India has been witnessing some badass women who are making their way through the male dominant society. However, as we go 10steps forward, the elements in the society take us 100steps backward. The government is celebrating the National Girl Child Day Jan 24 every year across India. Since its inception in 2008, the ministry of women and child development has been raising awareness and consciousness of the society with regard to the girl child.
History has witnessed the intelligence of women in politics. India already had its first woman prime minister Indira Gandhi and is now witnessing powerful leaders like Sonia Gandhi and Sushma Swaraj even though the United states did not get its first woman President yet. Despite the achievements of these women, the government has to run a campaign ‘Beti bachao beti Padhao’ to secure the future of girl child. Time and again woman are celebrated and simultaneously have to face the bitterness in the country.
We Indians rejoice the commendable performance of women at the Olympics and Paralympics. P V Sindhu and Sakshi Malik saved India the blushes of returning empty handed. The 45-year old Deepa Malik who was the oldest member of India’s contingent in Rio, and became the first Indian female Paralympian to win a medal at the games.
No matter how many laurels these woman win, the only question they are asked is when will they settle down, get married or have kids.
We feel so proud and term it as “historic induction” when the first batch of three female pilots — Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh were commissioned in Indian Air Force fighter squadron. The achievement of the three is a significant milestone for the Indian military, as this is the first time it has permitted women into combat roles.
Ironically the rest of the women of the country are held responsible for their own safety, especially when they are not accompanied by their brother, father or husband. The molestation of several women on New Year’s Eve in a public place marked specially for the occasion is shameful. This is the reason why our mothers, and their ancestors always asked their daughters to “Come back before it gets dark”
The pool of women migrating up to the management level like Arundhati Bhattacharya (SBI) Chanda Kochhar (ICICI) Shikha Sharma (Axis Bank) Usha Ananthasubramanian (PNB) in the banking sector are lauded by everyone.
While our Constitution entitles women to equal opportunities and rights, but in some parts of the land the rate of female foeticide was high and the gender ratio terribly skewed. Foetal sex determination and sex selective abortion by unethical medical professionals has today grown into a large scale industry itself.
We sing praises for Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone who are doing really well in their careers and inscribed their names not only Bollywood but are conquering Hollywood as well. Bollywood as such is making movies like Pink and Dangal which speak about women empowerment.
Atypically, Zaira Wasim of Dangal does not want anyone to follow in her ‘unholy’ footsteps. There was this director in south who shamelessly said without caring about their comfort or their consent, he makes his heroines wear skimpy clothes. The problem is that women’s individuality is irrelevant and they are expected to fit in with the standard protocol.
This girl child day, the Prime Minister tweets “Let us reaffirm our commitment to challenging stereotypes based on gender and promote gender sensitization as well as gender equality”. Many social evils were abolished during the British era but some are carried through generations and haunt us even in the 21st century. However long the night, the dawn will break.
