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Functions Role of Family in Gender

The document discusses the functions and role of family in relation to gender in India. It notes that most families follow patriarchal norms with male preference and inheritance through the male lineage. Families are expected to support livelihoods and sustain caste and religious affiliations. Arranged and endogamous marriages are the norm, along with practices like dowry and the bride moving to the groom's home. Personal and religious laws govern family structures and gender norms. The sex ratio in India has declined historically due to male preference and sex selection, representing millions of "missing women". Despite laws, bias against girls continues in some areas. Domestic violence is a major form of violence against women.

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Vatsal Modi
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23 views

Functions Role of Family in Gender

The document discusses the functions and role of family in relation to gender in India. It notes that most families follow patriarchal norms with male preference and inheritance through the male lineage. Families are expected to support livelihoods and sustain caste and religious affiliations. Arranged and endogamous marriages are the norm, along with practices like dowry and the bride moving to the groom's home. Personal and religious laws govern family structures and gender norms. The sex ratio in India has declined historically due to male preference and sex selection, representing millions of "missing women". Despite laws, bias against girls continues in some areas. Domestic violence is a major form of violence against women.

Uploaded by

Vatsal Modi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Functions and Role of

Family in Gender
•
Family/Household provides care, love and
support to members of all ages and gender
(altruism). (But can also become hostile)
•
Most families largely follow patriarchal norms
and male-lineage for succession (except in
very few groups which follow matrilineal
system); Generally, Male preference prevails
•
Families have the role of supporting
livelihood but also expected to help sustain
the caste
and religions to which they belong to.
•
Arranged and Endogamous (within same
caste and religion) marriages are the norm
•
Marriages are patrilocal (Married Girl goes
and stay in in-laws place); Dowry is a common
practice in marriage; (Bride-price among
tribals)
•
Families also own and pass on properties as
per the personal and formal laws
•
‘Historic defeat of female sex happened with
private-property’ (Engles)
•
Cooperative Conflict: Families are as seen as
units cooperation and conflict over
resources; Gender is an issue of cooperative
conflict; Bargaining goes on; Women’s fall
back position determines women’s rights and
claims in families (AK Sen) Some laws
governing the
family/Gender norms
• Personal laws and certain common
laws govern family and gender norms
1)
Hindu Marriage Act 1955 (Age of
marriage; No Polygamy; Divorce by
women
allowed)
2)
Hindu Succession Act 1956 (Property
rights to both men and women)
3)
Muslim Personal Application Law 1937
(Marriage and property relations)
4)
Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act,
1939 (Divorcee by women allowed)
5)
Indian Christian Marriage Act 1872
6)
Dowry Prohibition Act 1961
7)
The Prohibition of child marriage Act,
2006)(>18 F and >21 M)
8)
Prohibition of Sex Selection Act, 1994
9)
Protection of Women from domestic
violence Act, 2005
10) Transgender Persons (Protection of
Rights) Act, 2019Sex
Ratio :
Missing Women
• The Sex Ratio is an important indicator of
Gender relations
•
It has been declining since last century
though improvements have been seen
recently
•
1901: 972
2001: 933
2011: 943 (Child-sex ratio even worse at
919)
•
Result of male preference, infanticide and
sex selection
• Amartya Sen highlighted the issue of
‘missing Indian women’ (34 million) due to
male
preference
•
In many states even more women indicate
son preference (Example in Bihar 39.2%
women preferred son as against 38.5% men
as per survey)
•
Despite Female Infanticide Prevention Act,
Prohibition of Sex Selection Act, 1994 bias
against girls continue.
•
Need for enhancing the status of girls
(socially and economically) Domestic
Violence: Sign of Women’s
subjugation
• Women are subject to various kinds of
violence and atrocities
• Domestic violence is a major form of
violence
• While in general violence against
women are going up; domestic cruelty
accounts for 36% of total crimes; Dowry-
deaths accounted for 3 % of crimes
(2014)
• Protection of Women from Domestic
Violence Act, 2005: Provides protection
against physical violence and
emotional/verbal, sexual, and economic
abuse.

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