Situating Tribal Women in Gender Discourse: A Study of the Socio-economic Roots of Gender Violence in Odisha
| Author | Sangita Dhal |
| Published date | 01 March 2018 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556117735459 |
| Date | 01 March 2018 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Indian Journal of Public
Administration
64(1) 87–102
© 2018 IIPA
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0019556117735459
http://journals.sagepub.com/home/ipa
1 Department of Political Science, Kalindi College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.
Corresponding author:
Sangita Dhal, 351, SFS Flats, Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi 110009, India.
E-mail: sangitadhal@hotmail.com
Situating Tribal
Women in Gender
Discourse: A Study of
the Socio-economic
Roots of Gender Violence
in Odisha
Sangita Dhal1
Abstract
Violence against the vulnerable sections of the society arising due to multitude
factors in the era of globalisation is a serious matter of social and academic
discourse. The growing incidence of violence perpetrated against women in
contemporary times is a testimony to the fast-eroding idea of human security
in a globalised world, which originates from the patriarchal power structure
existing in the society.
Women at large are proving to be the most vulnerable section of the society,
who bear the brunt of the ongoing process of social and economic transformations
in the 21st century. Globalisation has presented new challenges for the realisation
of the goal of women’s equality and justice, the gender impact of which has not
been systematically evaluated fully. Benefits of the growing global economy are
unevenly distributed leading to wide economic disparities, the feminisation of
poverty, increased gender inequality through deteriorating working conditions
and an unsafe working environment, especially in the rural areas. Violence against
tribal women as a legitimate human rights issue is examined within four broad
parameters of globalisation, development, displacement and migration.
Keywords
Globalisation, tribal women, patriarchy, gender violence, alienation, migration,
development
88 Indian Journal of Public Administration 64(1)
Within each community, nationality and class, the burden of hardship falls disproportionately on
women.
—Amartya Sen (2001)
Introduction
Women as a gender category have encountered systemic disabilities woven
around socio-political structures of dominance, deprivation and discrimination in
the past (Wharton, 2006). Gender disparity manifests itself in various forms, the
most obvious being the trend of continuously declining female ratio in the popula-
tion in last few decades, social stereotyping and violence at the domestic and
societal levels. Discrimination against girl children, adolescent girls and women
persists in the various parts of the country. The underlying causes of gender
inequality are related to the social and economic structure, which is based on the
informal and formal norms, and practices. In a rapidly changing social and
economic scenario, women are unfavourably placed at the receiving end of the
development process and its socio-political consequences in every country.
Globalisation has presented new challenges for the realisation of the goal of
women’s equality and justice, the gender impact of which has not been systemati-
cally evaluated fully (Kimmel & Aronson, 2011).
Benefits of the growing global economy are unevenly distributed leading to
wide economic disparities, the feminisation of poverty, increased gender inequal-
ity through deteriorating working conditions and an unsafe working environment,
especially in the rural areas (Gupta, 2009). The growing incidence of violence
perpetrated against women in contemporary times is a testimony to the fast-
eroding idea of human security in a globalised world, which originates from
the patriarchal power structure existing in the society (Aggarwal, 2012; Jaggar,
1983). This article has been an outcome of my overall engagement in terms of
research with grassroots economic and democratic processes in the rural and
tribal regions of Odisha, which is today fast transforming into an industrial hub
with unprecedented economic activities undertaken mostly in the tribal regions.
The present study is an attempt to delve into the real issues of tribal women in
Odisha, who are now being exposed to a whole new world of both opportunities
and challenges due to the changing nature of the economy, which has brought
about several socio-economic constraints for them. These constraints often trans-
late into real-life hardships and even violence due to their exposure to a new work
environment where they are constantly fighting for their dignity and rights.
Contextual Framework
Industrialisation and globalisation form the backdrop of the ongoing process of
transformation which has impacted the tribal societies in the name of develop-
ment, progress and modernity. The developmental projects which are mostly
located in the tribal districts—rich in natural resources—have caused large-scale
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