The case of women Maoists: How gender equality can tackle terror

Excellent study material for all civil services aspirants - begin learning - Kar ke dikhayenge!

The case of women Maoists: How gender equality can tackle terror

---

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

---

• Female Maoists: The Communist Party of India (Maoist) had released a list of killed women cadres to applaud their contribution to Naxalism. That again brought focus on the fact that a large no. of Maoists are actually women, and occupy most operational and tactical posts in the Maoist rebellion.
• Government misreading it: The standard policy response to Naxalism assumes most cadres are men, and govt. acts accordingly. But if most are females, then government's response has to be quite different, because they have joined the Maoist rebellion due to gender inequality. (and consequent sexual assaults, police brutality, SC-ST atrocities, etc.)
• What ex-Maoists say: Many women who left this Maoist rebellion claim they joined only because of its commitment to women's rights. It is seen in "all women squads" like KAMS (Krantikari Adivasi Mahila Sangathan) that leads campaigns against forced marriage, abduction, outcasting menstruating women, bigamy, domestic violence and police brutality. Younger women join in large numbers. 
• Sexual assault: Security forces often use sexual assaults against combatants, their families and even civilian women (body searches, molestation, rape, torture). The Maoist infested regions have the highest nos. of crimes against women in India, as per NCRB data. Women victims find police not helpful. Many women Maoists have testified personal cases of atrocities, that prompted them to "join the revolution".
• SC-ST women's experience: In the Red Corridor, the women of SC-ST groups endure many layers of gender, caste and class subjugation. In the Maoist ranks, SC-ST women form 40% of forces but 90% of those killed. Due to mining and mineral production activities, SC-ST women face forced displacement to the maximum (since 75% mining is in such lands).
• Marginalisation: The other problem is that women in rural economy are getting more and more marginalised, compared to men. So poverty and unemployment force many to join the rebellion, as Maoists promise to pay a regular salary.
• Inside the Maoist ranks: But not all is hunky-dory inside the rebellion. Women face sexual discrimination there too, and gendered roles allocation (cooking, cleaning, nursing). The state must see this as an opening, and offer a better life to women in the Red Corridor, thereby weaning them away from Naxalism.
• Present response: As of now, the State is focused on hard-power response, and not welfare demands. The govt. says that Maoists force Adivasi parents to part with their girl children, and then brainwash them into becoming rebels. But then if adivasi parents are part of this problem, then how come 60% of female Maoists are from non-SC-ST backgrounds?
• Address the real issue: If the State actually starts addressing women's issues in this region, a large no. of cadres would leave the Maoist rebellion. The factors driving women to join the revolt can also be the potential solution for peaceful outcomes. But this gender debate is completely missing in state response.

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

Join UPSC Self Prep course | Online Course (PT Gurukul)  | Covid Special Course | Join PT courses

* Content sourced from free internet sources (publications, PIB site, international sites, etc.). Take your own subscriptions. Copyrights acknowledged.