Another Woman’s Day has come to pass and every woman worth her salt should stop to think of her role and contribution in shaping the society. It is said that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world and there is no denying that even the President of the United States would agree that without his better half beside him, he wouldn’t have been half as effective in his role as the leader of the country.
No wonder Christians believe the Lord himself, finding man incomplete without a companion, created woman from his own flesh and bones. Being so, from the Queen of England to the unlettered adivasi living in the interiors of India, no woman can be slighted or considered insignificant in the grand scheme of things, as each has a specific role to play which is undeniably as important as life itself.
A household without the presence of a woman is not complete, to say the least. We have our own list of illustrious women who have done us proud. From Indira Gandhi to Sushma Swaraj (in the modern context). The list is endless. Their presence is felt in all walks of life, be it as Corporate heads or legislators or just housewives.
While these are the empowered women that we have been speaking about, there is an aspect that we often rush to bury under the carpet. These are the nirbhayas and the faceless unempowered women who have to fight it out every step of the way in order to survive in this male dominated, exploitative, woman degrading society. Violence against women is on the rise and not enough steps are in place to ensure the safety and security of women. Women face harassment at workplaces and even in their homes.
It isn’t uncommon for a woman to be looked at as a mere commodity or an object. There are also women who keep their home and hearth in good stead by the sweat of their brow, toiling in the fields.
One cannot also overlook the stifled girl child who is not allowed to come up in life for no crime other than being born a girl. Daughters are sometimes considered ‘paraya dhan’, (someone else’s property), on whom parents do not invest too much money, be it their education or upbringing. A majority of our women do not know the significance of Woman’s Day, but a day will surely come when they will realise their importance.
Emancipation of women can be achieved only through education and it should be made compulsory up to tenth standard. Meanwhile, a salute to all women of India in the hope that a new era will dawn when women will be aware of their rights and will find pride in their own worth. Happy Woman’s Day!
kitty.koshy@gmail.co