NCERT 7th Class (CBSE) Social Science: Role Played by Gender

Question: What do you understand by the term gender? Answer: The way each society perceives what a 'man' is and what a 'woman' is, and what their different roles and responsibilities are, is called gender. It is more than the biological difference between men and women. Question: What is a stereotyping? Give two examples of gender stereotyping. Answer: A stereotype is a fixed idea or image that many people have of a particular type of person or thing which is not true in reality. For example: Gender stereotyping often prevents men from choosing dance, nursing, etc., as profession. Women are seen fit for only certain types of roles such as, cooking, taking care of home and kids, etc. Question: Write a note on the role of gender in the family. Answer: From the time they are infants, boys and girls are treated differently within most Indian families. Boys are pardoned the most mischievous of antics on the ground that 'boys will be boys'. It is expected that they will be troublesome and naughty. Girls, on the other hand, are expected to be more submissive and obedient. As they grow older, boys are allowed to go out and play, while parents are more protective about the girls. In their teens boys are allowed to stay out longer than girls. Very often, girls are discouraged from having friends or leading an active social life. Girls are expected to help out with the housework, while boys are expected to run errands for the family, like going to the local grocery store. The birth of a son is greeted with great joy, while the birth of the girl is seen as something to be sorry about. The daughter of the house is often treated as a burden. Since a girl leaves the house after marriage, investing in her welfare is considered to be waste. Once married, girls leave the house of their parents and move in with their in-laws. This fact has coloured the treatment of the girls for centuries. Investing in a boy's future made sense as parents felt that later the son would become the bread-winner of the family and would support them in their old age. Question: How did the role of gender in India change over the ages? Answer: The role of gender keeps changing over time: In vedic times women were believed to be at par with men in all aspects. They had right to perform sacrificial rites (Hotr), study vedas, be gurus, have equal share in family property and even marry more than one husband. Women could also perform the funeral rites of their father if there was no male heir. In the course of time, the balance tilted against women. Manusmriti, the book of Hindu laws, authored by Manu sage and the Arthasaastra by Kautilya, propounded the theory that 'Women are created for the sake of sons'. Men began controlling women in various ways, to safeguard their caste and family property, women were married off when they were very young. This started the practice of child marriage. In most traditional, patriarchal societies(societies where the eldest male is the head of the family), roles and responsibilities are strictly defined by gender. This distinction on the basis of gender can be seen within the family, in the community, and even in public places. Question: How are women in India expected to behave in public places? Answer: Women in India in public places: In India, women were traditionally expected to stay within the house. They were discouraged from interacting with people apart from the family members. Women were supposed to take care of the house and the children, while the men brought in the money. Even today women are expected to dress and conduct themselves with decorum in the public, and not draw attention to themselves in any way. Women who choose to travel on their own, especially after dark, are viewed with suspicion and are often subjected to unwanted attention and comments. Women in many parts of India are expected to cover their heads and faces when they step out of their houses. As part of the perception of the women being soft and needing protection, there are separate queues for women in most public places like, railway reservation counters and booking counters. In many cities, buses have seats reserved for women. Increasingly, we find women taking an active part in public life, with more and more working women, perceptions are changing. Question: How does gender contribute to inequality and discrimination? Answer: Discrimination and inequality on the basis of gender: The gender-based discrimination of women and girls includes the denial of basic human rights to women, the preference of son over daughters, and the use of physical violence against women. Women and girls are deprived of equal access to resources, opportunities and political power. Female children are often neglected- they receive smaller quantities of less nutritious food and less medical care, and are more likely to be removed from school. Gender-based inequality can often turn fatal. In several parts of India, female infanticide and female foeticide are common practices. Such practices show the low value placed on the lives of girls and women. It has led to a situation where, in a large number of places, men outnumber women. In Rajasthan, for example, in 2011 there were only 926 women per 1000 males. Inequality is also seen in social attitudes on issues like access to education. Women who make up the majority of the world's poor, comprise nearly two-thirds of the people who are illiterate. Question: What is meant by the 'invisibilisation of a woman's work? Discuss in detail. Answer: In traditional societies, little or no value is placed on a woman's work. Since house chores, like fetching water, gathering firewood or caring for the young or infirm, do not bring in any money, a woman's work is considered of no importance and is treated as if it does not exist. This is called the invisibilisation of a woman's work. Even when they work on the agricultural fields, helping their men-folk with ploughing, planting, hoeing and threshing, their work is taken for granted. Question: What is the informal sector? Answer: Women who work outside their homes, largely work in the informal sector. The informal sector includes all the small and cottage industries that are not bound by the rules laid down by the government. People work without contracts or benefits like minimum wages, medical care and pension. Therefore, they often work in most appalling conditions. Question: Write in detail about steps taken to reduce gender bias in