Dalit feminism: women who were left behind

Who are Dalit

This practice of untouchability was legally abolished by the national constitution of India seventy years back. The constitution also provided measures for positive discrimination in both educational institutions and public services for Dalit and other social groups who lie within the caste system. Unfortunately, even after legal banishment and abolishment of this practice it is still alive in parts of India. It is not uncommon to hear news like a Dalit being beaten to death because he took water from a common well or a Dalit women being raped because she “deserves” it.

THE PROBLEMS THEY FACE ?

This practice of untouchability was legally abolished by the national constitution of India seventy years back. The constitution also provided measures for positive discrimination in both educational institutions and public services for Dalit and other social groups who lie within the caste system. Unfortunately, even after legal banishment and abolishment of this practice it is still alive in parts of India.It is not uncommon to hear news like a dalit being beaten to death because he took water from a common well or a dalit women being raped because she “deserves” it.

These people suffer due to their traditional working environments but among them women suffer more as they are considered “inferior” in an already considered “inferior” class. These were the women left behind when all others waged the war to win equal rights. Even today, in modern times, we see severe oppression and exploitation of Dalit women. The caste discrimination inherited by birth results in Dalit women is facing multiple oppression that violates their economic, political, social and cultural rights. The most deprived section of society comprises of Dalit women who are poorest, illiterate and easy targets for sexual harassment. The women face not just caste violence inflicted on them by the dominant castes, but also violence.

One of these atrocious practices is “Devdasi” . Under Devadasi system, a scheduled caste family dedicates/marries its young daughter to the village goddess, and when the girl reaches puberty she becomes an available sexual partner for the priest and all upper caste men in the village. It should be also noted that in India about 90 percent crimes against Dalit women are not reported to the police for the fear of social ostracism and threat to personal safety and security especially Dalit women. Also the legal proceedings are so complicated, tardy, time-consuming, costly and unfriendly to Dalits that usually they do not approach courts or other law enforcing agencies for their redresal.

NEED FOR DALIT FEMINISM

When all the women were fighting for their rights Dalit women were right behind them to help gain freedom and equality but unfortunately thy were left when the success was achieved .The main reason was that normal feminist groups did not give them the special consideration their condition required and considered them under the same class as all other women.The lack of special consideration hindered their freedom and equality when all others moved forward which lead to more oppression and abuse for them.

This desperate condition gave rise to dalit feminism. The early 1990s onwards, many autonomous Dalit women’s organisations became visible giving rise to a politico-ideological platform called Dalit feminism. This became a catalyst for intense debates around the issue of caste and gender and their interrelatedness. The recognition of Dalit feminism as a distinct theory and practice within the discipline of feminist studies and the women’s movement in India crystallised through these debates. Since then many organizations have come forward to fight for dalit women ,many feminist groups were formed that are doing great work for their future.The National Federation of Dalit Women (NFDW) was launched by Dalit women themselves and committed itself to undertake several tasks to bring about positive changes in the lives of Dalit women, such as legal action against caste based atrocities, political empowerment of Dalit women, economic empowerment against growing pauperisation, building selfconfidence and leadership.

CONCLUSION

It is not only dalit women’s duty to fight for their rights ,it is also necessary that non-dalit organizations and feminists rise to help them in their battle because if we as women do not stand together for them their battle for freedom will be a long and painful one.

-MANSI MALHOTRA