Gender Bias in Manipuri Society
- A reappraisal -
- Part 2 -

Priyadarshni M Gangte *

DEVELOPMENT :

Sustainable development must meet the needs of both female and male gender to ensure visibility and equity of both genders. This is realisable through a development process untried with an ideology that ensures participation, ownership and distribution of resources between women and men. (Rahul Rai : Ibid; p.48).

It is also relevant to observe what Amar was emphatic and very clearly perceived that earlier, sustainability used to be confined only to environmental related issues but today, the term has acquired broader meanings. It has to be practised not only in case of environment but in the case of social, economic and political variables as well (Development Sustained, But What Does That Mean : Amar Yumnam—Imphal Free Press, 6.3.2011).

A sustainable society is one where individuals have the opportunity to grow without discrimination and there is possibility of collective glory. With the rise of democracy the necessity of enlarging the scope for individual advancement is being increasingly appreciated (Ibid). Indeed, economic status is very important which can be earned due to control over economic access and power, it is examined through the distribution of economic power ie whether the female household head is an earner or dependant, their holding of tangible asserts, nature of inheritance of ancestral property and nature of job opportunities in which women are involved as against their male counterpart (P.M. Gangte : Women of North East in Present Context, Maxford Books, Delhi - 2011; p.184).

Considering the tribal women, they are primary gatherer of forest resources to meet household needs, they collect vegetables of different varieties from the wild, non-timber forest products and wood for fuel. Depletion of these resources, therefore, has a direct impact on woman likely increasing them workload and drudgery. It also has a direct impact on the overall livelihood of the people who depend on forest resources not only for their own use but also as a crucial source of family income (Ibid, p.234).

We know that (90-95)% of vendors in tribal set ups are women. Women look after the management, cultivation, harvesting and processing of the crops, although men sometimes help bring the produce to the local market. It will be interesting to observe as is maintained by Sujata (Sujata D. Hazarika : Democracy And Leadership : The Gendered Voice in Politics, Vol.57, Number 3, Sept-Dec, 2008, Indian Sociological Society, Delhi; p.362) that traditional institutions and customary laws prevalent among women though portrayed an egalitarian socio economic structure, is discriminatory when it comes to women's rights in traditional governance.

Women folk in this society have yet a long way of struggle to go to achieve the desired goal of upliftment and empowerment. Moreover, when we deeply look at the status of Meitei women we feel that though liberated and omnipotent, they still need social security and more human treatments at the hands of male partners (P.M. Gangte : Customary Laws of Meitei And Mizo Societies, Akansha Publishing House, New Delhi-2, 2008; p.337).

Women's lower rates of literacy, school attendance, access to education and participation in trainings as well as innovative gender stereotype programmes marginalise them in the public sphere and affects their awareness of their legal rights, such as the equal right to own and inherit land. Women from some advantaged or disadvantaged ethnic groups are also likely to drop out of school earlier because of pregnancy, child-bearing, marriage and domestic responsibilities. Lack of education on reproductive health, health and medical care, drinking water, electricity, food safety sanitation, balanced diet mass awareness and environmental and bio-diversity and its consequences keeps them captured to illiteracy and poverty.

According to Gangte, (Dispensation of Justice and Conceptualisation of the Ethics of Equality to the Empowerment of Women—Priyadarshni M Gangte—The Sangai Express, dt.23.1.2011) in Meitei society, women can be categorised into three groups — (i) educated and employed; (ii) educated and unemployed; and (iii) uneducated ie illiterate. The last group comprises the largest number which come out openly fighting against social issue apart from their usual income and activities of earning even bread-earnings.

We know that literacy has been identified as an important factor in women's emancipation. The impacts of educational expansion as well as Constitutional and legal provisions have made a great impact mostly in the urban centres. Presently, a greater number of women are entering high school, university and professional colleges. They believe that an educated woman is an asset to her home and family.

Women who are educated and socialised in school and college develop individuation and autonomy in values and ideologies of the total number of educated women an infinitely small percentage are employed. Employment of educated to middle class women of rural areas who belong to the lower economic classes. Lack of work for the male member, drunkenness among them and economic constraints drive the Manipuri women to seek remunerative work outside their homes. On the other hand, educated women seek and secure employment in white collar jobs.

