The Hindu : National : “Women in communist countries better-placed”

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Wednesday, Aug 22, 2007
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National

“Women in communist countries better-placed”

Staff Correspondent

Subhashini Ali

SHIMLA: Communist Party of India (Marxist) Central Committee member Subhashini Ali on Tuesday said the women in communist countries were better-placed in terms of right to work, equal opportunities in education, and provision of networks of social services for family and child care.

She was participating in a discussion on the status of women organised by the All India Democratic Women’s Association here. Ms. Ali gave a historical perspective of the origin of family, matriarchal dominance, property and changing power equations between men and women. She emphasised the need for a change in the attitude and behaviour of the communists vis-À-vis the role of women in family and society.

She said party men should not succumb to the social and religious practices of the family and community on questions such as dowry, inter-caste and child marriages, female foeticide and demand for equal status of the girl child. She regretted that the tendency was to go along with the family and community rather than have a firm and principled stand. She gave an account of the rights of and benefits for women in China, Cuba and the erstwhile Soviet Union in comparison to the capitalist countries.

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