Religion as a barrier in women’s empowerment
RELIGION, PATRIARCHY AND CAPITALISM: Jayanti Alam; Kalpaz Publications, C-30, Satyawati Nagar, Delhi-110052. Rs. 865.
The book is a collection of chapters on the varied dimensions of a
woman’s life in the contemporary Indian society under the larger
umbrella concepts of religion and patriarchy. Capitalism appears as a
catalyst in strengthening the practice of patriarchy as wealth
accumulates in the hands of the male. Putting the author's own life and
various situations in perspective, the book tries to unearth the social
practices related to the life of a woman.
It takes on a general notion that the religious scriptures promoted the
practice such that the child preference in the family becomes highly
unfavorable to women. This entrenched mindset furthers the idea of
female infanticide, thus eliminating female infants at birth considering
them as an economic burden. The dowry system and the notion of the girl
child belonging to her husband – a kind of tying up of the woman to a
man – treats women as an expensive and uneconomical commodity in her own
family. Even at a time of societal progress in terms of science and
technology, there is no benefit to the woman. Rather, what is observed
is a reverse social dimension.
In the beginning, it was female infanticide, the advancement of
technology changed this practice into foeticide. Thus, it argues, that
the old notions of patriarchy and religion work much more intensively
even if the society undergoes rapid changes. The author also argues that
no matter which religion, the rigidity in approach towards the code and
conduct of the woman is an absolute given. But, there exists a slight
distinction when we compare them. Unlike in the Hindu scriptures,
women’s position in the Quran appears to be slightly better.
Women are at least allowed to hold and inherit property and have the
right to divorce a husband. But the application of these norms in
practice in the Indian subcontinent is a complex one. This may be due to
the cultural hybridisation wherein one religion has influenced the
other. The author asserts that more often, the practice of ‘mehr’— sum of money given at the time of marriage to a Muslim woman in the Indian situation becomes only a promise.
The argument may not be fully taken as a generalised phenomenon. This
could have multiple types of veneration taking specific socio-religious
contexts into account. It seems to me that micro specific contexts
should be meticulously located before making such generalisations. This
is applicable not only to a specific religious practice of marriage, but
also to other practices in various religions. Inter-sectionality of
region, religion and caste is a point for further examination.
Shifting identity
According to the Manu, the Hindu law giver, in a “pratiloma” marriage,
where an upper caste woman is marrying a lower caste man, the woman
falls into the trap of social disadvantages and humiliation. Her caste
is determined by her husband’s caste. The author cites the case of R.
Uma Devi born to an upper caste family but, married to a boy from the
fisherman caste. She secured admission in Kurnool Medical College as a
member of the Backward Caste. Against this, the college appealed to the
Court arguing that Uma Devi cannot claim her husband’s caste. But, the
verdict came in her favour: her identity, post-marriage, is reckoned in
accordance with her association with a male member, and in this
situation, her husband. The author tries to relate the similarity
between Manu’s code and the court verdict which falls under the modern
secular Constitution of India. Both endorse the norms of patriarchy. I
do agree with the author that what works in this court verdict is
patriarchy rather than the caste. It is not that easy to change one’s
caste. Manu had also laid stress on the fact that caste is not
changeable. One’s caste is determined at birth. That, being the case,
the context of the court verdict may be examined considering the logic
of the judgment that was offered.
The Court might have seen this as a question of social equality versus
social injustice. The Hindu caste folder works under the logic of graded
inequality. The shifting identity of Uma Devi is now not just
attributed to her caste origin. This is socially constructed by the
society including people or society of her own caste. Now, she generally
will not have any association with the caste that she was born in,
rather, she will be pushed into the social dynamics of double oppression
that is of being a woman, and that too an outcaste woman who is now the
wife of a lower caste man. The question of equality is the fundamental
attribute that constitutes the social condition of Uma Devi. The broader
idea of patriarchy should be viewed in the specific context and the
social implications of being a lower caste in contemporary society.
Interconnecting Manu’s code and the code of the modern laws of the land
would not be a sensible exercise of social scientific analysis. But, in
my view, it is true that patriarchy works under the broader premise of
religion. It is with this conviction that the book argues that most of
the oppressive structures that work against women are attributed to
religion, which are further legitimised and sanctioned by the society at
large. The primary control over this rests with a few powerful male
members. Thus, it is further articulated that the separate personal law
given on the basis of religion further works against them.
The effect of patriarchy, religious laws and social obligations in the
social realms hinders a woman's realisation of her rights. This unearths
the social barriers faced by women that withhold their entry into the
socio-political sphere that yield to the diktats of a patriarchal
society. The author takes up examples and events that are unfavourable
to the assertion of women’s rights through an analysis of her own
reflections on the society that she lives in. The stereotypical
portraying of women in social customs and morals irrespective of their
caste, class and religious background makes women submissive in the male
dominated society.
The politicisation of religion under the banner of a secular nation in a
way engendered violence in our times. The fact that ‘woman’ is the most
discriminated category — double discrimination — has not been a concern
of the makers of the law of the land. The tearing of Women’s
Reservation Bill in Parliament shows how intolerant our representatives
are towards the women’s cause. Unlike the politics of caste, and
religion, the politics of gender makes for a harmonious way to build a
secular nation, because the question of gender justice is not a communal
question. Alternatively, the author proposes a ‘Common Civil Code’ for
women that would free them from the clutches of the religion.
Tracing the basic features of tribal life and their dependence on
forest, the work highlights the contemporary processes of deforestation
in tribal areas in context. The practice of ‘development’ deteriorates
the life conditions of adivasis in general, particularly the women. This
increases the average working hours of women as they are primarily
engaged in collecting minor forest produce and firewood — which is vital
for their household economy. Though women were engaged in laborious
work in the earlier times, the mechanisation process has deskilled women
more than the men.
Moreover, women’s work is not reckoned as income-generating activity.
Stretching the aspects of mobilisation and organisation of various women
workers in the unorganised sectors, this part of the chapter links the
question of child labour and the vulnerable condition of women workers.
This is primarily so, because of the de-valuing attitude of the society
towards the work done by the woman folk. Thus, the question of
development needs to be re-framed in the perspective of the rights of
the people. If so, the victims of development — as a result of
displacement and environmental degradation — could be met with issues of
human rights i.e., a rights-based perspective of development which
primarily focuses on the human rights of the people over and above the
growth outcomes of development. This would help, mostly, the deprived
sections such as the children and women.
