Which of the following characteristics are associated with the Women’s Movement of post-1947?

A. Involvement of women in nation-building task
B. Growth of autonomous women’s movement
C. All women suffer discrimination at uniform level
D. Change in ideology and organizational strategy

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct option is (A), (B), and (D) only.

To understand the characteristics of the Women's Movement in India after independence (post-1947), we can analyze each statement individually:

A. Involvement of women in nation-building task:
Following independence in 1947, the immediate focus of the country was on development and reconstruction. Women actively participated in various nation-building activities, including policy-making, social welfare, education, healthcare, and administrative roles. The Constitution guaranteed equality, which encouraged women to contribute directly to the democratic and economic progress of the newly independent nation. Thus, statement A is correct.

B. Growth of autonomous women’s movement:
While early women's organizations were often affiliated with political parties or larger nationalist struggles, the post-1970s era witnessed the emergence of the "autonomous women's movement." These groups were independent of political party control, allowing women to raise their voices directly against gender-specific issues such as dowry, domestic violence, rape, and workplace discrimination without political compromise. Thus, statement B is correct.

C. All women suffer discrimination at uniform level:
This statement is incorrect. Women in India do not form a homogeneous group, and they do not experience discrimination uniformly. The oppression faced by a woman is intersectional, deeply influenced by factors such as caste, class, religion, region, and tribe. For instance, Dalit or tribal women experience a compounding effect of caste-based violence and economic deprivation alongside gender discrimination, which differs significantly from the experiences of upper-class or urban women. Therefore, statement C is incorrect.

D. Change in ideology and organizational strategy:
Over the decades, the women's movement underwent a significant ideological shift. It transitioned from a welfare-oriented, reformist approach in the early post-independence years to a more rights-based, radical, and developmental perspective from the 1970s onward. The organizational strategies also evolved from charity work to mass mobilization, legal advocacy, street theatre, protest demonstrations, and lobbying for legislative reforms (such as laws against domestic violence and sexual harassment). Thus, statement D is correct.

By evaluating these points, we find that statements A, B, and D accurately characterize the post-1947 women's movement, whereas statement C is incorrect due to the diverse and stratified nature of women's experiences in India.