I would like to begin this article with a very meaningful dialogue from the movie ‘Baadshaho’ delivered by Eliana D’Cruz which goes like “History is always written about men, but not always made by them.”
There was a time when women were just the kitchen keepers in the Indian society. Rearing Children, cooking meals for large joint family, tailoring, knitting was considered to be the only way of life. Gradually women began to get educated and today there comes a time when women have come out on social and political fields to rub shoulder with the men folk in these fields.
Today women in India are well conscious of their rights and privileges and they are politically, socially, economically and educationally not backward anymore. Choriya choro’n se kam hain ke? (meaning: Are girls lesser than boys?) Are we?? During the last few decades India has produced many great women leaders, social workers, astronauts, entrepreneurs etc…To name a few I have mentioned below.
Women office bearers like Indira Gandhi, Pratibha Patel have demonstrated the world that a woman can not only lead a family instead if she wishes she can lead the whole country. Astronauts like Sunitha Williams, Kalpana Chawla have bespoken that ‘sky is not the limit, and have reached the moon with their spirit’. When Mary Kom was said boxing isn’t women’s cup of tea, she promised herself to prove them one day and bagged 6 gold medals and 1 silver medal.
Not only them, Lata Mangeshkar appeared in the Guinness book of records for recording maximum number of songs in the world. Also our Dangal protagonist Babita Kumari Pogat, female wrestler won gold at Commonwealth games proving “Chori bhi gold laawe” (meaning: even girl can bring gold).
Well don’t you think we are lucky to be born in an era where women are open to pursue their dreams and follow their passion? Don’t you? But I partially disagree. It’s because, if you ask your mother to let you go out at 11:PM night alone to purchase some stuff in case of emergency all alone on your scooter will she allow you? What would be her reply? Despite you having the freedom to ride your two wheeler in this era she would probably ask the men of the house to accompany you concerned about your safety.
One side we talk about women empowerment the other side we see such instances. Isn’t it confusing? Dear readers, though women occupy the highest positions yet without doubt they witness abusive behaviour, violence, rape, harassment and what not. The world wide survey which was conducted said India is the 4th most unsafe country for women to live. It’s pathetic to mention that, 12 million girls were aborted over last 3 decades in India. The present sex proportion says, 943 girls for every 1000 boys is still far from reach. The present women empowerment is not satisfactory.
More steps should be taken to upgrade and protect the well-being status of women. Mahatma Gandhi once said: ‘If you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a whole family’. Social change is possible through education. And most importantly society needs to change its age old thinking. Instead of saying girls should not go out in the dark, if at all they had said boys should not go out in light, at least harassment would have reduced.
Empowerment is not something that can happen in a day, it is a process. For sure we have come a long way battling all the age old evils against women, but also there’s still a long way to go. Real women empowerment is when the women of the country don’t have to rely on the men of the house to step out at midnight or late night without any fear or restrictions.
I shall conclude the article quoting, to all the women readers that,’ Above all be the heroine of your life and not the victim. Realise the importance of your voice before it’s too late. Be like fire, helpful to the needy and scary to the bloody. ‘After all Bharatiya Naari kisi ke kam nahi hai’ (meaning: Indian women are not lesser than anyone).
Writer: Umme Roomaan
Artist: Lorelie Evalin
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