Page 11 - Lessonnote_ Social Movement

 In this sense ecological issues are central to tribal movements. Just as cultural issues of
identity and economic issues such as inequality are. This brings us back to the question
about the blurring of old and new social movements in India.

THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT

THE 19TH CENTURY SOCIAL REFORM MOVEMENTS AND EARLY
WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS

 The early 20th century saw the growth of women’s organisations at the national and the
local level. The Women’s India Association (WIA) (1917), All India Women’s Conference
(AIWC) (1926) National Council for Women in India (NCWI) (1925) are ready names that
we can mention. While many of them began with a limited focus, their scope extended
over time. For instance, the AIWC began with the idea that ‘women’s welfare’ and ‘politics’
were mutually exclusive.
 Social Movements did have organisations, ideology, leadership, a shared understanding
and the aim of bringing about changes on a public issue.

AGRARIAN STRUGGLES AND REVOLTS

 It is often assumed that only middle class educated women are involved in social
movements. Part of the struggle has been to remember the forgotten history of women’s
participation.
 Women participated along with men in struggles and revolts originating in tribal and rural
areas in the colonial period.
 The Tebhaga movement in Bengal, the Telangana arms struggle from the erstwhile Nizam’s
rule, and the Warli tribal’s revolt against bondage in Maharashtra are some examples.

POST–1947

 An issue that is often raised is that if there was an active women’s movement before
1947, whatever happened afterwards.
 One explanation has been that many of the women activists who were also involved in
the nationalist movement got involved in the nation building task.
 Others cite the trauma of Partition responsible for the lull. In the mid–1970s, there was a
renewal of the women’s movement in India.
 Some call it the second phase of the Indian women’s movement. While many of the
concerns remained the same that there were changes both in terms of organisational
strategy, as well as, ideologies.
 There was the growth of what is termed as the autonomous women’s movements. The
term ‘autonomy’ referred to the fact that they were ‘autonomous’ or independent from
political parties as distinct from those women’s organisations that had links with political
parties. It was felt that political parties tended to marginalise issues of women.
 Apart from organisational changes, there were new issues that were focussed upon.
 For instance, violence against women.