GANDHIJI’S ROLE IN THE ERADICATION OF WOMEN AND CHILD LABOR: 'NAI TALIM' AND THE 'SWADESHI' MOVEMENT AN ANALYTICAL STUDY

Abstract [English]

Mahatma Gandhi was a symbol of socio-economic justice alongside the Indian freedom struggle. He made the eradication of women and child labor an integral part of his life philosophy. This research paper presents an in-depth analysis of Gandhiji’s role, viewing 'Nai Talim' (New Education) and the 'Swadeshi' movement as the primary instruments in this endeavor. Gandhiji witnessed the brutality of the Industrial Revolution, wherein children and women were being exploited within factories. Through 'Nai Talim' (1937, the Wardha Scheme), he made education craft-centric, ensuring that children learned productive skills—such as spinning the *charkha* (spinning wheel), weaving, and agriculture—within the school environment itself. This approach not only curbed child labor but effectively transformed it into an integral part of the educational process. Within the framework of the 'Swadeshi' movement, *Khadi* and village-based cottage industries empowered women with economic self-reliance within their homes, thereby liberating them from the exploitative conditions of factories. Viewing women as the "Mothers of the Nation," Gandhiji asserted that they are partners to men, not their slaves.