WOMEN'S EMANCIPATION

Introduction: -Today in most societies women are looked upon as inferior beings. They have been given a secondary status both in the family and in the wider society. Violence against women is a universal phenomenon resulting in more and more broken families.

In India, women are not only ill-treated but also subjected to various forms of socio-economic discrimination, exploitation, and sexual violence. The situation is still worse if they are Dalits.

Gandhi, the Father of our nation, said he fought to gain independence: "not for the literate and the rich in India, but for the dumb millions. I shall work in India, in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country in whose making they have an effective voice, an India in which there shall be no high class and low class people.”

Though the Constitution of India provides them equality, freedom, liberty, opportunity and protection and other civil rights, women, especially Dalit women, are not able to enjoy them.

The difference between upper caste and lower caste women is that the upper caste women suffer only male domination whereas lower caste women are also oppressed by upper caste women. Dalit women also face poverty, illiteracy, poor health, economic and often sexual exploitation by affluent landlords and employers.

From Micro to Macro level - Dalit Women Empowerment Camp

NASA believes that the development of women is essential to create a healthier, more complete community. This belief has resulted in many oppressed women rising up and struggling for social, cultural and economic equality. They have become more articulate, and are now playing a vital role in addressing community issues like access to drinking water, land rights, family welfare, healthcare and childcare.

A journey from Agitaion to Demand for Equality, Justice and Self dignity on International Women's Day
Veera Lakshmi
Case Study - Struggle against oppression

Veera Lakshmi along with her mother, before the intervention of NASA - after the intervention of NASA

Veera Lakshmi, a 16 year-old Dalit girl, lost her father in childhood and her mother struggled to provide for Veera Lakshmi’s education working as an agricultural laborer.  Veera Lakshmi joined her mother in the fields during one vacation to earn some money to buy books. The son of the local landowner brazenly attempted to sexually assault her in front of her mother. Her mother cried for help but he beat her senseless with a stick, forced the girl into some nearby bushes, and raped her. The Dalits who gathered after hearing the mother's cries for help were shocked but had no courage to complain to the police as the landlord threatened them with reprisals.  NASA and Dalit Federations intervened and the girl lodged a complaint with the police and eventually the culprit was arrested.

Seenamma
Case Study - Struggle against oppression

Seenamma, before the intervention of NASA. After the intervention of NASA, she emerged as a leader of Dalit women

Seenamma, a young Adivasi girl, lives in a small remote village called NN Patnam. While she was returning home at night after watching TV in a temple, a young upper caste man forced her into some nearby bushes and attempted to rape her. She escaped after putting up a struggle and returned home. She described the incident to the women's sangham. Early in the morning of the following day, the sangham members lodged a complaint with the police and demanded the arrest of the culprit. This was the first time that they united to demand justice. The culprit was finally arrested. The government paid the women's sangham an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 25,000/ under the SC and ST Atrocity Act which was passed on to Seenamma. Thus, the women's sangham started to work on their own in addressing their problems. NASA's efforts in forming Sanghams, conducting awareness programmes and training programmes are yielding similar good results.

Dalit Women's demand for Social justice

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