Colorful festivals
all the year round, masses below poverty line, corruption, pollution,
extreme climatic conditions, spicy curries, elephants, snake charmers,
and a spiritual haven are some of the stereotypical images that are associated
with India. But when one thinks of Indian women no other word than ‘exotic'
comes to mind. The story of the fairer sex in this country is one of duality.
There is still much poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and discrimination
when it comes to Indian women, but there is a certain segment of them
that is making a mark in the public domain. Globalization has provided
opportunities for the educated, middle class woman to build her own dreams
and excel in fields, which were earlier perceived as complete male territory.
Though they are not the majority, Indian women professionals are definitely
on the rise, banishing the erstwhile culture of gender discrimination.
In fact, a news item in a city newspaper on the occasion of Women’s
Day, 2007 read that Indian women have clocked a 3.35 per cent rise in
employment between 1998 and 2004, according to a survey that covered both
the public and private sectors. The figures were thrown up during a study
on “Women Employment Growth Rate and Gender Budgeting” by
industry chamber ASSOCHAM. According to the study, women employed in the
public and private sector increased to 49.34 lakh in 2004 from 47.74 lakh
in 1998; for men, it has fallen to 215.09 lakh in 2004 from 233.92 lakh.
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