Effects of globalization on women in India

Over the ages, women in India have faced the problems such as patriarchy and social pressure; caste based discrimination and social restrictions; inadequate access to productive resources; poverty; insufficient facilities for advancement; powerlessness and exclusion etc.

However, the new circumstances created by globalization are diverse, encompass all women in the country and cover almost all aspects of their life. Some of these are as follows:

Positive Impacts

Changing role in work

Globalization has undermined the traditional role of women in homemaking, farming, livestock, animal husbandry, handicrafts, handlooms etc and resulted in a relatively better environment for women. Women have more jobs, become more active in avenues generally reserved for men, have played a more prominent role in society and not just restricted to the household. It has affected both the quantity and the quality of work available to the majority of women in India.

Changing role in Family, Marriage, Caste

Globalisation has posed a major challenge to the institution of patriarchy in India. As women take up jobs and achieve social mobility, they have also begun to stand up for their rights. As nuclear families have become more common, it has become easier for women to assertively claim their rights and ask for equality in an environment not stuck in ancient mores. Marrying within the same caste has become less important, and women have in many cases reserved the right to marry whoever they choose irrespective of caste. As countries come closer, and boundaries disappear in the globalised world, women in India are inspired by women the world over to fight for their rights. Of course, there are some notable exceptions to the above generalisations. But, to a large extent, these changes have received a great push from the new era of globalisation.

Other Positive Impacts

• Prospects of higher and quality education have become feasible for those women who can afford them, economically and socially.
• Employment in technological and other advanced sectors, which have global bearing, has opened up for suitably qualified women.
• With changing attitude towards women, especially in the urban areas, women enjoy more egalitarian set of gender relationship.
• Augmentation of women’s movements through exposures at the international level will help bring about major changes in the economic, social and political lives of women.
• Reduction in gender inequalities will have positive effect on women’s empowerment in the socio-economic context.
• Attitudinal changes towards women’s role in the family due to good education, benefits of family planning and health care, child care, good job opportunities etc. will surely help in the development of more confident and healthy women.
• Positive approach to economic and cultural migration will facilitate women to be exposed to better prospects at the international level.

Negative Impacts

Globalization has increased the number of low paid, part time and exploitative jobs for women. Increased prices due to open economy demand more cope up with changes from women. With increasing nuclear families, the older women’s life has become pitiable, sometimes spending their later days in old age homes and isolation. The feminization of population has further aggravated this problem. Similarly, male migration from rural areas to urban centres has put the women under triple burden of home making, farming and job in rural sector. At the same time, migration of women for economic reasons has led to increased exploitation including sexual exploitation and trafficking.