Need for Women Empowerment in Rural Kerala

Kerala is the only state in the greatest democracy where women outnumbered men. Kerala’s past witnessed atrocities against women in the name of caste and male chauvinism. With the eradication of caste system and the heraldry of independence the pathetic condition of women changed as they shattered the shackles of slavery and enjoyed the fresh breeze of learning and education, liberating from the suffocation of the caste governed patriarchal society. The role played by the great reformers like VT Battathirippad and Lalithambika Antharjanam in empowering women in Kerala is imminent as they fought with their words and deeds for the liberation of women. But even after the celebration of sixty years of independence, the condition of women in rural Kerala is not hopeful. The voices of women empowerment never reaches the women in rural areas properly. The voices of the women empowerment activists seem to be strange for the women and they are tied to the family for domestic works. Traditional thinking and fundamentalist ideas has a negative influence in the life of women in the rural sides. So they are forced to satisfy with their life, looking after their family and enjoying the trifles like the mega serials. Since they are not exposed to the outside world affairs, they confine to the house hold with all its complexities and problems. Dowry related crimes are also affecting the women folk directly. The atrocities against women both in the domestic and public life increases in the state and the dirty role played by the women folk in almost all the cases is evident when the incidents in the contemporary society is scrutinized. So women empowerment in rural Kerala must begin from the roots analyzing the fundamental problems of the women in the rural backgrounds.