Indian Women Research Articles

Indigenous women as agents of environmental change: a study of selected Indian ecodocumentaries

ABSTRACT Mainstream feminism has always revolved around the experiences of white women and has failed to acknowledge the plight of indigenous women who were subjugated to both patriarchy and colonialism. A gendered notion of indigeneity is necessary to bring the marginalization of Indigenous women to the forefront to ensure tribal sovereignty. Indigenous women’s activism has always been distinctly connected to the environment in order to protect the community from external agencies such as companies and government bodies. Several grassroot environmental movements have emerged from the indigenous communities where women have played a pivotal role in the success of these movements. Thus, this study focuses on the environmentalism of indigenous women by analyzing selected documentaries from India i.e. Missing: Forgotten Women in India’s Climate Action Plans (2015), The Seed Guardians (2016), Agar Wo Desh Banati (2018) and Thengapalli (2020). The paper aims to recognize the struggles of these women to achieve basic environmental rights and how they promote sustainable living with the help of their traditional knowledge. Indigenous feminism will not simply be taken as a matter of identity politics, rather it will be used as a framework to understand indigenous women’s struggles as a part of a global liberation movement.

Stature estimation in male and female populations of India and Nigeria depending on other anthropometric parameters using multiple regression analysis

In cases of mass disasters, accidents, or criminal investigations where the identity of victims is unknown certain basic anthropological parameters are helpful in ascertaining these like race, sex, age and stature. Estimating stature using multiple body measurements such as shoulder breadth, foot length, thigh length, and knee height is a common approach in anthropometry and forensic anthropology. The presence of sex and population differences in anthropometric indicators allows these measurements to be used not only to estimate the stature of an individual, but also to determine sex, different races or populations based on skeletal remains. The purpose of the study is to develop and practically verify the work of regression equations for estimating stature depending on other anthropometric indicators of men and women of two ethnically diverse populations. For this study, anthropometric data were gathered from two distinct population groups: Indian (n=102) and Nigerian (n=205). Basic demographic details along with measurements of shoulder breadth, sitting shoulder height, sitting foot length, sitting knee height, and sitting thigh length were obtained using standardized techniques as per the established anthropometric protocols. Statistical analysis was performed using appropriate software packages such as SPSS, R, or SAS. The multiple regression method was used to estimate body length depending on other anthropometric indicators. As a result of the conducted multiple linear regression analysis, reliable relationships between stature and specific anthropometric measurements in Nigerian and Indian men and women were established. It was found that stature is highly likely to depend on knee height in a sitting position in Nigerian women (R2=0.531, p<0.001), as well as hip length, foot length, and shoulder height in a sitting position in Indian men (R2=0.725, p <0.001). Stature in Indian women reliably depends on hip length and foot length in a sitting position, and in Nigerian men - on hip length, foot length, shoulder width and shoulder height in a sitting position, but the regression equations have a coefficient of determination less than 0.5 (respectively, R2=0.463, p<0.001 and R2=0.405, p<0.001) and therefore do not have much significance for forensic purposes. Additional groups (30 people for each category) were used to test the obtained regression equations. The high correlation coefficients (0.6<r<0.75) observed in both test groups indicate the reliability of the regression models and the suitability of the selected anthropometric measurements for the estimation of stature in these populations. The obtained data emphasize the importance of taking into account factors specific to the population when developing regression equations for the estimation of stature and emphasize the usefulness of anthropometric measurements in predicting this indicator for different gender and demographic groups of the population, although their further verification on larger and more diverse samples is necessary.

Gram India: Scaling Up a Social Enterprise

This case focuses on Amrita Sharma, a social entrepreneur and the challenges her team faces in managing the social enterprise Gram India. Gram India is the marketing division of Parnana Parnani Education Society, which offers free education and employment opportunities to rural Indian women. Established as a Limited Liability Partnership on 18 December 2015, Gram India specializes in embroidery and offers products, such as handicrafts, suit covers, incense sticks and rural BPO services. The corporate office is in Jaipur, Rajasthan and the production centre is in Newai, Rajasthan. Gram India strives to balance two main objectives as a social enterprise: creating social value by employing rural women and achieving financial sustainability through sufficient revenue generation. However, several challenges impede their path to self-sustainability. These challenges include over-dependence on a single customer, the physical distance between the office and production centre, labour issues, funding uncertainties, distribution channel choices, staff management and inventory handling. After four successful years, Amrita and her team are contemplating strategies to ensure Gram India’s long-term sustainability. They need to devise effective plans to overcome these obstacles and secure the future of their enterprise.