A working woman's role as bread-earner, however, cannot be considered in isolation. Her income gives the family a higher status. The role of the educated earning women is a little different from that of the educated unemployed woman. She has to perform dual duties and face a crisis of adjustment. She has multifaceted commitments. It is, however, accepted that a woman's earning mean an economic gain. Thus, a woman is a wife, friend, companion and consultant to her husband, not merely a daughter, daughter-in-law, mother, mother-n-law. She takes upon herself the task of educating, instructing and guiding her children. The task and the impact are immense.

Gender Bias and Poverty

Gender bias in its various forms prevents hundreds of millions of women from obtaining education, health services, child care and legal status needed to escape from poverty. Most of the women's activity takes place in the non-wage economy for household consumption, producing food crops, gathering firewood and collecting fodder. Although women toil longer, and contribute more to the family income than male family members they are viewed as "unproductive in government statistics, Jodi Jacobson (a researcher at the World watch Institute) asserts that gender bias is also the single most important cause of rapid population growth.

Relating to it, Laxmi (Laxmi Devi : Women And Development : Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi-2; p.329) has maintained that where women have little access to productive resources and little control over family income, they depend on children for social status and security. Chinglen (Chinglen Maisnam, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Manipur University, Canchipur—Interviewed on 7.3.2011). has firmly believed in the policy of male oriented Government of India by uttering :
"Though India follows the high growth trajectories, India's growth has remained dividend and inequitable. The current model of growth leads to widening gender gap".

In the transitional phase, the position of woman is slowly changing. If a daughter is educated, the father is more prepared to counsel with her than with his illiterate wife. Education alone will enhance the position of women in India. They have the advantage of an infrastructure of a legal executive machinery working for their equality. Education faster autonomy, individuation and rationality in women. These make them companion for their husbands (Laxmi : Ibid; p.147).

Employed women also increased the class mobility of the family. However, a word of caution is necessary. A majority of our women are illiterate. The benefits that are limited to a group of highly educated women society is then in a transitory phase since a majority of rural and urban women are still bound by the shackles of a tradition which gives them a lower status than men. The male psyche is such that they cannot visualise their wives being more educated or earning more money. I am inclined like Laxmi to propagate the idea that unless an attitudinal change occurs, the position of women is bound to be inferior. (Ibid.)

Thus, education is the major factor in enhancing the position of women in any society. And, to cite an instance, of course, during illness fewer women than men seek and receive treatment.

There is a gender asymmetry in utilisation of health services. Early and forced marriages, young motherhood continue and malnutrition anemia and higher morbidity persists. As a result young adolescent girls who discontinue their education and vocational training are denied to information about their bodies, thereby constituting a life cycle of deprivation and discrimination resulting in a continuous of health related vulnerabilities for women and young girls (Tingneichong G, Kipgen: Women's Role in the 20th Century, Manipur, Kalpaz Publication, Delhi-52, 2010, p.157). This ill conceived mechanism must undergo a drastic change.

Media

Media is very important tool in the hand of upper class, upper caste men to propagate class and gender ideology. From films and television to magazines, newspaper, radio, and even internet, the portrayal of women is stereotypical and distorted. Messages about male superiority and female inferiority are repeated and insisted constantly; violence against women is rampant, especially in films. As with other sectors, women are highly under-represented in the media, professionally and biases in reporting, coverage, advertising and messaging are generally very sexist (Kamla Bhasin : What is Patriarchy ? Kali for Women, A-36 Gulmohar Park, N. Delhi-49, 1993; p.11) and one sided.

It is empirical fact that print and mass media need to show the presence of women at par with men because masses of even rural areas have some access to the same in raising awareness in all spheres for upliftment among women. Needless to say, media is torch bearer and mirror of any civilized society.

