Recalling the historic women’s struggles that have led to tremendous changes worldwide such as the enactment of various legislation recognising women’s rights, General Secretary of All India Democratic Women’s Organisation Marriam Dhawale has urged women to continue the fight till patriarchal attitude is rooted out and equality achieved in society.
“The Industrial Revolution of the 18th century brought women out of their homes and enabled them to engage in industrial production. Women as labour in the new social order developed more consciousness and began realising their exploitation from the capitalist class. This consciousness led them to get organised and wage various historic struggles against exploitation and oppression,” she said.
“These struggles forced the ruling class to enact many laws recognising their rights, including equal wages, voting power, reducing working hours and improving working conditions. In India too, women participated in the freedom movement with a dream to having a dignified life in Independent India. Though many laws came into force before and after Independence recognising women’s rights, the dream has not been completely realised,” she said, stressing on the need for continuing their struggles.
She was delivering the inaugural address at a State-level conference on 75 years of Independence and women’s rights organised by the Karnataka State Forum Against Atrocities on Women in Kalaburagi on Tuesday.
Terming the Union Government led by the BJP anti-women and anti-labour, the communist leader said that the Government is keen on serving its corporate masters sacrificing the interests of the masses.
“As per a recent report, India is on the top of the global hunger index. The poor at the bottom of society are dying of starvation. Considerable funds have been cut under MGNREGA to deny jobs to poor rural labour. People are hit hard by sky-rocketing prices. The Government does not have money to provide people with food and jobs. But, it does have enough money, which runs into lakhs of crores of rupees, to waive corporate loans and offer tax concessions to the corporate class,” she said.
Pointing to the economic disparity between men and women, Ms. Dhawale said that women contributed 66% of labour to hold only 1% of property.
“After the BJP came to power, atrocities against women, Dalits, tribal people, minorities and other weaker communities of society have increased manifold. India has a long history of people’s movements for asserting their rights. We need to continue the legacy of collective struggles in our respective areas to defeat the communal forces before they destroy India’s rich plurality,” she said.
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