A Novel Invasive Weed Optimization and its Variant for the Detection of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Introduction: This study intends to provide a novel Invasive Weed Optimization (IWO) algorithm for the detection of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) from ultrasound ovarian images. PCOS is an intricate anarchy described by hyperandrogenemia and irregular menstruation. Indian women are increasingly finding reproductive disorders, namely PCOS. Methods: The women having PCOS grow more small follicles in their ovaries. The radiologists take a look into women's ovaries by use of ultrasound scanning equipment to manually count the number of follicles and their size for fertility treatment. These may lead to error diagnosis. Results: This paper proposed an automatic follicle detection system for identifying PCOS in the ovary using IWO. The performance of IWO is improved in Modified Invasive Weed Optimization (MIWO). This algorithm imitates the biological weeds' behavior. The MIWO is employed to obtain the optimal threshold by maximizing the between-class variance of the modified Otsu method. The efficiency of the proposed method has been compared with the well-known optimization technique called Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and with IWO. Conclusion: Experimental results proved that the MIWO finds an optimal threshold higher than that of IWO and PSO.

Spatial Distribution and Influencing Factors of Zero Consumption of Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) among Pregnant Women in India: Evidence from National Family Health Survey, 2019–21

Spatial Distribution and Influencing Factors of Zero Consumption of Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) among Pregnant Women in India: Evidence from National Family Health Survey, 2019–21

Myocardial Infarction Quality of Care and Outcomes in Asian Ethnic Groups in the United States.

National-level differences in myocardial infarction (MI) quality of care among Asian patients in the United States are unclear. We assessed the quality of MI care in the 6 largest US Asian ethnic groups. Patients aged ≥18 years with ST-segment-elevation MI or non-ST-segment-elevation MI in the Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease registry (711 US hospitals, 2015-2021) were assessed. The odds of MI-related quality of care and process outcomes were evaluated in Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and other Asian adults compared with non-Hispanic White adults. Sex-stratified logistic regression models were adjusted for age and clinical characteristics. There were 5691 Asian patients (1520 Asian Indian, 422 Chinese, 430 Filipino, 114 Japanese, 283 Korean, 553 Vietnamese, and 2369 other Asian) and 141 271 non-Hispanic White patients, overall 30% female, and mean age of 66.5 years. Relative to non-Hispanic White adults, among patients with ST-segment-elevation MI, door-to-ECG time ≤10 minutes was less likely in Asian Indian (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.64 [95% CI, 0.50-0.82]), Chinese (aOR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.46-0.93]), and Korean (aOR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.33-0.97]) men and in other Asian women (aOR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.41-0.90]). Door-to-balloon time ≤90 minutes was less likely in Asian Indian men (aOR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.56-0.90]) and Filipina women (aOR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.24-0.98]). In patients with ST-segment-elevation MI or non-ST-segment-elevation MI, optimal medical therapy for MI was less likely in Korean men (aOR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.47-0.90]) and more likely in Asian Indian men (aOR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.06-1.40]) and women (aOR, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.04-1.67]) and Filipina women (aOR, 1.84 [95% CI, 1.27-2.67]). MI quality of care varies among US Asian patients with ST-segment-elevation MI and non-ST-segment-elevation MI. Quality improvement programs must identify and address the factors that result in suboptimal MI quality of care among US Asian patients.

Understanding the Adoption of Mobile Wallets Amongst Rural Indian Women

Understanding the Adoption of Mobile Wallets Amongst Rural Indian Women

Pooled prevalence of hypothyroidism among Indian females with infertility: A systematic review & meta-analysis.

Background & objectives Studies suggest hypothyroidism is responsible for female infertility. This review aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of hypothyroidism in Indian infertile women so that hypothyroidism screening can be initiated, and policies are designed for prevalence reduction. Methods Electronic databases including PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane library were searched to obtain the relevant articles. Studies that reported the proportion of hypothyroidism in Indian infertile women were selected. Systematic procedures for study selection and data extraction were followed. Each study was evaluated for quality using the Joanna Briggs institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist. To pool the effect sizes, a random effects model was utilized. Funnel plot and Egger's test were used to assess publication bias. To quantify heterogeneity among studies, I2 statistics were utilized. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were used to further investigate the heterogeneity of pooled estimates. The sensitivity analysis done whereby each study was excluded in order to examine the influence of that study in the pooled estimate. A P-value of 0.05 or less was considered statistically significant. Results Out of 198 articles, a total of 20 studies involving 2396 cases met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of hypothyroidism in women with infertility was 28 per cent [95% confidence interval (CI): 20% to 36%] which was highest in Telangana at 62 per cent (n=1; 95% CI 48% to 74%) and lowest in Karnataka at 14 per cent (n=2; 95% CI: 10% to 18%). Interpretation & conclusions Infertile women have high proportion of hypothyroidism, suggesting that screening programmes during diagnostic workup for infertility may provide optimal care. The result of this meta-analysis will help design guidelines and earmark highest prevalence regions to initiate preventive and diagnostic measures for prevalence reduction in future.

