What we need?
On this occasion of Women’s Day, women have another reason to rejoice. The supreme court of India recently passed a landmark judgment granting equal women rights in the armed forces — the right to permanent commission and the right to command. But, even when women at the border strive hard to protect their country, it is disheartening that the safety of women in the
country is still in tatters. Every year on Women’s Day, we talk about the struggles we endure and the perils we face. Yet, the perfect society, which is safe for women is still one of the dreams.
Education
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” — Nelson Mandela
Education equips a girl to stand on her own without being dependent on others. It helps her to recognise the various choices and pushes her to explore the wide arenas before settling down. However, an affordable education is still a far fetched dream for many girls. Poverty and lack of awareness compel them to stay at home or take up odd domestic jobs. In the rare cases
when the family is inclined to let the girl study, the schools are beyond reach from their remote homes.
A safe society is where every girl and woman has access to education and gets an opportunity to enrich their knowledge.
Hygiene
We need to create an environment where women are not subjected to health hazards caused by improper personal hygiene. Many rural homes do not have toilets, forcing girls and women to use the outdoors for their needs. Also, the lack of awareness about menstrual hygiene puts women at greater risk which is also one of the reasons for school dropouts. While the world
is developing at a pace, where people talk about the comfortable and plastic friendly menstrual cups, the women in rural areas do not have access to even the sanitary napkins. Building toilets at home and providing sanitary accessories is the need of the hour.
A safe society is where every girl and woman has access to toilets and provided with self-care amenities.
Freedom
Though a girl manages to complete her education successfully, she is forced into marriage immediately without being given a choice of building her career. She is not given the right to be financially independent. Even if she manages to venture into a profession, she has to struggle hard to break free of the shackles of stereotypes to select a career of her choice against
what people deem to be ‘suitable’ for her. At work, she is constantly under the watchful eyes of people who attribute her success to external beauty.
A safe society is where a woman is not conditioned to act on the commands of others but has the freedom to act on her will. She can decide without being judged and voice her opinions without being termed impudent.
Surroundings
Be it a girl going to school or a woman going to the office, the moment she steps out of her home, she comes under the scrutiny of people. She is constantly advised to keep her head down and not attract attention. She is urged to talk in whispers when the men on the streets whistle aloud at her. When a girl is fortunate enough to obtain the right education and finds a job
she loves, her surroundings put a hurdle on her path and forces her to restrict herself to a shell. Every time she goes out alone, she is under constant fear of being mocked, catcalled or worse getting harassed. It is the same when she goes with a friend; The only difference being she has someone to share her grief. The crimes against women are constantly on the rise putting her
safety at risk.
A safe society is where she can step out alone without fear and chase her dreams without second thoughts.
From childhood, both boys and girls should be taught that women are not just ‘machines’ who cook and clean and bear children. They are not meant to toil all their life and be objectified. People should learn to respect them for their worth and treat them with dignity. The impulse to change cannot be forced and should come from within. Together let us build a world of harmony
where we can coexist happily.
‘A woman isn’t a cocoon to be confined within a shell. She is a butterfly meant to spread her beautiful wings and soar in the sky.’
