Tamil Nadu has the highest number of “one-woman” households in the country, data released recently by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India reveals. About 8.11 lakh women in the State are living alone, which means 4.39 per cent of the total 1.84 crore households in Tamil Nadu are “one-woman” households.
These women could be divorcees, widows, spinsters or students who are living away from their families.
According to the data provided under the head ‘Households by religion, sex of the head of household and household size,’ there are only 2.81 lakh “one-man” households in the State.
Undivided Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh follow Tamil Nadu with 4.17 per cent and 3.78 per cent of one-woman households respectively, while the national score stands at 2.38 per cent.
A household is a unit that shares a single kitchen and need not necessarily have members of a single family. Interestingly, there are over 5.15 lakh one-woman households in the rural areas against 2.95 lakh such households in urban areas.
Advocate and activist Sudha Ramalingam says acceptance of women and their independence are greater in Tamil Nadu than in other parts of the country.
“These women could be living alone due to various reasons. But there are several welfare schemes in Tamil Nadu to protect such women and there have also been great movements like Arivoli Iyakkam (literacy movement), particularly in Pudukkottai district, a few years ago, which helped women become more independent,” she contends.
There were also other factors like resources with women and their willingness to remarry. “In cases of divorce, invariably more men tend to remarry than women. Women with meagre resources are not welcome in many households unlike in the case of such men,” she explains. Retired Director General of Police G. Thilakavathi says that the need for a support system is more among men than women.
“Not all women in these households would be living alone by choice but due to various factors. Besides, some of these women living alone could be victims of desertion, domestic violence, dowry, etc. ,” she adds.
These women could be divorcees, widows, spinsters or students who are living away from their families.
