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Abstract
Social exclusion manifests itself in the persistent lack of an individual's access to functioning as compared to other members of society and we model it as being in a state of deprivation over time. The Scheduled Castes were excluded from the main stream society, suffered stigma and discrimination,lived in poverty and remained marginalized group of one.
The women among the Scheduled Castes suffered twin disadvantages, one because of their caste and the other because of their gender. They were 'under privileged' among the 'underprivileged' and 'discriminated' among the 'discriminated'. The Scheduled Caste Women was essence and epitome of ignorance, illiteracy, poverty and pollution. She was an object of sexual pleasure for the higher castes from the time immemorial. The socio cultural religious and economic structure of the society made the Scheduled Castes completely subservient on the higher castes. The economic weakness of the Scheduled Castes was ruthlessly exploited by the higher castes, which took firm shape of sexually abusing the Scheduled Caste Women. As Desai (1993) puts it, the Scheduled Caste women were mere instruments to quench the sexual hunger of the dominant higher castes and so called untouchability of the Scheduled Caste women never came in the way of gratification of sex.
Its almost 60 years since the Protective Discrimination was provided, and about three generations have reaped the fruits of it. How did it help Scheduled Caste Women? Was there social inclusion of Scheduled Caste women, the hitherto socially excluded? Did the Scheduled Caste Women in Andhra Pradesh benefit from Protective Discrimination as means of social inclusion? The study tries to find answers to these questions.
Keywords : Social Exclusion, Deprivation, Equity, Social Status, Women, Caste, intervention.
INTRODUCTION
The women among the Scheduled Castes suffered twin disadvantages, one because of their caste and the other because of their gender. They were 'under privileged' among the 'under-privileged' and 'discriminated' among the 'discriminated'. The Scheduled Caste Women was essence and epitome of ignorance, illiteracy, poverty and pollution.
Its almost 60 years since the Protective Discrimination was provided, and about three generations have reaped the fruits of it. How did it help Scheduled Caste Women? Was there social inclusion of Scheduled Caste women, the hitherto socially excluded? Did the Scheduled Caste Women in...