Andhra Pradesh - Eluru   

Globalisation widens gender inequalities, says AIDWA

Staff Reporter

Left's opposition to communalism superficial: Subhashini Ali

SPEAKING OUT: AIDWA president Subhashini Ali at a programme in Eluru on Tuesday.

ELURU: Subhashini Ali, president of the CPI (M) affiliated All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), has observed that the Left's opposition to communalism and casteism is only `superficial.'

Speaking on the `Impact of globalisation on social fabric' at the three-day All India Theatre Artistes Association which commenced here on Tuesday, she wanted the Left parties to go deep into the issues of caste and religious groups and develop a perspective with the `cultural assault' unleashed against such groups by globalisation in the backdrop.

Of late, the caste, religious and ethnic groups came under a serious threat across the world from the `dominant' culture promoted by globalisation with the help of media. `Identity politics' emerged on the scene as a reaction to the cultural onslaught, Ms. Ali explained. The AIDWA president cautioned that the Left parties would be singled out in their fight against globalisation if they failed to develop empathy for the vulnerable caste and religious groups which were struggling hard to reassert their identities. Globalisation achieved homogeneity among different ethnic, religious and caste groups by promoting dominating culture. The phenomenon has led to the strengthening of the identity of such groups in a desperate bid to insulate their cultures and beliefs from the attack of globalisation.

Uneven ratio

Ms. Ali regretted that globalisation failed to foster modernity in public life. Instead, it widened the gender inequalities, lowered the women's status and commercialised the human relations. "Beauty" became a prospective industry and the increasing `beauty consciousness' due to the boom in fashion shows proved to be a bane for women, which are leading to a spurt in female foeticide, she added. The uneven girl sex ratio was so alarming that four or five brothers in a family were forced to marry a single girl in States like western Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, she said.

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Globalisation widens gender inequalities, says AIDWA

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