‘Where Liberty is Not, There is My Country’: Nineteenth-Century American Abolitionist Writings on India and its Legacies

ABSTRACT This article examines nineteenth century American abolitionist writings on India. My sources include abolitionist newspapers, primarily focusing on William Lloyd Garrison’s newspaper the Liberator, but also incorporating other abolitionist newspapers. These include the Friend of Man and publications of individual abolitionists like Lydia Maria Child’s The History of the Condition of Women, in Various Ages and Nations. By looking at their writings on Christian missionary activities in India, Indian women, and British rule in India, this article argues that although many abolitionists Orientalized India, they at the same time found many parallels between Indian society and the US. Although they did not develop a full criticism towards colonialism in the antebellum period, their criticism towards Empire matured by the early twentieth century. My scholarly intervention centres on acknowledging the hitherto unknown role of abolitionist writings on India in the intellectual history of American abolitionism and US-India transnational history. By not fully engaging with India, the scholarship on US-India relations and abolitionism misses a critical dimension of the abolitionist movement’s intimate relationship with related causes of feminism, anti-clericalism, and anti-imperialism. Most importantly, this article demonstrates that abolitionist writings on India far exceeded Orientalism as the only frame of understanding.

Portrayal of Woman in Mulk Raj Anand’s the old woman and the cow and Arundhati Roy’s "the Ministry of Utmost Happiness

The arrival of a woman is like the first light of dawn, dispelling the shadows. She has the power to dispel any anxiety that arises from mental shadows, like the sun that illuminates the world. Essentially, life begins with women. The fact that women are the ones who brought this universe into being is an undeniable fact. A strong belief in women's inherent worth as human beings is fundamental to feminism. It identifies shifts in cultural norms that repress women and works to alter those norms. Feminism examines and analyses the repressed position of women in a socio-political setting by pursuing such an effort. Equal rights and status for women are the goals of this movement. The Indian author Mulk Raj Anand also wrote short stories. The Indian social fabric is something that Arundhati Rao has a keen eye for. As a revolutionary spark for the litterateurs of the twenty-first century, he fights for the rights of the marginalised and oppressed. In his books, Anand depicts the impoverished people of India in a realistic light. This article uses Arundhati Rao's The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017) as a lens through which to examine Mulk Raj Anand's 1960 novel The Old Woman and the Cow via the feminist topic of gender inequalities. There is a noticeable trend in modern English-language literature towards works written by Indian women. From a societal and personal perspective, this study examines the achievements of Indian women.

An Investigation into Educated Women's Perceptions of the family's Influence on Women's Education in 21st Century India. A Comparative study

The role of the family in society is evolving in the social environment, especially in the urbansector. A woman's ability to choose a job is being facilitated by education. The percentage of Indianwomen who attend school is now higher than the global average and rising. Family support and loftyemployment goals are to blame for this. Indian women have benefited from education to some extent,and many of them have earned higher degrees and are employed in a variety of fields. The researcher inthis work examined how educated women in 21st-century India perceived the impact of the family onwomen's education.

The role of social support in the decision to migrate for childbirth: qualitative evidence from India.

