census sex ratio (943) and NFHS-5 sex ratio (1,020) are different measures from different sources.
- Article 15(3) is a Fundamental Right clause, not a DPSP.
- Rising female LFPR is mostly rural self-employment — discuss job quality.
Related Topics
- Women in Indian Society and Women’s Organisations
- Role of Women — practice questions
- Social Empowerment
- All quick revision sheets
Advertisement