Women of Orissa have proved to be in the forefront when it comes to migration.
By migration here we mean movement of people from one place to the other for the purpose of settlement, which includes movements across
different types of geographical boundaries, such as inter-district, inter-state or inter-national ones. That the number of
woman migrants in Orissa is much more than their male counterparts could surprise many.
The recently released Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) highlights certain interesting revelations. It says that out of the total 37 million population of Orissa, about
11 million are on the move (i.e., almost one out of every four). But much more peculiar is the finding that while out of the
total migrants about 2.5 million are male migrants the remaining 8.6 million are female.
What makes our women take the lead in the race for resettlement? Prima facie it appears to be a function of the socio-cultural and economic realities prevailing in Orissa.
It may be noticed that the migration data mentioned above also includes intra-district and inter district migrations. It has
been found that seeking employment has not been one of the main reasons for women to switch locations, which of course is
not the case with men. It is easy to guess that the main reason why Oriya women have to move from one place to the other is their
marriage. It has much to do with the traditional Oriya custom of women having to move to their in-laws’ place after
marriage. Alternatively they also shift themselves to the locations where their husbands are employed.
There are also women who migrate for the purpose of their own employment. But as statistical
data reveals, the majority of such women belong to tribal dominated areas. These are women who seek employment elsewhere in
unskilled professions. This is an indicator of the precarious state of affairs prevailing in the tribal belts of
Orissa so far as employment avenues are concerned.
It is relevant to take note of what the eminent Magsaysay Award winning social activist
Jockin Aruputham had to say on the occasion of release of the UNDP report: “Women play an important role in migration,
both at the source and at the destination. Community mobilization and empowerment can immensely improve the quality of life
of migrants. And nobody, no policy makers, no government ever think about making their lives better.”
Thus the migratory trend among women can be viewed as a positive contributor to their
empowerment and well being. It also shows that women are actively participating in a process of socio-economic transformation.
It could lead to a day when the role of women in our society will get redefined.
But what's important is to ensure that the need for migrating to a new place is
not a result of compulsions under helplessness. Rather it would be more welcome if such migrations take place as a function
of choice. It will be a pleasure if competent women either at the home or in the professional front move out of our state
to place themselves in dignified positions so showcase their excellence. It will be one way of spreading the typical Oriya
values and culture in diverse locations. The trend might ultimately result in establishment of the image of the Oriyas
as a community that excels in adapting itself to remote social environments while at the same time retaining the essence of
its own cultural ethos.
But unluckily in Orissa migrations take place not as a matter of choice but rather as
a measure under compulsions. If this is nearer to fact, then it’s an admission of our state’s failure
in the economic front indicating decline in employment avenues. It may be noted that the migration figures mentioned
above also include intra-district relocations, mostly from rural to urban areas, which again goes on to show that governmental
initiatives to strengthen the rural economy and infrastructure has yet to achieve its goals.
However our prime concern remains why the trend of migration
among the women of Orissa is higher in comparison with other states. It is not so much an indicator of their empowerment.
As one can surmise, it is an outcome of the inclination of Oriya women to follow the footsteps of their husbands upon marriage.
Or are there other factors involved? The issue calls for an in-depth study, which sociological scholars should take
up.
