{"id":99986,"date":"2024-04-08T12:22:14","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T06:52:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=udaan&#038;p=99986"},"modified":"2024-09-16T18:45:52","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T13:15:52","slug":"women-social-reform-movements","status":"publish","type":"udaan","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/udaan\/women-social-reform-movements","title":{"rendered":"Women\u2019s Social Reform Movements in Colonial India: Initiatives &#038; Organizations"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Introduction<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During colonial India, women played crucial roles in <\/span><b>various <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/https-pwonlyias.com\/stage-social-reform-movements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>social reform movements<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that aimed to address prevalent inequalities and injustices. These movements, led by prominent figures such as Pandita Ramabai, Tarabai Shinde, etc, sought to <\/span><b>challenge traditional norms <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and practices that oppressed women and hindered their progress. Through <\/span><b>advocacy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>education<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and<\/span><b> activism<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, these women and their allies worked tirelessly to bring about positive change, paving the way for greater gender equality and <a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/ncert-notes\/social-justice-principles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social justice<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/indian-society\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Indian society<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Initiatives for Improving The Position Of Women<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\">Abolition of Sati:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to the efforts of<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/raja-ram-mohan-roy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Raja Rammohan Roy<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>William Bentinck<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> made the<\/span><b> practice of Sati illegal <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">under <\/span><b>Regulation XVII of 1829<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the <\/span><b>Bengal Code.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rammohan Roy <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">called sati \u201c<\/span><b>murder according to every shastra<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The practice of sati was sought to be banned in the regions under the control of the <\/span><b>Portuguese, Dutch, and French<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the early 16th century. In 1582, the <\/span><b>Mughal emperor, Akbar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is said to have issued orders that sati was not to be coerced.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Preventing Female Infanticide<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infanticide was prohibited and equated to murder by the <\/span><b>Bengal regulations of 1795<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>1804.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A law passed in <\/span><b>1870 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mandated parents to <\/span><b>officially record the birth of every child<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and provide for <\/span><b>verification of female children <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for some years after birth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Widow Remarriage\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/ishwar-chandra-vidyasagar\/\"><b>Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar<\/b><\/a><b>: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Principal of Sanskrit College, Calcutta) highlighted the issue of widow remarriage, and with his effort, the <\/span><b>Hindu Widow\u2019s Remarriage Act, 1856 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">was passed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>D.K. Karve: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In western India, also worked for the upliftment of widows, and himself <\/span><b>married a widow in 1893<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He became the secretary of the <\/span><b>Widow Remarriage Association<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He opened a <\/span><b>widow\u2019s home in Poona <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to give the<\/span><b> high-caste widows<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> an interest in life by providing them with facilities for vocational training.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Jagannath Shankar Seth, Bhau Daji, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>Vishnu Shastri Pandit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> actively promoted girl\u2019s schools in Maharashtra.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Vishnu Shastri Pandit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> founded the <\/span><b>Widow Remarriage Association in the 1850s.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Karsondas Mulji<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> initiated <\/span><b>Satya Prakash in Gujarati in 1852 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to advocate widow remarriage.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Veerasalingam Pantulu<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Madras made similar efforts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>B .M. Malabari,<\/b> <b>Narmad Dave, <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/mahadev-govind-ranade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Justice Govind Mahadeo Ranade<\/b><\/a><b>, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>K. Natarajan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Jyotiba Phule <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and his wife <\/span><b>Savitribai,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> among others, advocated for the right of widows to remarry.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Controlling Child Marriage<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Native Marriage Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (or Civil Marriage Act), <\/span><b>1872:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This act was a <\/span><b>legal step<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> against <a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/lancet-study-on-child-marriage\/#:~:text=Context%3A%20Recently%2C%20a%20new%20study,and%2021%20years%20for%20boys).\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">child marriage<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, its impact was limited as it was not applicable to <\/span><b>Hindus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><b> Muslims<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and other recognised faiths.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>B.M. Malabari:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Advocated for a change in legislation, resulting in the <\/span><b>Age of Consent Act (1891),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> preventing the marriage of girls under 12.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Case of Rukhmabai: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pushed the reformers to get the <\/span><b>Age of Consent Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> passed.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The case was related to the restitution of <\/span><b>conjugal rights.<\/b> <b>[UPSC 2020]<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span class=\"vc_button\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Rukhmabai Raut<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She was India&#8217;s <\/span><b>first Hindu woman to get a divorce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and also one of the first female doctors practicing<\/span><b> Western medicine<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. (<\/span><b>Note:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Kadambini was the first female doctor in India to practice Western medicine)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She started to write for The <\/span><b>Times of India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the pseudonym &#8216;<\/span><b>A Hindu Lady<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8216;.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She was <\/span><b>married at 11 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to <\/span><b>Dadaji Bhikaji<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but challenged the validity of her marriage in court.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She lost the appeal in 1887 and <\/span><b>faced imprisonment for defying Hindu customs,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but was saved by <\/span><b>Queen Victoria\u2019s intervention<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reformers, such as <\/span><b>Behramji Malabari<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Ramabai Ranade<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, formed the <\/span><b>Rukhmabai Defence Committee<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to bring the case to public attention.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her case became a landmark in Indian history and led to the passage of the <\/span><b>Age of Consent Act in 1891<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which <\/span><b>raised the minimum age of marriage for girls from 10 to 12.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/important-acts-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Sarda Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\/<\/span><b>The Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Further increased the marriage age to 18 for boys and 14 for girls. This came into force in 1930.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Post-independence<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The<\/span><b> Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act, 1978,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> raised the marriage age for girls from <\/span><b>15 to 18 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and for boys from <\/span><b>18 to 21<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Education for Women<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Calcutta Female Juvenile Society<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: established by Christian missionaries in 1819, was among the earliest initiatives for girl\u2019s education.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Jagannath Shankarsheth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2018Nana\u2019 and <\/span><b>Bhau Daji<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were among the active promoters of girl\u2019s schools in Maharashtra.