Babasaheb Ambedkar has not only been responsible for mobilising the Dalit movement for abolishing inequality, discrimination and exploitation of lower caste citizens but also inspired the feminist discourse of his times, particularly the Dalit Feminist movement.
While studying Ambedkar’s works on caste, one shall discover his understated feminism. According to Babasaheb, the practice of endogamy was maintained by restraining inter-caste marriages. This involved close monitoring and control over women’s sexuality. In his views, gender was used in the formation, maintenance and reproduction of caste. He believed caste gender nexus was the main culprit behind the oppression of the lower castes and women. Thus, for Ambedkar, gender elimination was an intrinsic part of caste annihilation.
Babasaheb Ambedkar has demonstrated leadership in the grassroots women’s organisation and movement which evolved from the participation of women in general movements alongside men in 1920s to forming autonomous organisations of women in 1930s and finally political organisations of women in 1940s. Ambedkar said, “I truly believe in the movements run by women.”
In 1928, as a member of the Legislative Council of Bombay, Ambedkar supported a bill granting paid maternity leave to women working in factories. He held the view that since the employer was reaping profits through women’s toil, he must financially support them, at least partly while they are on maternity leave.
Babasaheb exhibited both class and gender consciousness as he drew attention to the economic and productive dimension of childbearing of working-class women. The other part of maternity leave pay, according to Babasaheb, should be borne by the government.
In 1938, as a member of Bombay Legislative Assembly, Ambedkar recommended birth control facilities be made available to women. He said, “If men had to bear the pangs which women undergo during childbirth, none of them would ever consent to bear more than a single child in his life.” Babasaheb further argued, “Many women become invalid for life and some even lose their lives by the birth of children in their deceased condition or in too rapid succession. Birth control is the only sovereign specific remedy that can do away with such calamities. Whenever a woman is disinclined to bear a child for any reason, whatsoever, she must be in a position to prevent conception and bringing forth progeny which should entirely be dependent on the choice of women.” Ambedkar fought for reproductive choice, reproductive control, reproductive freedom and rights.
Where even today, women across the world, even in most developed nations are struggling to convince their regressive and misogynistic leadership to grant birth control, Ambedkar way back in 1938 fought for women’s reproductive rights. He is a man way ahead of his times and a man with great, progressive ideals.
On 9 April, 1948, as the first law minister of independent India, Ambedkar submitted the draft of the Hindu Code Bill to the Constituent Assembly. The Bill treated widow, daughter and son of the deceased equally in matters of inheritance. The Bill was aimed at removing the legal obstruction in the social advancement of women.
Today, in 2019, we are celebrating 128 years of this great man’s birth anniversary. We have moved so so away from his ideals and principles. I just hope and pray and we can live up to the dreams of the India he wanted to see. As he would say, “I measure the progress of a society by the degree of progress women have achieved.”