Social, Cultural and Religious Barriers of Women:How it Affects their Progress in India

Abstract

In this study, an attempt was made to investigate the attitudes of young women towards social norms, cultural tradition and religious doctrine which create discrimination against them in the family, working place and society at large. The research f indings suggest that women in Indian society are still considered as commodities and they are abused at all sphere of life. The birth of a girl child is still considered as a source of misery whereas the birth of a son(s) is considered as a blessing. This century old attitudes did not change much even to-day. Girls compromise her career in favour of her brother when there is a f inancial constraint in the family. It reflects the social norms and inferior position of a girl in the family. The f inding also reveals that women should take care of the family, especially the elder ones. Society is changing with time and nuclear family is becoming the norm. In nuclear family, parents do not discriminate boys and girls as long as they are blessed with a child. Girls are now entitled to get equal share of father’s property which was not a social norm even few years before.