Women’s rights vs. Beneficiary status: Karat critiques political schemes

As political parties jockey to woo women with schemes and promises of sops every election season, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat feels that these are reflections of their assertion as independent citizens even as these schemes take away the discourse from women's rights and make them mere "beneficiaries".

Support for Cash Transfers

In an interview, she, however, welcomed cash transfer to women while stressing that it was not a "freebie" as women contribute almost seven per cent of the GDP through unpaid labour. It shows that political parties have realised that women cannot be taken for granted, said Karat, a well-known activist who is among the founding members of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), one of the largest women organisations in the country.

Asked about direct benefit transfer (DBT) schemes for women being brought in by political parties in the run-up to elections, she said, "That is a result of women's movements, women's organisations, the struggles and the consciousness of women that they are not just appendages of men, but they have an independent existence."

Reflection of Women's Self-Assertion

"Political parties have understood that they cannot take women for granted. In that sense it is recognition of what we as women activists have been fighting for. I would not call the schemes in itself women empowerment. But yes, it is a reflection of women's self-assertion as independent citizens," Karat told in an interview.

Unpaid Labour Contribution

She pointed out at the unpaid labour that women perform and referred to a 2023 survey by the State Bank of India (SBI) that revealed that the total contribution of unpaid labour by women to the economy is around Rs 22.7 lakh crore (Rural: Rs 14.7 lakh crore and Urban: Rs 8.0 lakh crore) which is almost 7.5 per cent of India's GDP.

Valuing Women's Work

"If you estimate it in terms of money, the value of work that women are doing to ensure survival of families through unpaid domestic or care work is over seven per cent of India's GDP. This is actually women's contribution. Instead of recognising that in a more direct way, you are giving Rs 1,500, or Rs 1,000 and say this is not a recognition of a right you have, but a largess from the government," the CPI(M) leader said.

Shift from Rights to Beneficiary Status

"A woman's right has turned into a beneficiary's right. We don't want to be beneficiaries. You want to patronise us, you want to have patriarchal patronage that looks like what a great thing we are doing, giving you money. You want to turn a right into largess, and call it freebie," she said. Karat, however, added that even though the schemes appear patronising, it is still useful for women who are under dire economic stress. Better not to take away from the reality that women require these schemes, she stressed.

Control Over Financial Resources

"In the dire circumstances that women are in today as far as financial dependency is concerned -- lack of employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas and for labouring women, the kind of work one has to do to earn and the indignity of always having to ask for the smallest of personal expenditure to a male in the family.... in that sense, a woman having control on cash on a monthly basis, even if such a small amount, is something they really welcome," she said. "This is another aspect we have to look at. You can't just say we don't want it. It's a woman's right... by ensuring you do have some money on which you have your own control. Whether they have full control or not, I have my doubts because often that is used not for themselves but to make up the gaps. Every woman now is in deep debt," Karat said.

Need for Better Economic Opportunities

She emphasised the need for providing women with better economic opportunities and referred to a study done by the AIDWA which showed that the high rate of interest on micro-finance used by rural women has impacted them severely. "If the government could do something like that on a more sustained basis than just give Rs 1,000 or Rs 1,500 per month, to ensure that women do have an income, that would be a very welcome step," the CPI(M) leader said. Asked about the debate around "freebies", Karat questioned what about those handed out to corporates through loans and tax concessions.

Critique of Corporate Welfare

"What about the freebies that corporates are getting with lakhs and crores of rupee worth bank loans, tax concessions... now even subsidising 500 biggest companies in India to have interns in their companies and companies can pay them Rs 5,000 a month and take from them the entire work that a worker should do. That is being subsidized by the government," she said. In Delhi, which goes to poll on February 5, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has promised to raise financial assistance for women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana from Rs 1,000 per month to Rs 2,100.

Competing Promises from Other Parties

Countering it, the BJP has promised to provide Rs 2,500 per month to women under its 'Mahila Samridhi Yojana' while the Congress has announced the 'Pyari Didi Yojana' to give monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to all eligible women. Similar schemes were announced in other states as well, including during the recent assembly polls in Jharkhand and Maharashtra where the 'Maiya Samman' scheme and the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana', respectively, were seen as game changers.

(Except for the headline, nothing has been changed by All India News Network in the PTI copy.)