Married women asserting more rights: Study

The role and stance of married women in their household has increased manifold, says a latest survey by the Union health and family welfare ministry.

The role and stance of married women in their household has increased manifold, says a latest survey by the Union health and family welfare ministry.

The National Family Health Survey said the percentage of married women, who usually participate in household decisions, was 82.8 in Madhya Pradesh. The percentage was 29.4 in the 2005-06 survey.

The survey also stated that the gap between the status of women’s involvement in decision making in urban areas and rural areas was decreasing.

The survey said 87.8% women living in urban areas recorded involvement in household decisions while 80.8% women recorded the same in rural areas.

Though increased education and woman emancipation campaigns have contributed immensely in this massive rise of women participation in household decisions, experts said this rise has also got to do with the number of women getting independent and pursuing their careers.

“Over the years, we have seen that if a woman has a job which pays her more and she is able to contribute to the household better she is more involved in the household decisions,” aid Rekha Arya, a psychologist and family counsellor.