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jagannath Shankar Seth was one of the founders of the <\/span><b>School Society <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>Native School of Bombay.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He started an <\/span><b>English-Marathi school in Girgaum<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Maharashtra).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Bhau Daji Lad<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Ram Krishna Lad): was the <\/span><b>first<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Indian president of the <\/span><b>Students\u2019 Literary and Scientific Society.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/jyotiba-phule-biography\/#:~:text=Jyotiba%20Phule%2C%20also%20known%20as%20Jyotirao%20Phule%2C%20was%20a%20social,women%2C%20during%20the%2019th%20century.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Jyotirao Phule<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and his wife <\/span><b>Savitribai <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">opened the<\/span><b> first <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">school for<\/span><b> girls <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at<\/span><b> Bhidewada, Pune, in 1848.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Savitribai Phule<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> taught alongside<\/span><b> Fatima Sheikh<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Sagunabai<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She also opened a<\/span><b> night school<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Alexandra Society of Parsis: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was opened in 1863, to educate Parsi girls.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>first <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">woman graduate of Bombay University was a Parsi woman, <\/span><b>Cornelia Sorabji,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 1887. She later worked for equal opportunities for women in education<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Bethune School: Founded by J.E.D. Bethune in 1849<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, linked to the movement for women\u2019s education in the 1840s and 1850s, marked a significant milestone.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>With Lord Dalhousie\u2019s backing, Charles Wood&#8217;s Despatch on Education in 1854<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> emphasized the importance of educating females.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Women\u2019s Medical Service in 1914<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: played a substantial role in training nurses and midwives.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Professor D.K. Karve<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> established the <\/span><b>Indian Women\u2019s University in 1916<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a notable institution for women&#8217;s education. <\/span><b>Lady Hardinge Medical College<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was opened in <\/span><b>Delhi <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the same year.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Pioneering Women&#8217;s Organizations in India<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Arya Mahila Samaj: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Founded by <\/span><b>Pandita Ramabai Saraswati<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to champion women&#8217;s causes, influencing changes in the educational curriculum for Indian women, and leading to the <\/span><b>introduction of medical education at Lady Dufferin College.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ladies Social Conference (Bharat Mahila Parishad): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Established by <\/span><b>Ramabai Ranade in Bombay in 1904<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a branch under the <\/span><b>National Social Conference.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Bharat Stree Mahamandal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>Sarla Devi Chaudhurani <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">convened the inaugural meeting of <\/span><b>Bharat Stree Mahamandal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <\/span><b>Allahabad in 1910<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">recognized as the <\/span><b>first major <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian women&#8217;s organization initiated by<\/span><b> a woman<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Council of Women: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was established In <\/span><b>1925<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Meherbai Tata <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">significantly contributed to its formation, alongside notable women like <\/span><b>Cornelia Sorabji, Tarabai Premchand, Shaffi Tyabji, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> Maharani Sucharu Devi.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/evolution-status-of-women-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>All India Women\u2019s Conference (AIWC)<\/b><\/a><b>: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">founded by<\/span><b> Margaret Cousins <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in 1927<\/span><b>.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">held its first conference at <\/span><b>Fergusson College, Pune.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It aimed to build a society based on <\/span><b>social justice<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>equal rights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and<\/span><b> opportunities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for every individual, irrespective of birth or gender.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Founding Members: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maharani Chimnabai Gaekwad, Rani Sahiba of Sangli, Sarojini Naidu, Kamla Devi Chattopadhyaya, and Lady Dorab Tata.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Coaching<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>Other legislations<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hindu Women&#8217;s Right to Property Act (1937), Factory Act (1947), <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/evolution-status-of-women-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hindu Marriage and Divorce Act (1954)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Special Marriage Act (1954), Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act (1956), Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act (1956), Suppression of Immoral Traffic in Women Act (1958), Maternity Benefits Act (1961), Dowry Prohibition Act (1961), and Equal Remuneration Act (1958, 1976)<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contributed to women&#8217;s rights and empowerment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7176%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 354.545%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ff5e00; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Must Read<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.1653%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Current Affairs<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 304.38%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Editorial Analysis<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.1653%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upsc Notes\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 304.38%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/blogs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upsc Blogs\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.1653%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/ncert-notes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NCERT Notes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 304.38%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free Main Answer Writing<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women played pivotal roles in the social reform movements of colonial India, <\/span><b>advocating for their rights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and challenging oppressive practices.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through their efforts, significant strides were made towards <\/span><b>gender equality<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><b> education<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and social justice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their activism continues to resonate, highlighting the <\/span><b>importance of women&#8217;s voices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in shaping India&#8217;s social fabric.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 99.1403%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 196.561%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #ff5e00; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><b>Related Articles\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.3945%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/administration-before-1857-impact-of-british-administration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Administration Before 1857<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 147.166%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/indian-national-army\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian National Army<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.3945%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/development-of-press-during-and-after-the-first-world-war\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s Press Evolution Post First World War<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 147.166%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/causes-of-british-success-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Causes Of British Success In India<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.3945%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/difference-between-constitution-and-constitutionalism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Constitution &#038; Constitutionalism<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 147.166%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: #e9ebe8;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/acts-related-to-the-press-during-british-rule-from-1799-to-1857\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">British Rule in India<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","udaan-chapter":[5367],"udaan-subject":[5149],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/udaan\/99986"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/udaan"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/udaan"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"udaan-chapter","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/udaan-chapter?post=99986"},{"taxonomy":"udaan-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/udaan-subject?post=99986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}