I dream of seeing equality
Equality means equal participation of men and women in every sector or field. Equality also means a condition of being equal where boys and girls are equally respected. It is also a way to maintain a collaborative society and establish peace. Human beings are considered as the most knowledgeable being. Thus, boys and girls are like two wheels of a cart. Without equal power, a well-managed and harmonious society is difficult to achieve.
There is a lot of inequality in the community I live in. Traditionally, my society loves and focuses only on boys. Boys or male members of the society get all kind of freedom in terms of education, decision making, staying outside of their house. However, girls do not. Girls are suppressed as the society is patriarchal. Also, because girls like me are socialized to be calm, disciplined and engage in household work, they are not seen as strong. Thus, if girls like me says that they can do work or girls are no less than boys, boys tends to laugh as if it is a big jokes. Girls are seen only as a child-bearing tool. This makes me low and my confidence goes down. At some point, I remember my sister who struggle so hard from her childhood to be who she is today. She was married in her small age. Her husband used to make her suffer everyday. Drinking alcoholic beverages and beating wife was his everyday schedule. When it was unbearable condition, my sister left him. Now, she is living on her own. Although she was unable to completed her schooling, there were also good people who helped her in difficult time. Now, she is in Canada and earns a living for herself. Also, she sent some money for my brother’s and my studies as well. My sister’s life story gives me strength and I feel proud to be a girl.
Like my sister, most of the girls are married at a young age. Because the existing traditional system forces girls to marry early, they cannot even get their secondary level education. People in my society believe that marrying their daughter when she is very young will take her parents to heaven when they die. As a result, girls neither get sufficient food, nice and bright clothes to wear nor are they treated fairly. Even if girls receive primary and lower secondary education, they are obliged to do various household chores after school. For example, cutting grass, cooking food, washing dishes and washing the clothes of all members of the family.
As a girl, I dream of seeing equality in my society. I also have overcome such issues of patriarchy in my home where my mom spent every minute doing all the household work alone while also raising us. As my brother, sister and I grew up, my brother was considered as adorable while my sister and I were asked to do various household work. All this differentiation used to make me question why me? I used to hate being born as a girl child seeing these stereotypes. Now, seeing female teachers who fight daily with patriarchy present at school, try hard to ensure every voice is heard, my own sister and mother, their courageous action and dedication makes me feel motivated. Hence, my dream is to work for equality and create a harmonious society.
I want to see women and men treated equally. My dream is to be a doctor and treat patients equally despite their gender. I would like to figure out if the inequality still exists in other parts of the world or just in Nepal. Firstly, I want to start the equality campaign from my village and if get chance, I would be happy to work globally. Why do men always request and need a lot of respect? Don’t women need it when they are no less in the work they do?
