For this reason, a large section of our society has remained backward and ignorant. Women have not been able to contribute as much as they could have to our development.
Many of the wrongs that are done to women have been encouraged by superstitions. The birth of a girl child is considered unfortunate and tin some states the custom of female infanticide is practiced. Girls are still not educated in many parts of our country. They rare married off at an early age as the custom of child marriage still continues in rural areas.
Women are treated as domestic labor and have no financial or decision making rights. They are expected to obey their husbands and never assert themselves. The custom of purdah is still prevalent among many sections of the Indian society and women are not encouraged to venture out of the house. They remain economically dependent for this reason.
Daughters still do not enjoy the same inheritance rights as sons and even when the law is in their favor, social custom does not permit them to assert their rights. Widows are not allowed to remarry and are often ill-treated. The custom of ‘sati’ or burning a widow on her husband’s funeral pyre was practiced in our country and even till date cases are reported. Another social problem is of dowry. At the time of marriage, dowry is given by the girl’s parents as many demands are made on them.