Women's Empowerment Through Voluntary Actions:

(i) The women's movement in India has been a strong force in the struggle for empowerment of women. Prior to independence, organizations such All India Women's Conference, Bharat Stri Mandal, Women's Indian Association. The National Council of Women in India came into existence. These organizations no doubt raised issues of women's inequality, but their thought and action were not radical enough to question. patriarchy.

(ii) However, they organized campaigns against child marriage, purdah and demanded voting rights for women. These organizations were founded and managed mostly by women of middle or upper classes. By 1940 when the freedom struggle was at its height, the All India Women's Congress had raised this question. ‘Today our men are clamouring for political rights at the hands of an alien government. Have they conceded to their wives, their own sisters, their daughters, 'flesh to their flesh, blood' of their blood, social equality and economic justice'.

(iii) The sentiment echoed in this question is that political freedom does not necessarily bring women freedom from oppression. Though the pre-independence women's movement could not organize the masses, it had definitely set the stage for a strong women's movement to emerge in India after the country gained independence.

(iv) The strength of the autonomous women's groups has been realized by the state and its agencies which often invite these groups to offer their advice on how matters relating to women could best be solved. The involvement of women's groups is also being sought in creating awareness among different groups, which the state is trying to empower through its policies. Women's groups may join hands, but only after they are convinced that their basic principles are not compromised.