Plight of the single woman in India

Today, there is a lot of government effort for upliftment of women. For example there are various schemes for maternal health and education of the girl child.

However the going is still tough for many, many more women, who have been abandoned, deserted or separated. The numbers are huge – as per the 2001 census, there are about 36 million single women. Analysts point out that this figure only accounts for widows, or women who are divorced or separated women and the actual numbers are substantially higher.

Indeed, it appears that single women have dropped off the radar of our policy makers. Single women are not eligible for ration cards, job cards under Unemployment schemes or BPL cards if they happen to be living with a relative.

Dear Sushma
There is hope yet. The area has drawn the attention of committed NGOs working at the grass root level like the Udaipur based Astha.

The movement for the single woman started in Rajasthan under the banner of the Ekal Nari Shakti Sangathan. The movement quickly caught on and has today spread to Gujrat, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Recently, representatives of NGOs and workers assembled in Delhi to make their voice heard and handed over a charter of their demands to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. They also launched the National Forum for Single Women’s Rights.

Yes, single women deserve more attention of the policy-makers.

Dear Niti and Sushma
I was really intrigued by your post. It set me thinking. We, city bred women do have it a bit easy – we are educated, have our own careers and the men folk in our life cant take us for granted as we can sure fight back. Back in rural India, it is a different picture altogether. There is no doubt that the going is tough for semi-literate woman who has been abandoned by her husband.

However, the Ekal Nari Shakti Sangathan has now given them a platform. There have been some successes too. My sister who has a Ekal Nari branch near her house tells me that in Himachal Pradesh single women are now eligible to get ration cards. There has been some progress in the area of joint registration of land rights.