In Jain dharma, there is a very important difference between:

1. Spiritual truth (tattva)
2. Social / practical arrangements (vyavahār)

Your question is about why these two sometimes look different.

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1. What does Jain dharma say about man–woman equality?

From the Jain point of view:

• Real “I” = soul (jīva)
• Soul has no gender – it is neither male nor female.
• Bondage and liberation depend on karmas and efforts, not on body type.

So:

• A woman’s soul and a man’s soul are equally capable of right faith, right knowledge, right conduct and moksha.
• Both can take vows, do tapas, practice ahiṁsā, and walk on the same path.

Difference between traditions:

• Śvetāmbara: Say clearly that women can attain keval-jñān and moksha directly in a female body.
• Digambara: Hold that final moksha requires a male body, so a woman first has to be born as a man in a later birth to get liberation.

But even here, in spiritual worth, capacity for vows, and progress, woman is not considered “lower”; the issue is about the last step of the path as per their interpretation.

In both traditions, at the level of soul, there is no inferiority or superiority.

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2. Then why separate arrangements for men and women?

Places where you see separation:

• Seating in derāsar / mandir,
• Different areas in upāśray / sthānak,
• Strict separation between sādhus and sādhvīs,
• Separate queues or sections in big programs, etc.

These are mainly due to three reasons, not because women are “less”:

(a) Protection of brahmacharya (celibacy)

For monks and nuns, brahmacharya is a mahāvrat (great vow).

To support this:

• They stay in separate places.
• They don’t sit very close to opposite gender.
• Meetings are done in open, in presence of others, in daytime, with limits.

Similarly, in many sanghs, even laypeople sit men on one side, women on the other during pravachan, samayik, etc. The idea is:

• Mind stays more peaceful and focused.
• Fewer chances of distraction or attraction.
• Environment becomes more sattvik and disciplined.

So this is like a “fence” to protect a plant – a support for saiyam, not a comment on anyone’s status.

(b) Practical discipline and comfort

Sometimes arrangements are simply practical:

• Crowded places become easier to manage if people stand/sit in an orderly way.
• In some cultures, many women feel more comfortable sitting among women, especially in tight spaces.
• In big events (paryushan, pravachan, yatras), separate lines help in order and safety.

Again, this is management, not valuation of souls.

(c) Habit and tradition

Many things we see today are also:

• Old customs that have continued,
• Social habits of modesty and shyness,
• Not always freshly re‑examined with philosophy in mind.

Where customs don’t break basic Jain principles, people often keep them as they are, out of respect for tradition.

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3. So is this discrimination or not?

From Jain drishti:

• On the level of ātma:

No discrimination – man and woman are equal travellers on the same path.

• On the level of conduct and rules:

There can be different arrangements for men and women, especially to: - protect vows (mainly brahmacharya), - maintain discipline and order, - respect social modesty.

If someone uses these differences to insult, suppress or exploit women, that is against the spirit of Jain dharma, because:

• Ahiṁsā includes mental and social non‑violence too.
• Pride of “I am superior because I am male” is māna (ego) – a kasāya, which binds karma.

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4. Simple way to remember

• Soul level: No male, no female, only jīva. Equal.
• Body / social level: Different roles and rules may exist for safety, saiyam and system, not for superiority.

So, equality in Jainism means: Equal spiritual potential, equal respect as souls – even if some external arrangements are different for practical and disciplinary reasons.