The World celebrates Women's Day tomorrow on 8th March. However, we should first peep deeper into ourselves to see if we really are worthy of even talking about this day. Every time I have a positive feeling towards amelioration of women in our country, there is a hideous report showing disheartening statistics in the newspaper. With 47% women facing some kind of violence in rural India, we are far away from achieving an equal status for men and women. With eve teasing becoming a euphemism for sexual harassment and molestation, I deny the fact that it is because of the adoption of 'western' culture by us, as stated by many social activists. Blaming westernization for the abject and tawdry mentality of a few men is not wise at all.
Behind closed doors, women are still being tortured in many families. With over 5000 women dying each year due to Dowry cases, the instances of Dowry demands have been notices even in upper class metropolitan families! Besides, since ages we have subjected young girls to the trauma of "Child Marriage", an evil which is unparalleled and highly appalling. One evil leads to other, and therefore due to the prevalence of Dowry in our society, female infanticide and sex selective abortion got introduced. I suppose such a crime of killing a child might be unforgivable even by God. Another petrifying crime that we have witnessed in large numbers even after the many laws passed against it, is Human trafficking.
Education has been an answer to many of our problems. When education was made available to women in large numbers, many Indian women, after centuries to subjugation awoke to a new life. We really need to stress on this point in coming future. Abolition of dowry and limitation 'of marriage expenses were some steps for the promotion of the lot of Indian women. The self-immolation of Snehalata, a Bengali girl in 1914 agitated the youths who demanded immediate constitutional reform to oust this ugly Practice. The Purdah system was done away with.
However, no single blog post and no single day can bring about a huge change. An anarchistic change is required in the mindset of the population of our country which can come about only through education and awareness. I wish someday, I am lucky enough to live in a country where men and women are equally respected. The problems and solutions I have written about have been repeated and discussed millions of times before, but this is just another drop in the ocean to take a step towards a better India.
I want the word to spread and people to awake, to make this country a better place to live for one and all alike. With due respect and great hope, I wish everyone a Happy Women's Day - your chance to bring a change. :)
Behind closed doors, women are still being tortured in many families. With over 5000 women dying each year due to Dowry cases, the instances of Dowry demands have been notices even in upper class metropolitan families! Besides, since ages we have subjected young girls to the trauma of "Child Marriage", an evil which is unparalleled and highly appalling. One evil leads to other, and therefore due to the prevalence of Dowry in our society, female infanticide and sex selective abortion got introduced. I suppose such a crime of killing a child might be unforgivable even by God. Another petrifying crime that we have witnessed in large numbers even after the many laws passed against it, is Human trafficking.
Education has been an answer to many of our problems. When education was made available to women in large numbers, many Indian women, after centuries to subjugation awoke to a new life. We really need to stress on this point in coming future. Abolition of dowry and limitation 'of marriage expenses were some steps for the promotion of the lot of Indian women. The self-immolation of Snehalata, a Bengali girl in 1914 agitated the youths who demanded immediate constitutional reform to oust this ugly Practice. The Purdah system was done away with.
However, no single blog post and no single day can bring about a huge change. An anarchistic change is required in the mindset of the population of our country which can come about only through education and awareness. I wish someday, I am lucky enough to live in a country where men and women are equally respected. The problems and solutions I have written about have been repeated and discussed millions of times before, but this is just another drop in the ocean to take a step towards a better India.
I want the word to spread and people to awake, to make this country a better place to live for one and all alike. With due respect and great hope, I wish everyone a Happy Women's Day - your chance to bring a change. :)
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