Women in India

Despite all female government members, ministers, sports and business icons, India was ranked as the worst G20 country for women several years ago. Although women officially have the same rights as men, in daily life the society still oppresses them. The crimes against women such as violence, acid attack, kidnapping, molestation, torturing or rapes are rising year by year in high numbers and those are even only 10% of all cases that are reported to the police.

The gender inequality in Indian society begins even before a baby girl's birth, from the moment her gender is known by the parents. Especially in rural areas, where the caste system, as well as old traditions and mentality, have put down roots and have a big influence on people's lives, female foetuses are aborted or baby girls murdered. As a result of years' selective aborts or boy preference of families, India has faced with a skewed sex ratio: less than 950 women pro 1000 men.

Talking about women rights in India, we also have to consider the other aspects, which are connected with this topic and create a domino effect together. First of all, the majority of Indian population is men which leads to several problems in society and prevents men from having normal relationships. In poor districts of India, like Uttar Pradesh where the most gang rapes and other crimes take place, those men, especially the young generation are mostly ill-educated and unemployed due to the economic recession during the last 10 years. Men who can't establish themselves, because of the lack of education and jobs, exercise their strength over women in a cruel way. So women also pay the price for men's failure in social life. Researches also show that the common features among gangs who commit crimes against women are poverty and unemployment.

Women who are victims of such attacks can barely turn their offenders in. People of India don't trust the police, because of the corruption of those and lack of justice. Even in some cases, the police put pressure on female family members of suspects to make them surrender. And in some gang rape cases, the criminals were police officers. That problem also shows itself in the highest positions of the government. A big number of state legislatures and the 40 candidates of the 2009's elections have been charged with rape or other crimes against women.

An important anti-rape law was passed in 2013. But even this doesn't seem to stop gang-rape cases. Rapists hunt always for younger and younger, who mostly don't name them or kill and torture their victims.

After all, fortunately, more women stand up for their rights, protest the violence and support the victims to change the gender inequality in society.