India. Answer: The entire society suffers when women are discriminated against and deprived of basic human rights. The cycle of illiteracy and poverty is passed on from generation to generation. However, the entire society benefits when women are educated and gainfully employed, and when gender equality is promoted and ultimately attained. An educated woman can help educate her children. Today, things are changing slowly but surely. Women and girls have access to opportunities that were previously not available to them. Primary school enrollment rates for girls have jumped and the educational gap is narrowing. Women are entering the labour force in great numbers. More and more are part of local bodies like Gram Panchayats and municipalities. Several Acts have been introduced in Parliament to bring about gender equality. Thirty-three percent reservation has been introduced in local government bodies. Question: What is the difference between sex and gender? Answer: Question: What is biological determinism? How are male-female relations created? Answer: Biological determinism: There is a traditional theory which points to the biological difference between females and males. This view of "natural" difference is called biological determinism. It insists that certain behaviours are unchangeable and so justified. Gender relations originate not from the physical or biological factors but from the power relations in the family and in the society. The differences in male-female relations, often regarding one superior or inferior to the other, are therefore not natural but created by society. Question: Discuss any five major areas of discrimination against women in India. Answer: There are some of the major areas where gender discrimination affects women in India the most. Poor health: Women receive less healthcare than men. Overwork: Women work for longer hours and their work is often more difficult than that done by men. Mistreatment: In recent years, there has been a sharp rise in crimes against women. Lack of awareness and poor social education are the root causes of dowry deaths, female infanticide and selling of young girls into marriages. Powerlessness: Women lack the power to decide whom to marry, and are often married off early. Lack of education: In villages, families are less likely to educate girls. Girls are often made to stay at home and help in household work. Question: How can gender inequality by improved in schools? Answer: Gender equality can be improved at schools if,: The school is a place where girls and boys feel safe. Every student, whether a boy or girl is respected and valued. The school recognizes it active role in the construction of gender and is committed to practices that reflect gender equality. All students have access to an effective and rewarding education. Question: Explain how gender inequality is closely linked to other forms of social inequality. Answer: Gender inequality is closely linked to other forms of social inequality. Men generally earn more than women, they get better jobs, they make all important decisions in the family and have better positions of power in society. There are more boys than girls in school. There are many reasons for this. Girls are made to stay at home to do chores or look after younger brothers and sisters. They are also married off early and bear children at a young age. Question: "Things are changing for the better for women in India." Do you agree? Give reasons. Answer: Things are changing for the better. Today there are more girls in schools. More and more women are coming out of homes to take up jobs or engage themselves in business or social work. This has helped many of them to be financially independent and self-confident. Women have also joined political bodies and are trying to improve the condition of other women. Question: What link do you see between "less girls going to school" and "better-paid jobs going to men"? Answer: Less girls going to school means that people do not let some girls to attend school and make them stay at home to do household chores which leaves them uneducated so automatically the best-paid jobs are left for men because people make boys go to school and educate them. Question: Why are certain jobs seen as unfit for women? Answer: Certain jobs are unfit for women because of their physical strength. Girls have less physical strength. It is not gender inequality but, it is natural or biological differences made by God. Most of the factories and industries employ males than females because of the working conditions and hard physical job work. Question: How do you think stereotypes, about what women can or cannot do, affect women’s right to equality? Answer: Women are considered inferior to men. There is a belief that women do not have technical mind and therefore they cannot be scientists. It is thought that women are good at only certain jobs such as teaching and nursing. These stereotypes about women’s capability or incapability of doing certain jobs badly affect women’s right to equality. It is due to this reason that women are not paid less wages than their male-counterparts. Question: “Poor girls drop out of school because they are not interested in getting an education". Explain why this statement is not true. Answer: Poor girls do not leave school because they wish so but because they are compelled to do so, due to several reasons. In rural and poor areas of the country there are no proper schools. There is also dearth of teachers who can teach on a regular basis. If a school is not close to people’s homes, and there is no transport facility, parents do not show their willingness to send their girls to school. Question: Name certain social evils which hinder the development of women. Answer: Some of the social evils which hinder the development of women are dowry, female foeticide, female infanticide and lack of education. Question: Name some initiatives undertaken by the government to empower women. Answer: Some of the initiatives taken by the government to empower women are the Beti Bachao Abhiyan, National Literacy Mission, Saakshar Bharat Mission, etc. Question: How are stereotypes formed? Answer: Stereotypes are formed in society over time through social conditioning. Society defines roles for boys and girls which are reinforced over time. This is seen as a way of preparing them for their future roles. For example, boys are given cars to play with while girls are given dolls to play with.

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