STATUS OF WOMEN IN KERALA

Shanily Joseph B.Ed Social Science

Mount Carmel College of Teacher Education,Kottayam

ABSTRACT
The woman, whose status and role traditionally was well defined and almost fixed
in the society, is now experiencing far-reaching changes. Employment of women is
essential to the development of a good family, good society and ultimately a good
nation. Achievement of women paves way to the progress and development of our
nation. Therefore empowerments of women in the state of Kerala need much
attention in this context.

INTRODUCTION

As part of our B.Ed curriculum we had conducted a survey on women status and
education level after 1956 November. In our group we were 16 members and we
were allotted to do the survey in Nagabadam bus stand. To conduct this survey we
had taken permission from the city police in advance and we were accompanied by
Latha and Manu who were the office staffs of Mount Carmel College of Teacher
Education for Women, Kottayam. The society can attain development only when it
accepts women participation, grant responsibility, utilizes her ability and
employability. Earlier the status of women in India as a whole was very low when
compared to their male counterparts due to several socio-economic and cultural
factors like dominance of male chauvinism in the society, on-existence of
employment opportunities, lack of education, absence of absolute property rights,

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social prejudices, social evils like sati, child marriage, denial of remarriage to
widows and restriction on girl education etc.

NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE

The woman in modern times is entering into certain new fields that were unknown
to the womans sphere of role-sets. They are activating participating in social,
economic, and political activities. The women of the present generation have
generally received higher education than the women of their preceding generation.
There have been far reaching consequences in the economic status of their
families. The modern women are inclined towards the social issues, and trying hard
to improve the social status of women at large.

OBJECTIVES

To understand the status of women in Kerala.

To recognize that employment of women is essential to the development of a
good family, good society and ultimately a good nation.
To analyze the change of attitude towards the women from past to present.

METHODOLOGY
In order to understand the status of women in Kerala I decided to use the survey
method. For this purpose I have Prepared 20 questions. Including men and women
50 samples were collected for the survey. Since it was done in the bus stand I did
not distribute the questionnaire whereas I followed the interview method in which
based on the prepared questions I asked the questions.

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 QUESTIONNAIRE ON STATUS OF WOMEN IN KERALA

1. Do you have daughters or sisters?

2. Are they studying?

3. Do you believe that our state gives important for the education of girls?

4. Do you think that women are capable of excelling all the areas of her life?

5. Do you give an equal importance for the education of girls and boys?

6. It it apt for the women to be employee?

7. Is there any relationship between women education and their status of life?

8. Do you believe that if we are educating a girl we are educating a family?

9. Do you believe that the salary of woman needed to run the better family life?

10. Do you think that the harassment towards the women are increasing?

11. Does education helping the women to attain the rights?

12. Does women are getting enough salary according to their job?

13.Do you think that woman are capable of managing both family and their work/

14. Do you think that taking care of the children is the only responsibility of the
women?

15. Do you think that the mother is more responsible for the character formation of
the children?

16. Do you think that most of the families send the women for a job to meet the life
expenses?

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17. Do you think that women get a chance to express their opinion?

18. Do you think that increase of divorce due to the empowerment of women?

19. Do you think employed women receive more respect and recognition than
women in the society?

20. Does women are getting enough respect comparing to the olden days?

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

30% of them believe that our state gives important for the education of girls.

35% of them think that women are capable of excelling all the areas of her life.

45% of them said that they give an equal importance for the education of girls and
boys.

50% of them said that there is a relationship between women education and their
status of life.

46% of them believe that if we are educating a girl we are educating a family.

40% of them believe that the salary of woman needed to run the better family life.
50% of them said that the harassment towards the women are increasing.

50% of them said that education helping the women to attain their rights.

25% of them said that women are not getting enough salary according to their job.

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50% of them think that women are capable of managing both family and their
work.

10% of them think that the mother is more responsible for the character formation
of the children.

15% of them think that most of the families send the women for a job to meet the
life expenses.

30% of them think that women are not getting a chance to express their opinion.

2% of them think that increase of divorce due to the empowerment of women.

47% of them think that employed women receive more respect and recognition
than women in the society.

48% of them feel that women are not getting enough respect comparing to the
olden days.

They also pointed out the change of attitude towards the women from past to
present. The status of women in Modern India possesses a paradoxical picture. As
compared with past women in modern times have achieved a lot but in reality they
still have to travel a long way

CONCLUSION

The survey was really motivating and inspiring thus each member of the group
took interest to make this a successful one. We surveyed different categories of

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people which include house wife, bus conductors, drivers
,mechanics,Nurses,painteries,teachers,lottery sellers, business
men,journalists,government employers and shop keepers. Since we had both the
group men and women we found that majority were supporting the women status.
Educated women are just on the threshold of transition from tradition to modernity.
The women themselves desire that their status and position in society should rise
higher. The traditional status and role sets of women are breaking up and new role-
sets based on achievement, independence and equality are gradually coming up.

REFERENCE

1. Women studies by Jayanad Nair, 2000.

2. www.statue.com
3. https:/www.ncbi.nim gov.