The socially constructed gender roles which rooted in India’s socio structural set up
internalizes further the sense of gender inequality or gender bias and accepted it as
‘Norm’. This gender inequality manifests across social, economic and political domain
of Indian society in form of preference of boy child over a girl child, falling sex ratio,
lack of participation of women in decision making process, lack of control of women
over power structure in society. This further results in to domestic violence, sexual
harassment, rape, molestation and may more crimes.
There have been many gender equality measures taken place at policy level in order to
reduce gender discrimination since independence. However, even after 65 years of
independence India is still burning with gender discrimination at all levels. The reason
behind this gender bias has been the fact that the gender equality measures are mostly
oriented towards women and sought to achieve gender equality through positive action
or economic opportunity for women only.
This paper therefore, attempts to analyze the new gender equality measure namely the
gender-mainstreaming strategy as a way to reduce this gender discrimination. The
paper dwells into addressing three questions: How gender-mainstreaming strategy
could be a better way to eliminate this gender bias? How is it different from other
gender equality measures? and What results it could yield in the process of its
implementation? Therefore the objective of the paper is to study how the socially
constructed gender roles result into gender discrimination in society and how this
discrimination can be removed through bringing changes in mindset of people and
society at large with the help of gender-mainstreaming strategy.
Table of Contents
1. Gender: A Social Construct
1.1 Normalization of Gender Relations
2. Manifestations of Gender bias in Indian Society and Consequences
2.1 Policies and Programmes for Women in India
3. A New Pathway of Gender-mainstreaming: Effective Strategy to Bridge Gender Inequality
3.1 Differences between Gender Mainstreaming and Other Equality Measures
3.1.1 Possible Changes through Gender Mainstreaming
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how socially constructed gender roles contribute to systemic gender discrimination in India and explores the efficacy of "gender-mainstreaming" as a transformative strategy to address these deep-rooted inequalities compared to traditional, women-focused policy measures.
- Analysis of gender as a social construct and its normalization through hegemony.
- Evaluation of the socio-economic and political consequences of gender bias in India.
- Critique of existing women-oriented welfare policies and their limitations.
- Investigation into gender-mainstreaming as an alternative framework for policy transformation.
- Assessment of the role of social mindset change in achieving gender equality.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Differences between Gender Mainstreaming and Other Equality Measures
Gender mainstreaming has been different from other gender equality measures in many ways. Other equality measures like positive actions or equal opportunity in the work place usually reinforces a woman focused approach which sought to achieve gender equality through providing supplementary facilities for women, wherein gender mainstreaming goes beyond women issue and deals with gender perspective as a whole and strives to achieve gender equality by restructuring the gender roles and relations in society. Another interesting way to define gender mainstreaming is to distinguish between three types of gender equality strategies:
Tinkering, tailoring and transforming: Tinkering refers to measures aimed at establishing formal equality between men and women, such as equal treatment legislation, and mechanisms to ensure law enforcement. It is in fact one of the oldest strategies for promoting equal opportunities; The second strategy ‘tailoring’ applies when an equal treatment does not automatically lead to equal outcomes, specific measures and facilities for women may be necessary to bridge the gender gap then; The third strategy ‘transforming’ goes a step further by questioning the status quo (the mainstream) and assuming that a transformation of institutions and /or organizations may be necessary to establish gender equality. Thus gender mainstreaming would result in adding this potential for transformation to the established gender equality policies of formal equality and positive action.
However, both tinkering and tailoring process have been actively processed in case of India but the third strategy transforming i.e. gender mainstreaming still in its infancy here.
Summary of Chapters
1. Gender: A Social Construct: Defines gender as a learned social construct rather than a biological certainty, explaining how it is normalized through social interactions and cultural hegemony.
1.1 Normalization of Gender Relations: Explores how Gramsci’s concept of hegemony is used to permeate societal unconsciousness, reinforcing male dominance and hierarchical gender structures.
2. Manifestations of Gender bias in Indian Society and Consequences: Investigates the specific impact of gender bias in India, citing declining sex ratios and high crime rates as consequences of deeply entrenched patriarchal structures.
2.1 Policies and Programmes for Women in India: Critiques existing Indian government welfare policies for being overly focused on women as subjects of welfare rather than addressing the structural roots of gender inequality.
3. A New Pathway of Gender-mainstreaming: Effective Strategy to Bridge Gender Inequality: Introduces the gender-mainstreaming strategy as a global approach that shifts the focus from target-based initiatives to a comprehensive restructuring of social and institutional processes.
3.1 Differences between Gender Mainstreaming and Other Equality Measures: Distinguishes between "tinkering," "tailoring," and "transforming" strategies, positioning the latter as the most effective path toward gender equality.
3.1.1 Possible Changes through Gender Mainstreaming: Details how the implementation of gender-mainstreaming can improve policy effectiveness by involving both men and women and placing human resources at the center of development.
Keywords
Gender-mainstreaming, Gender inequality, India, Social construction, Hegemony, Patriarchy, Policy transformation, Gender bias, Women’s rights, Socialization, Gender-focused approach, Socio-cultural setup, Structural change, Gender-related crimes, Equality measures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The paper focuses on the systemic gender bias in India and evaluates whether the gender-mainstreaming strategy offers a more effective alternative to traditional gender equality policies.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The themes include the social construction of gender, the limitations of current welfare-based policies in India, the role of hegemony in maintaining gender roles, and the potential for structural transformation through gender-mainstreaming.
What is the main objective of the study?
The goal is to analyze how gender roles result in societal discrimination and how this can be mitigated by changing the collective mindset through the comprehensive adoption of gender-mainstreaming strategies.
Which methodology is applied in this paper?
The paper utilizes a qualitative analytical approach, examining existing literature, global policy frameworks, and sociological theories—specifically Gramscian hegemony—to critique current socio-political structures.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The body analyzes the origins of gender bias, presents statistical evidence of its consequences in India, critiques past legislative measures, and argues for the necessity of shifting toward a gender-mainstreaming framework.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include gender-mainstreaming, social construct, gender inequality, patriarchy, policy transformation, and institutional reform.
How does the author define the "tinkering" strategy in the context of gender equality?
Tinkering refers to traditional measures aimed at establishing formal equality through legislation and law enforcement, which the author argues is insufficient for creating deep-seated societal change.
Why does the author advocate for moving away from "women-focused" approaches?
The author argues that focusing solely on women ignores the relational nature of gender inequality and fails to challenge the male-dominated structures that perpetuate the imbalance in the first place.
What specific role does the Indian government's "welfare model" play according to the author?
The author argues that the welfare model often treats women as passive subjects of assistance rather than active participants in a restructured, equal society, thereby failing to address the root causes of discrimination.
What is the ultimate conclusion regarding the future of gender culture in India?
The paper concludes that true development requires a shift in the social mindset, achievable only if policies move beyond token representation and engage both men and women in redefining societal gender norms.
- Quote paper
- Manasi Sinha (Author), 2013, The Gender-Mainstreaming: Bridging Gender Inequality in India, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/265536
