THREAD
Ambedkar ,The Feminist !

Let's begin by some quotes,

" I measure the progress of a country by the degree of progress women have achieved."

"The relationship between husband and wife should be one of closest friends.”

#AmbedkarJayanti
#JaiBhim

Elimination of gender based discrimination is a part of annihilation of caste. In his 1916 paper, "Castes in India" he argued that caste system thrives by controlling women's sexuality and restraining inter-caste marriages. Patriarchy was the twin of Brahmanism.

#JaiBhim

He drafted the Hindu Code Bill - which gave legal status to women as equal citizens, expounded gender equality in inheritance ,marriage ,women got the right to divorce. Seeing the Bill hindered by patriarchal forces, he resigned from the position of Law Minister as a protest.

Ambedkar exposed Manusmriti which is the root cause for the degraded position of women in India. He also questioned Rama's treatment of Sita. One should read the paper "The rise and fall of the hindu woman : Who was responsible for it?"

#JaiBhim

Apart from the Hindu Code Bill he framed many laws for women like,
- Mines Maternity Benefit
- Women Labour Welfare Fund
- Paid maternity leave to women working in factories.
- Equal Pay for Equal
Work
- Child and Labour Protection Act

#JaiBhim

He also fought for the reproductive freedom of women. In 1938, in the Legislative Assembly of Bombay, Ambedkar argued that birth control facilities should me made available to women. Conception should be a choice.

#JaiBhim

Ambedkar's newspapers and journals like Mooknayak and Bahishkrit Bharat predominantly covered issues related to women at a time when the audience was completely against this step. Through his journalism he championed the cause of raising issues related to gender justice.

"I strongly believe in movements run by women. If they are truly taken into confidence, they may change the present picture of society which is very miserable. In past, they have played a significant role in improving the conditions of weaker sections and classes."
- Ambedkar