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in various parts of the country. An individual MUSLIM WOMEN AND SOCIAL REFORM
named Jyoti Singh played an active role in In the 19th century, social reform movements
Gujarat. Other communities like the Parsis, the began within the Islamic community as well. But,
Muslims and the Sikhs formed their own the stress on purdah system and slow education
women’s organisation. penetration among Muslim women delayed the
NATIONAL WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS development of a progressive movement to
The early national women’s organisations were improve the opportunities for Muslim women.
confined to specific areas. In 1910, Sarala Devi Reformers like Begum of Bhopal, Syed Ahmad
Chaudhurani established the Bharat Stree Khan and Sheikh Abdullah in Aligarh and
Mandal (Great circle of India Women) with the Karmat Hussain in Lucknow assumed leadership
objective of together women of all castes, creeds to various movements to improve women’s
and classes together. Branches were begun in education. In 1916, Begum of Bhopal founded
different cities all over India like Lahore, the All-India Muslim Women’s Conference. The
Amritsar, Allahabad, Hyderabad, Delhi, Karachi, conference passed a resolution in 1917 to abol-
etc. Sarala Devi considered Purdah to be the ish polygamy which enraged many traditionalists.
main obstacle for women’s education. But, the Awareness created by these reformers made
Bharat Stree Mahila Mandal was a short-lived several Muslim women to take part in the free-
organisation. The Women’s India Association dom struggle and non-cooperation movement
(WIA) was founded by Annie Besant, Margaret against the British.
Cousin and Dorothy Jinarajadasa, all three irish IMPACTS OF THE REFORM MOVEMENTS
women theosophists in 1917. The three women The reform movements made the people adopt a
were joined by Malati Patwardhan, Ammu more rational outlook towards life. This in turn
Swaminathan, Dadabhoy and Ambujammal. In paved the way for laws to be enacted. Some of
a sense, WIA is the first all India women’s associ- the laws which helped emancipation of women
ation with the objective of securing voting rights were :
for women. National Council of Indian Women 1. Banning of sati in 1829.
was established in 1926 and All India Women’s
2. Declaration of slavery as illegal in 1843.
Conference was established in 1927. Bharat
3. Legalisation of widow remarriage in 1856.
Mahila Parishad was the women’s wing of the
National Conference inaugurated in 1905 The 4. Legalisation of intercaste marriages in 1872.
National Conference was formed at the third 5. Marriageable age of girls raised to 14 and
session of the Indian National Congress. that of boys to 18, according to the Sharda
Act, in 1927.
Shortcomings
Women were encouraged to be educated by the
Though, women’s participation in national
efforts of many reformers and they were also
movement helped to break several old barriers of
given the right to inherit property. Social reform
tradition and custom, these organisations were
movements were carried on throughout India.
dominated and run by women from urban
middle and upper classes. These organisations In spite of these laws, many of these evils contin-
neither had their influence in rural areas nor did ued, as often laws were not implemented whole-
they take into account the problems of poor heartedly. The British did not want to invite the
working-class families. wrath of the orthodox sections of the society for
Social Science-8 71
