‘Dismantling Patriarchy Challenges Ahead’ [Text of Justice Sunanda Bhandare Memorial Lecture by VP Hamid Ansari]

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari has delivered the 22nd Justice Sunanda Bhandare Memorial Lecture ‘Dismantling Patriarchy Challenges Ahead’, on 30th November 2016. Another study on the subject by Sylvia Walby defines patriarchy as ‘a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women’. This asserts that a rapidly changing scenario ‘gives rise to complex socio-economic and cultural challenges for women in a society with deep rooted cultural and social beliefs about women,’ that ‘a lot still remains to be done’ to ‘ultimately positioning women as equal partners of sustained development progress that the country is experiencing presently.’ It aims to create ‘an effective framework’ and ‘conducive socio-cultural, economic and political environment to enable women to enjoy de jure and de facto fundamental rights to realize their full potential.’ The term patriarchy does not find a mention in this document. These gave details of the legislative enactments since 2001 and the latter observed that ‘large number of women today are able to exercise their choices by taking recourse to the law as empowerment is all about choices.’ The policy frame work, according to the Draft National Policy, would cover ingredients in priority areas of health and nutrition, education, poverty alleviation, raised visibility, skill development and entrepreneurship in agriculture, industry, labour, services sector, science and technology, governance and decision making.