Jasmine Kaur Sahni (40), certified art therapist & social emotional learning educator
I want women to be self-aware and kind. In my line of work—where I get to meet women from different walks of life, and different stages of their career and domestic life—the one thing common, which most struggle with, is that they are not kind to themselves and are unaware of their strengths, weaknesses, and emotions. We, as a community, have been uplifting each other. But, now we need to take the next step and be self-aware as individuals and as a community, and also spread kindness around. These skill sets will help us work on ourselves in areas that might have been left unattended, and also bring a new wave of positivity of knowing ourselves better. As someone said: Without self-awareness, we are like babies in a cradle. So, let’s start walking towards knowing ourselves better. It takes courage to be kind, so let us be courageous and start walking.
Varsha Pachouri (24), facilitator at Freedom Employability Academy
The safety of women in India is discussed almost everywhere. Now, more than ever, safety has become a serious concern. With the crime rate increasing, women are not safe outside or even in their homes. If we talk about Delhi, women are not safe at all as the city has a reputation for being unsafe for women. Every time something wrong happens with a woman, people blame the woman’s behaviour and attire. But it is not about our behaviour, people need to change their mindset. Also, the authorities need to be more active towards creating a safe environment.
Alka Kapur (54), founder and principal, Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh
I hope to see women being empowered to make their own choices and decisions, whether it is in their personal lives, careers, or in other areas through education, access to resources and information, and a supportive environment. I also hope to see an end to violence against women including sexual harassment, assault, and domestic violence. On this International Women’s Day, I hope to see women being celebrated, respected, and supported for their contributions to society and to the world.
Sarahna Prasad (19), student, Delhi College of Arts & Commerce
Like every other person from my generation, when I was asked this question, I went to seek answers on Google. I think the problem starts there—the answers that lie therein and the way this question has been perceived by the masses. What women want now is what women have been fighting for, for ages: Equality in rights, expression, opportunities, the list goes on. But one thing that women want, especially in Delhi, is respect. It sounds basic and rhetorical, but it is true. The idea of welfare, equality, and opportunities, all stem from one basic idea, which is of respect. So, while we want all of those things, one thing that we want the most—something that comes freely to the other gender—is a basic yet fundamental emotion... respect.
Punam Kalra (61), creative director, I’m the Centrefor Applied Arts
Modern women should try and explore more. We should break the boundaries of this conforming society and experiment to gain what we desire. Our role should not be confined to responsibilities alone, we should be able to generate enough time for ourselves and work towards having our responsibilities shared. Not every woman is financially independent, yet they can strive towards it and, if they’re passionate about pursuing their dreams, they can achieve what they set out for. Women have progressed, are progressing, will continue to do so since we have perseverance, dedication, and are passionate.
Shinjini Kulkarni (29), Kathak exponent
We have come a long way in breaking the glass ceiling. However, this year, I hope we get rid of the tendency to laud the bare minimum efforts by the opposite sex. From helping in household chores to respecting your partner and their career’s demand, this has to become the basic standard all men must be held to. Another thing that I advocate is getting rid of the shame around ageing. Ageism is a plague for most women in performing arts. Due to expectations of achieving unrealistic standards of beauty, women are judged for their looks before their craft. I hope we can bring a change where women are judged like men— for their calibre and merit instead of superficial things that the male gaze propagates.