PLIGHT OF WOMEN

IN INDIA –
WITCH BRANDING
 Medieval times

Women were treated very badly in different ways

like:
 Sati

 Jauhar

 Child Marriage
 Restriction on Widow Remarriage

 Purdah System

 Girl Education

 Devadasis
Photos
MODERN INDIAN WOMEN

 THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN MODERN

INDIA IS A SORT OF A PARADOX
 Malnutrition

 Poor Health

 Maternal Mortality

 Lack of Education

 Mistreatment
 Marriage

 Dowry

 Female infanticide/feticide

 Divorce
Photos
 Witch branding
 Sharp rise in the number of women being denounced as
witches.
 Women-widowed, infertile, possess ‘ugly’ features or are old,
unprotected, poor or socially ostracized are easy targets.
 This largely happens in states like Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand
and West Bengal annually.
 Dalit or tribal communities
 Political, property-related or gender-specific reasons.
National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) states that
in 2007, 177 cases
States Cases

Jharkhand 50

Andhra Pradesh 33

Haryana 30

Orissa 28

Madhya Pradesh 14

Chhattisgarh 8

Gujurat 1
 Public Punishments as Violence
against Women
 Attitude of police- disappointing
 police simply encourage the parties involved to
settle matters privately.
 Women accused will never get justice.
 The severity of deaths- extreme and gruesome
forms of torture, including acts of beheading,
stoning, hanging, stabbing, poisoning or by being
buried alive.

 Jharkhand’s Prevention of Witch Practices Act

are cognizable and non bail able.
 Can Rural Society in India Change?

 women are humiliated that they cannot continue

to live in their home village.

 According to the data (2004 – 2009), approx 137

women accused of being a “witch” and were
killed.
 Are Legal Protections Available?

 There are few anti –witch craft laws but are

not very effective.

 The new law ensures safety for women

accused, but does not punish her attacker.
 India’s current court system cannot handle fair
jurisprudence in cases involving superstition and
witchcraft.

 Those accused of committing the violent act are

usually sentenced more than one year.

 Witchcraft cases are currently kept only in the lower

court system without option for any higher court
appeal.
MEASURES TO IRRADICATE

EDUCATION
 Help her to get status.

 She can play an equally important role as men in

nation building.

 Five-year plans has the major program for the

development of women.
 The Literacy Rate in India 1901-2001

Year                                            Persons                  Males           Females

1901                                                  5.3                          9.8                 0.7

1911                                                  5.9                         10.6                1.1
1921                                                  7.2                         12.2                1.8
1931                                                  9.5                         15.6                2.9
1941                                                 16.1                        24.9                7.3
1951                                                16.7                        24.9                7.3
1961                                                 24.0                        34.4               13.0
1971                                                 29.5                        39.5                18.7
1981                                                 36.2                        46.9               24.8
1991                                                 52.1                        63.9               39.2
2001                                                65.38                      76.0               54.0
 MEASURES FOR IMPROVING THE
LITERACY LEVEL OF WOMEN IN

 Universal enrolment for girls without any

compromise.
 Proper research and necessary poverty alleviation 
services be provided.
 Child labor practice must be abolished.
 Participation of communities.
 Schemes should be provided
 The electronic and print media can be significant.

 NGO, clubs, universities, education institution.

 The law enforcing machinery should be made

really effective with efficient

DONE BY GROUP 2