Dr Amdebkar and Women Empowerment Essay Example

Central Province of British India. Although he was from the Mahar caste, which was considered untouchable in Indian society, his father Ramji Sakpal's service in the British Army enabled him to receive early education that would have otherwise been denied to him due to his caste status. Nevertheless, Ambedkar encountered discrimination and oppression within his community. These experiences fueled his determination to combat the oppressive social structure.

As a result of being born into an inferior caste considered 'untouchable', the schoolboy frequently suffered insults at school. He was isolated to a corner of the classroom and banned from playing or talking with other students for fear of 'polluting' them. Even his teachers avoided touching his notebook. He was barred from studying some subjects, such as Sanskrit, as his Sanskrit teacher refused to teach him. As an alternative, he was offered Persian as a second language.

The system of untouchability was unjust, causing the individual to feel humiliated and angry. He was denied local transportation, access to drinking water, and even haircut services due to his untouchable status. Despite these challenges, he persisted in his studies with encouragement from his father and achieved a remarkable feat by passing his matriculation exam in 1907 as an untouchable individual. At the age of fourteen, he married Ramabai who was only nine years old at the time but went on to attain a Bachelor's degree by enrolling at Elphinstone College while continuing his education.

He received a scholarship from the Maharaja of Baroda after finishing his studies at Bombay University, which allowed him to pursue an M.A. degree at Colombia University.

Following the attainment of his undergraduate degree, where he covered subjects such

as Economics, Political Science, History, Anthropology and Sociology; he proceeded to undertake an M.A. program in Economics in 1915 with a research focus on Ancient Indian Commerce. In the ensuing year, he furthered his studies by enrolling for another M.A.

Dr. Ambedkar employed a historical and analytical approach to investigate India's National Dividend during his pursuit of a doctoral degree at the London School of Economics in October 1916. Despite being obliged to return to India after his Baroda scholarship concluded in June 1917 and fulfill his duty to the sponsoring Princely State, he continued working on his thesis upon returning.

After being appointed as Military Secretary to the Maharaja, he resigned due to a humiliating experience. To support his family, he worked at various locations before starting the publication of the weekly Mooknayak in Mumbai in January 1920 with the assistance of Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Maharaja of Kolhapur. This publication aimed to propagate against the Hindu social order and stressed gender and social equality, education, and exposed issues faced by the depressed classes and women. Upon accumulating enough funds, he returned to London in September 1920 to complete his studies and became a barrister. He also obtained a Doctorate in science degree.

After being fully prepared to confront problematic elements in Indian society such as the caste system, women's oppression, and untouchability, he obtained a post-doctoral research position at the University of Bonn in Germany in 1922-23. His time spent in the Western world has impacted his understanding of feminist concerns, coinciding with the conclusion of first wave feminism following women's voting rights being granted in Britain (1918) and America (1920).

Upon his return to India, Ambedkar dedicated

his life to fighting for the rights of oppressed social classes and women who had been treated as subordinates in Hindu society for centuries. He advocated for women's right to education, equal treatment with men, right to property, and political involvement, mirroring the global feminist demands. To further this goal, Ambedkar founded the 'Bahiskrit Hitkarani Sabha' in July 1924. The organization aimed to uplift the impoverished and marginalized through the establishment of schools and hostels and raising awareness about their rights.

Ambedkar initiated several movements against untouchability, encouraging people from all sections of society, including a significant number of women, to speak out about their concerns on various platforms. He also aided women in establishing numerous women’s associations, which were instrumental in promoting education and awareness among Dalit women. At the satyagrah conference in Mahad in 1927, Ambedkar publicly criticized the 'Manusmriti' for its derogatory treatment of women and Shudras. This gathering witnessed the participation of thousands of men and women.

Ambedkar led numerous satyagrahas for the rights of the socially marginalized groups. One such event was the public burning of the Manusmriti. Another satyagraha was organized in Mahad to empower the untouchable community to draw water from Chowdar tank. Women actively participated in this movement. Ambedkar also began publishing ‘Bahishkrit Bharat’ in 1927, a periodical aimed at advocating for the rights of socially backward individuals. The Kalram Temple Entry Satyagraha in Nasik witnessed the participation of hundreds of depressed class women who forcefully entered Hindu temples all over the country. In 1930, Ambedkar represented the untouchable community at the Round Table Conference.

While serving as a member of the Constituent Assembly and as Chairman of

the Drafting Committee of the Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar worked diligently to improve the conditions of socially oppressed individuals, including women who had long suffered under the shackles of tradition and societal norms. His efforts included advocating for a separate electorate for the depressed classes and incorporating constitutional provisions to empower women.

Dr. Ambedkar created a constitution that includes all the necessary conditions for promoting fellowship among all the citizens of independent India. He joined the Constituent Assembly with the primary objective of protecting Scheduled Castes, as he believed in securing constitutional safeguards for those who have been denied their rights. Ambedkar recognized that women have also suffered from similar circumstances and therefore, took measures to include women's rights in both the political vocabulary and constitution of India. He included special provisions for women to ensure equality in both formal and substantial ways while simultaneously making general provisions applicable to both men and women. The statute book highlighted discrimination based on caste, religion, sex, creed, or place of birth as illegal acts.

The Indian Constitution includes several provisions promoting equality. Article 14 guarantees equality before the law. Article 15 prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, race, sex, place of birth, or any combination of these. Article 16 ensures equal opportunities to all citizens in matters related to employment or appointment under the State. Additionally, Article ____ guarantees equal pay for equal work for both men and women.

Article 41 grants the right to work, education, and public assistance in certain cases, while Article 2 mandates just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief. Additionally, Article 44 requires a uniform Civil Code for all citizens throughout

India. During the framing and debating of the Indian Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar made scholarly arguments to ensure women were granted the right to vote and have equality in running state affairs, thus putting his stamp of approval on gender equality.

During his speech to the Constituent Assembly on 25th November, 1949, he expressed that social democracy is essential for the survival of political democracy, stating "political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy." He stressed that the concept of one man one vote is insignificant if individuals are not equal, independent, and free. The emphasis should be on social equality rather than political equality.