Temporary Childbirth Migration (TCM) involves women returning to their natal homes during or after pregnancy, a common but understudied practice in India and South Asia. This study examines social support practices influencing TCM decisions among Indian women. Factors such as family support, especially from husband, in-laws and parents, play a crucial role in migration decisions during the perinatal period. Understanding these factors is essential for improving maternal and child health outcomes and for developing targeted policies and interventions. Cultural influences also contribute to TCM decisions, impacting the timing, duration, and motivations behind women's choices to migrate during or after delivery. Our study was conducted at the Vadu Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in Western Maharashtra, India. We conducted 41 in-depth interviews with triads of women, their husbands, and mothers-in-law from Vadu HDSS, focusing on perceptions, timing, reasons, decision-making, and support related to Temporary Childbirth Migration (TCM). Participants varied in age, education, occupation, marriage type, migration type, delivery method, and included women who recently delivered or had infants up to two years old. The qualitative data were analyzed using both rapid analysis and traditional analysis using coded transcripts, incorporating both predefined and emergent codes to capture a wide range of participant characteristics and experiences. We later categorized our findings in Social support domains. Social support, including emotional, financial, instrumental, and informational, is a critical factor in TCM. Emotional support from mothers is highly valued, providing a stress-free environment. Financial support from husbands, in-laws, or parents influences the decision, with financial responsibilities sometimes dictating the choice of residence. Instrumental support, such as help with household chores, is essential, with varying levels of support at different locations. Informational support from experienced family members also guides expectant mothers. Healthcare access, household status, and the role of husbands further impact TCM decisions. Women prioritize proximity to medical facilities, comfort, and freedom in their natal homes. The inclusive decision-making process often involves women, in-laws, parents, and husbands. The study's findings highlight the complex interplay of social support, cultural norms, and practical considerations in TCM decisions, underscoring the need for more research to understand and support women's choices during the perinatal period. In conclusion, social support is a key driver of TCM and women's status in their households affects their support needs. Recognizing the importance of emotional, financial, informational, and instrumental support will help healthcare providers and policymakers to better assist expectant mothers, promoting positive maternal and child health outcomes.

Women as Entrepreneurs in India: Challenges and Opportunities

In the nation, the Women's entrepreneurship becomes the newest buzzword, as women aredemonstrating their abilities in a variety of fields and outperforming men in certain areas. Women areexcelling in a variety of professions these days, like pilot, engineer, scientist, doctor, lawyer, teacher andso on. If women can do these occupations so well while still managing their homes, why can't theyoperate a business effectively? Women are simply more competent of running a business than men.Women are deprived of opportunities, information, and expertise despite having a lot of aptitude andtalents for running a business. The current study examines the state of women's entrepreneurship inIndia, as well as the opportunities and obstacles that Indian women entrepreneurs face. This study alsohighlights the achievements of a few Indian women entrepreneurs. The research is based on secondarydata gathered from publicly available sources. Women's entrepreneurship, according to academics,serves a dual purpose. It empowers women first, and it contributes to national economic prosperitysecond. The Indian government has established a slew of programmes and laws aimed at speeding upthe process of creating jobs for women and assisting current female entrepreneurs in scaling up theirbusinesses. However, in both normal times and during the COVID-19 epidemic, legislative initiativesaimed at assisting women-owned businesses and the national economy have failed to reach a largenumber of extremely small-scale women entrepreneurs.

Dr. Anandibai Joshi: An Indian Medical Pioneer.

Dr. Anandibai Joshi was the first Indian female physician to complete her studies in Western medicine at the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. A pioneer in medicine, she was a trailblazing Indian woman, who had faced many hurdles during her quest for education. In her short span of life, she faced a lot of emotional, mental, physical, and social turbulence and had to prove herself at every step to the orthodox patriarchal Indian society the need to study medicine. Studying medicine in India was impossible for females during the 19th century. During those days, the females in India were uneducated due to gender differences prevalent in society, so the only option was to pursue medicine in a foreign land. Her life was full of hardships and challenges; she got married at the age of nine and, at the young age of 14, delivered a baby boy who could not survive beyond 10 days due to lack of medical care. This was the turning point in her life, and she was determined to become a physician so that the other women would not suffer the way she had. Thus began her educational journey, to pursue a career in Western medicine. Before Anandibai went to the United States, she gave a motivating speech in a public gathering, expressing the need for female doctors in India and her keenness to pursue medicine in the United States. She challenged all the social norms in those days, whether it was fighting to break gender stereotypes or convincing the male-dominated society to study medicine in the United States. This article is a reflection of Anandibai's accomplishments in her life and medical career and her dedication, determination, and strong commitment to improving the lives of Indian women. Her short life is a reflection of hope, perseverance, determination, and success and an inspiration to many Indian women to pursue education and medicine.

Climate Change and Its Impact on Violence Against Rural Women in India: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

This research paper explores the complex relationship between climate change and gender-based violence, particularly focusing on rural women in India. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the paper investigates how rising temperatures, economic disruptions, and migration due to climate change exacerbate gender inequalities and increase instances of domestic violence. Drawing on data from UN Women, JAMA Psychiatry, and various Indian scholars such as Radhakamal Mukerjee, Indra Munshi, Bina Agarwal, and Shobhita Jain, this study provides a theoretical and empirical analysis of this phenomenon

Sex Differences in the Associations Between Chronic Diseases and Insomnia Symptoms Among Older Adults in India.

