A century away from #EachforEqual?
Once again now, closing in on this one day during which the spirit of gender equality resonates in a global dimension, we’re reminded of all the sacrifices and the impact women have made and achieved over the decades. From passionate women in science and technology, to the fierce ladies in sports and simply every other profession, they have all been fighting prejudice literally every single day of their lives. And to celebrate the courage and determination that ordinary women have displayed and will continue to display indefinitely, it is quintessential for us to ensure that women can secure the recognition they have earned and deserve.
But as much as we would like to believe that we are doing all that we can to level the playing field and be more accommodating of everyone, equally, we know for a fact that we are way too far from a society offering opportunities and respectful treatment to people, without prejudice of any kind.
But just how far are we from it?
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020, with the current rate of progress, it is predicted that gender parity will not be attained for the next 99.5 years.
Yes, another hundred years.
Let that sink in.
“Most women fight wars on two fronts, one for whatever the putative topic is and one simply for the right to speak, to have ideas, to be acknowledged to be in possession of facts and truths, to have value, to be a human being.”
― Rebecca Solnit, Men Explain Things To Me
Women are often undervalued, held back, victims of violence, and subjected to a huge spectrum of bias. Not to mention the unconscious bias, that lingers in all of our minds, whether we like it or not. Women are expected to prove themselves over and over again and find themselves amidst a wide range of stereotypes right from a young age, following them all the way to their workplace, never to leave them again.
Also, the World Bank’s recent Women, Business and the Law report had measured gender discrimination in 187 countries and discovered that a typical economy only gives women three-quarters the rights of men in the measured areas. But what’s even more disappointing is that the rate of any change pertaining to women’s rights, as history tells us, has always been agonisingly slow.
“Change isn’t just about big headline moments, legal victories and international agreements: the way we talk, think, and act every day can create a ripple effect that benefits everyone.”
This goal for gender equality, which has also been included in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDG 5), calls for a united movement, to counter one of history’s most persistent forms of injustice.
Oh! And a subtle cheer for Iceland, which has been the top country for gender parity, for the 11th year running. But where does India stand on that list you ask? 112. If that doesn’t indicate how bad we are doing, I don’t know what will. Not to say that we aren’t getting anywhere with our efforts, but we aren’t doing nearly enough.
What we need is a gender parity mindset, and a drastic change in the current societal norms. Pre-existing notions need to be forgotten and the illogical stereotypes we see so much of, need to be challenged. The crux of equality is something we need to internalize, and make it reflect in our words, our behaviour, and most importantly — in our actions.
“Despair is a form of certainty, certainty that the future will be a lot like the present or decline from it. Optimism is similarly being confident about what will happen. Both are grounds for not acting.”
― Rebecca Solnit, Men Explain Things To Me
And so on this Women’s day, the theme for the year 2020 being #EachforEqual, let’s all make it a point to embrace the individuality of one another and broaden our perceptions. So then maybe, just maybe, we might live to see the day when everyone who goes asking the question ‘ladka hai ya ladki’ doesn’t do so while in their minds, preferring one over the other.
To encourage and support the women we know to be such absolute powerhouses, we can choose to be a part of initiatives that aim to inspire. Model Engineering College, for one, is undertaking one such initiative — a social media campaign as a part of Excel, their annual techno-managerial fest, for this Women’s day.
You can acknowledge and appreciate all the women you know and respect, and strike a “hands out” pose and share your thoughts on the cause along with the hashtags #IWD2020 and #EachforEqual online to spread the word, while you’re at it.
Let’s try and make it happen sooner than they think it will, shall we?
