B. Challenges Against space

1. Women safety at workplace issues:

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act of 2013 establishes rules for preserving women’s safety and dignity at work. Employers are required under the Act to defend the rights of female employees and to promote a culture of zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

2. Participation of women in Various bodies:

Political parties are hesitant to put women on ballots for legislative and parliamentary elections. As a result, women’s participation in political parties is a serious topic since political parties may enable women to participate in political decision-making. The present number of women members in the Lok Sabha was 81. Despite the fact that women make up over half of India’s population, just 81 of the 545 members of the Lok Sabha are female. In Rajya Sabha, the present number of women members is 29 (the total number of Rajya Sabha members is 238). Indian Parliament currently has 14.05% women representation, and state assemblies have only 11%. Even though the 73rd constitutional amendment act mandates 33% of panchayat seats to be reserved for women.

3. Sexual Harassment in Workplace:

The Me too Movement has brought to light several cases of workplace sexual harassment. However, because of the delayed court system, these women have yet to receive justice.

4. Working and Motherhood:

Navigating job prospects while optimizing parenthood is a major difficulty for working women. Motherhood confers upon a woman the responsibility of raising a child; along with motherhood, work adds to the completeness of being a woman, this process also changes the way in which she is perceived in society and at her workplace. 

Working mothers can “lean in” to either their professions or parenthood, but seldom both at the same time. Allowing a working mother to return to work where she left off should be the norm.

Modern civilization is the outcome of the coordination between two major groups of our society i.e, men and women. In the current scenario, women are seen in positions of power by their merit; with constitutional control or virtual. But, still India is a male-dominated country, with males controlling the majority of economic, political, religious, social, and cultural organizations. Various discriminatory social practices and organizations have existed and grown overages to exert control over women’s livelihood choices and sexuality. Patriarchy is there to create obstacles for women to go forward in society and it is responsible for the inferior or secondary status of women, these patriarchal ideals are reinforced and legitimized by a mix of family, caste, community, and religion. Unfortunately, the media, both public and private, have not been harnessed for this, despite its enormous capacity to influence and alter minds.

Women are underpaid in comparison to males and the pay disparity between men and women is estimated at 23% which indicates that women are paid 77% of what males are paid. These estimates understate the true magnitude of wage disparities between men and women, especially in developing nations where informal self-employment is common.