Sleep problems are a critical issue in the aging population, affecting quality of life, cognitive efficiency, and contributing to adverse health outcomes. The coexistence of multiple diseases is common among older adults, particularly women. This study examines the associations between specific chronic diseases, multimorbidity, and insomnia symptoms among older Indian men and women, with a focus on the interaction of sex in these associations. Data were drawn from 31,464 individuals aged 60 and older in the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, Wave-1 (2017-18). Insomnia symptoms were assessed using four questions adapted from the Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS-4), covering difficulty falling asleep, waking up, waking too early, and feeling unrested during the day. Multivariable logistic regression models, stratified by sex, were used to analyze the associations between chronic diseases and insomnia symptoms. Older women had a higher prevalence of insomnia symptoms than men (44.73% vs 37.15%). Hypertension was associated with higher odds of insomnia in both men (AOR: 1.20) and women (AOR: 1.36). Women with diabetes had lower odds of insomnia (AOR: 0.80), while this association was not significant in men. Neurological or psychiatric disorders, stroke, and bone and joint diseases were linked to higher odds of insomnia in both sexes. Chronic lung disease was associated with insomnia in men (AOR: 1.65), but not in women. Additionally, having three or more chronic diseases significantly increased the odds of insomnia in both men (AOR: 2.43) and women (AOR: 2.01). Hypertension, bone and joint diseases, lung diseases, stroke, neurological or psychiatric disorders, and multimorbidity are linked to insomnia symptoms in older Indian adults. Disease-specific management and routine insomnia screening are crucial for promoting healthy aging in this vulnerable population.

Accounting for <i>Hijab</i>: Interrogating the Post-Secular

This article questions the idea of the ‘post-secular’ as a category for understanding Indian women’s experience of religion as an existential practice in neocolonised capitalist patriarchy. The majoritarian state’s manipulation of an identitarian regime of signification to use and control women’s lives is located in a plural, democratic society that is currently riven by the violent politics of conflicting religious and secular constructions of <i>hijab</i>, a head covering worn by Muslim women. From an engaged ideological perspective that seeks radical transformation, feminist struggle includes the right to practice and profess one’s faith, against a majoritarian norm that bulldozes difference and imposes its prescriptions as ideal. This article aims to show, from a feminist perspective, the manipulation of significatory practices in India, linking women’s ‘dress’ with progress to essentialise and politicise identity. It questions whether redressal against violence wrought on women by religious fundamentalism can be found in a secular state policy, based on the norm of equality of difference. Feminist practice would actively use the guarantees given to the citizen by a pluralist secular constitution to challenge the violence of interlinked discriminations, necessary for the survival of a plural society in which diversities co-exist.

The gendered dress of DALL-E 2: Exploring profession-based images in the Indian context

This study delves into the intricate realm of gender and artificial intelligence (AI) through an examination of DALL-E 2 generated images within the Indian context. The study takes a methodological approach that focuses on assessing images generated in response to prompts such as ‘a farmer cultivating crops in rural Punjab’ or ‘a nurse providing care in a hospital in Delhi’ to reveal the dynamics of gender performativity within profession-based visual content. The generated images were analysed using the dress as a phenomenon to visualise Indian man, Indian woman and ambiguous Indian. The study concludes that DALL-E 2’s algorithm reiterates the binary gender norms leaving no space for ambiguous Indian in its responses. Though the generated image is centred on female professions, it is largely employed by male surroundings. Hindu religious symbols are largely used among male professionals denoting its predominance. In its aesthetics, the individuals portrayed exhibit a brown complexion, echoing the demographic landscape irrespective of gender.

(Re)Looking at the Women of Indian Cinema in the Praxis of Conventional Rendering

Films significantly impact social consciousness as they have the power to shape opinions, influence perspectives, and contribute to cultural conversations. In shaping perceptions, films enable people to perceive certain issues, events, or groups of people from dissimilar viewpoints. This paper looks into the nuances of representation of Indian women in films, primarily in Hindi cinema, and how their portrayal differs when their identities are constructed by writers and directors of the opposite gender. It argues for an equitable position for representing women in cinema and highlights the role of intersectional relationships between race, class, sexuality, and ability for the same. With an emphasis on feminist film theory and its praxis, this paper traces the history of Indian cinematic renderings in giving agency to women in films and how the perspectives of women writers and directors seeps into their creations for a positive outcome, whereas the male centric industry hinders the proper portrayal of the lived experience. It finally advocates for an academic understanding of the lacunas that exist in the entire ecosystem and offers an expansive approach for devising actionable and sustainable solutions to the critical problem of representation.

Political Empowerment of Women in India: Understanding the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam

Political Empowerment of Women in India: Understanding the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam