Women Change the World

• In India, 83.6% of working women are engaged in agricultural work, including planting, weeding, harvesting, and threshing
• Despite the high percentage of working women in agriculture, the stereotype persists that when we think of a farmer, we only think of a man
• Many people believe that women make better nurses due to perceived qualities like patience and gentleness, which are linked to traditional gender roles within the family
• There is a belief that science requires a technical mind, leading to the misconception that girls and women are not capable of dealing with technical subjects
• Due to these stereotypes, many girls do not receive the same support as boys to pursue careers in fields like medicine and engineering
• In many families, girls are encouraged to prioritize marriage as their main aim in life after finishing school
• In the past, education was limited, with reading and writing skills known to only a few, especially girls who were often not allowed to learn these skills
• Despite progress, there are still challenges in providing equal schooling facilities to children from all backgrounds, particularly girls, in India
• The 2011 census in India revealed that while literacy rates have increased for both men and women, there is still a gap, with a higher percentage of literate men compared to women
• Girls from Dalit (SC), Adivasi (ST), and Muslim communities are less likely to remain in school, with various reasons such as lack of proper schools, poverty, and discrimination contributing to this issue
• Efforts by the women's movement in India have led to legal reforms, improved situations regarding violence and health, and raised awareness on women's rights issues