Abducting a woman to marry

As I am a person belonging to weaker section of society, I would like to highlight about the unexposed social deprivation which is one of the social institutions of marriages, i.e. abduction or kidnapping of woman to marry her which is an age old practice which is still prevalent in some parts of the state. It refers to the non-consensual kidnapping, which involves a young man and accomplices taking a girls or woman by deception or force, often kept over night and sometimes raped, to extract consent to marriage. The victim is threatened not only physically but also mentally by the shame of no longer being a virgin or pure woman.

As per Touthang's version (Sholun Touthang, 40 years Chief of Berea Village, Churachandpur District, Manipur, interviewed on 23.10.2010) forms of non-consentual kidnapping will raise ethical concerns among the people such audacious and violent practice of non consentual kidnapping and coercing woman to submit and accept the marriage cannot be a 'tradition' of our society. Any act of outraging the modesty of woman is tantamount to violation of human rights and is of course, illegal too.

Christianity, Islam and Hinduism do not condone a forced marriage (abducted without valid consent of both people). In other words, freely given consent of both parties is a prerequisite of Christian, Hindu and Muslim marriages. Such marriage should be rejected by societies that uphold human rights and legal marriage on the fact that forced marriage negates freedom of matrimonial consent.

It is pertinent to note positively that love is one of the foundations of marriage. (in some religion) "Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses". (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 16(2). Secondly, "A woman's right to choose a spouse and enter freely into marriage is central to her life and her dignity and equality as a human being" (UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women).

A holistic perspective to the development of women

Poverty is a consequence, as well as a cause of several factors that limit life. In order to overcome such acute social problem, it is imperative to take up certain strategies that will respond to yield decisive social benefits such as the life cycle, the girls' education, food, security, safer environment in the home and neighbourhood, vocational training, support services to save time and energy, income and employment opportunity, safe motherhood, breast feeding and proper weaning, immunity against childhood diseases, management of common illness like diarrhea and respiratory infection, growth promotion and early childhood stimulation as educational foundation leading to full and equal participation in socio-economic life (Laxmi : Ibid, p.110).

These may not cover women in specifically difficult circumstances such refugees and migrants, prostitutes and victims of atrocities, the mentally and physically handicapped etc. however, for the majority of women, especially the rural poor, including tribals, an integrated and decentralized approach to planning is envisaged. The plan ultimately perceives maintaining as a long-term goal, thus, it is need of the hour to recognize holistic approach.

Voluntary Organisation and Others

The scope of functions of the voluntary organisation in uplifting the status of women is very wide. But unfortunately they have not realized the potentialities that they have as pressure groups. The public has also become so dependent on the government for the solution of even those problems which can be tackled by the people themselves. It is high time that the people should realise the development of society mainly depends on the efforts of its people and merely government. (Ibid : p.340).

The voluntarily organisations have to make sincere efforts to re-establish themselves as powerful agencies to fight the deep rooted social ills of the society for which they need commuted and dedicated workers. The message has to be taken door to door. The change has to come from within and not without (ibid) which will be more lasting and meaningful.

It is firm conviction that unless the voluntary organizations take an active part in the movement of liberation of women, merely governmental agencies cannot achieve the desired results. It is the women themselves who have to liberate themselves from the clutches of the old, orthodox, traditions and customs of the society. This social revolution should be led by the voluntary organisation (Ibid). It is said that education liberates and so education must be exploited to gain wisdom and live a better life – a quality life rather than a deceptive and low graded life style benefit of education and skills which may demean ones life. Women's role needs to be redefined again and again.

Conclusion

We have known from the preceding paragraphs how females have had sufferings due to the compelling situations arising from the social, economic, cultural religious and political conditions or ideologies of the past. Insecurities of all sorts arised for females particularly from that of economic activities are resorted in this prevailing environment. Thus, it is high time to think and materialize ones share's due to others. If all the fallout continue what will be the future?

It is, therefore, civil societies, NGO's, Intellectual groups, and all the States should take remedial measure to abolish and of course, the Government's role to introduce certain parameter relating to kidnapping of girls/women so that the youths (boys) should learn to respect girls which will be the only way that people be socially enlightened. Thus a deeply oriented additional policy is the need of the hour especially in Manipur – the Jewel of India.

Concluded.....