Author: ARYAN SINGH AND JAGRITI PANDEY, UNIVERSITY OF LUCKNOW

Abstract

Babasaheb was a visionary leader who was instrumental in promoting social justice and women’s rights in India. His work went beyond writing the constitution to include fundamental changes to social structures that had historically disadvantaged women. Ambedkar thought that for democracy and a just society to succeed, women’s development was critical. He oversaw the introduction of important constitutional clauses that guaranteed equality in political participation, work, in heritance and education. He was a hot opponent of accumulative customs like child marriage, sati, polygamy, and the suppression of widows. He also supported equal pay, motherliness benefits, and the right to divorce. The Hindu Code Bill represented a major step forward in securing legal rights for women. Ambedkar’s motto, “Educate, Agitate, and Organize,” also inspired women to claim their rights and actively participate in movements. Generations of women have been inspired by his contributions to pursue equality, freedom, and dignity, which established the groundwork for gender equality in contemporary in India.

Introduction

The Architect of the Indian Constitution attempted to Hindu rid society of some antiquated established norms without challenging the structured social orders but Ambedkar’s strategies to women’s rights is drastically different However Ambedkar’s personal beliefs regarding Females rights. His Objective was to establish a socially just society including numerous clauses in the Indian constitution that grant women the same status as man. He believed that true democracy cannot survive without uplifting of women and their right. These right to be granted in a fair and impartial manner. Many years gone by without women obtaining the rights required for advancement in mental and social spheres, in contrast to many customs.

¹ Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar: Writings and Speeches, vol. 2 380 (Vasant Moon ed.,2d ed. 2014).

The issues that female and underprivileged individuals faced, as well as their rights and education, used to be the focus of all discussions. He puts up to a strong fight for policies that assist women in family planning. Within Indian social structure, they share equal rights and opportunities with men

Ambedkar’s role in safeguarding women’s empowerment

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, renowned as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, was also a distinguished freedom advocate, influential political leader, prolific writer, accomplished economist, and deep-thinking philosopher. He persistently championed the cause of women, striving to secure their comprehensive economic and social rights. He maintained that women should have access to sociocultural rights, advancement in their well-being, and social learning growth.² Women’s emancipation is being upheld solely by B.R. Ambedkar. He currently controls a wide range of issues pertaining to women’s empowerment. As a result, in the modern era, the state provides labour conditions and maternity benefits in the constitution and establishes a fundamental obligation to abstain from practices that diminish women’s dignity, while Articles 243D (3), 243T (3), and 243R (4) allocate seats in the Panchayati Raj System³. Concerning women’s rights Dalit Ratna was an actual official in the imperial administration. He maintains women’s right to divorce and has easy control over factors related to gender equality. By limiting widowhood, child marriage, sati, and other factors, he can expose this viewpoint regarding the stringent control of women for women’s empowerment, He evaluates a number of extremely important facts and also rights of inheritance are granted by B.R. Ambedkar the way that Ambedkar treated women is regarded as a successful component of women’s empowerment.⁴

Gender neutral rights were advocated by Ambedkar

Ambedkar introduce the principles of equality and fair wages, firmly supporting the idea that woman should receive equal pay for equal work. He also actively supported woman’s right to vote.

² Datta, Runi, Emancipating and Strengthening Indian Women; An Analysis of B.R. Ambedkar’s contribution,11 contemp. Voice Dalit 25(2019)

³ Parvinrai M. Bakshi & Subhash C. Kashyap. The Constitution Of India. (Universal Law Publishing 1982).

⁴ M. R. Singariya, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and Women Empowerment in India, 2(1) Quest J. Rsch. Human. & Soc. Sci. 1 (2014).

Since he believed that women’s education could benefit the family as a whole, he also strongly supported women’s education.⁵ As a result, the Right to Education Act of 2009, which aims to ensure equal access to education for both girls and boys, and the contemporary Indian Constitution includes Directive Principles of State Policy that support the principle of equal pay for equal work for both genders.. This is why Dr. Ambedkar is said to be a man of great ideas and his influence can be seen on all the pages of the Constitution.

Bhim Ratna has made widows of deceased children equal with the mothers of the children under the Hindu code. Men and women were treated equally, So the daughter received the same share of the father’s and her husband fortune. He was deemed to sole heir, with her son, his widow, her widowed mother-in-law, an Her son’s widowed mother-in-law.⁶

As chairman of the drafting committee of the constitution, Ambedkar worked to guarantee that woman’s rights were adequately combined into India’s literary heritage and the constitution. Thus, by taking into account equality for females in both legal and practical terms, he made particular regulation for them, although other general provisions applied to men .Articles like 15(3), 51(A), others are thus included. His significant effort to the Indian Constitution’s drafting earned it the moniker “New Charter of Human Rights.”. In his view, the law is the tool used to establish a rational social structure where each person’s development should coexist with society’s advancement

Educate, agitate and organize the Ambedkar plan for women’s rights

Beginning in 1920, women laboriously shared in Ambedkar’s movement and gained the tone- assurance to speak out about their enterprises on a variety of platforms.

Modern societal challenges call for women to recognize their value and take the lead in driving global change. Due to the fact that women are leading various social movements worldwide, these words still have similar significance today due to which, in today’s time the representation of women has increased in every aspect of development and women are feeling comfortable and respected in further development of society.

⁵ Runi Datta, Emancipating and Strengthening Indian Women: An Analysis of B.R. Ambedkar’s Contribution,11(1) Contemp. Voice Dalit 25 (2019).

⁶ Rashid Manzoor Bhat & R. Rajeshwari, Social Status of Women in Early Kashmir, 3(5) Int’l

J. Res. Pub. & Rev. 2788 (2022).

Future generations of women will continue to be inspired by Ambedkar’s words. Because he firmly believed that women’s education could benefit the entire full household Today, girls with education are preferred as marriage partners because, as Ambedkar intended, they illuminate future generations with knowledge. Additionally, he advocated for the right to education as a means of bringing about a more civilized society and spoke out against polygamy and child marriage.⁷

Conclusion

Champion of the Dalits, who was instrumental in the creation of the Indian Constitution, was also a pioneer who recognized that the growth of a nation is inadequate without the empowerment of its women. Throughout his life, his efforts were center on ensuring that women received equal rights, respect, and opportunities in every domain of life – be it social, economic, legal, or educational. By enshrining gender-just provisions in the Constitution and advocating against oppressive practices like child marriage, polygamy, and sati, he laid the groundwork for a more equitable society. His emphasis on education, equal pay, and political representation continues to inspire future generations. Ambedkar’s belief in “educate, agitate, and organize” served as a powerful call to action for women to realize their potential and lead societal transformation. To this day, his thoughts and reforms continue to be a strong pillar in the ongoing battle for gender equality in India