Actually Indian women in their historical journey, were forced to naturalise and internalise male domination hence, their marginalisation from the mainstream life.
Various factors are responsible for the deteriorating conditions of women in Indian society.
(i) Social factor: Traditionally women are not treated as equal to men. They are dominated by men in patriarchal society. They are made to work in the household and to be obedient to men for their happiness. Besides, they have been disregarded, maltreated and insulted in thousands of ways.
(ii) Economic factor : Economically also women are ignored. They are not the subject of equal pay for equal work, they are not given inheritance right, on an average an Indian woman works one hour more than a man every day. Yet much of her work is not paid for and therefore often not valued.
(iii) Ignorance: In some parts of the country, the birth of a girl is considered to be a curse and a burden. So, out of ignorance people practice female infanticide, i.e., kill the girl child as soon as she is born and even some parents find ways to have the girl child aborted.
(iv) All these are well known. Yet issues related to women’s well being are not given adequate attention.
(v) This has led many feminists and women’s movements to the conclusion that unless women control power, their problems will not get adequate attention, i.e., Empowerment of Women.