HARBINGER OF LIFE YET STRUGGLE FOR HER OWN EXISTENCE : WOMEN

 “A WOMAN IS LIKE A TEA BAG – YOU NEVER KNOW HOW STRONG SHE IS UNTIL SHE GETS IN HOT WATER” – Eleanor Roosevelt

A Woman is god most beautiful sculpture existing on earth. For ages, she is the epitome of strength, power, knowledge, perseverance, humility, sacrifice, love and the list is endless. From mother to mother-in-law, daughter to daughter-in-law, sister to sister-in-law, she plays a diversity of roles in one’s life. We cannot imagine our life without them. We are dependent on them. To quote – THERE ARE TWO POWERS IN THE WORLD; ONE IS THE SWORD AND THE OTHER IS THE PEN. THERE IS A GREAT COMPETITION AND RIVALRY BETWEEN THE TWO. THERE IS A THIRD POWER STRONGER THAN BOTH, THAT OF THE WOMEN.

Why We Celebrate International Women’s Day?

                Every year we celebrate 8^th march as INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY with a vow to provide a safe and secure environment, equality in all spheres. With a determination to commemorate the achievements of women, to acknowledge the special status they deserve in society. International Women’s Day is celebrated with a resolution to commemorate women achievements, to acknowledge the special status they deserve in society. International Women’s Day is a global celebration of women’s achievement in the social, economic, cultural and political sphere. The Women’s Day celebration objective is to embrace every culture and ethnicity of appreciation, respect and love towards women. This year too it will be celebrated with the theme- GENDER EQUALITY TODAY FOR A SUSTAINABLE TOMORROW. But the question is what difference has it made to the position of women? Are we seriously providing her the future prospects or just refurbishing our image? Have they really become strong? Have their long time struggle ended?

The Women Struggle

                Well, what is said is not done. We make rules, regulations, pledge, vow to give her the equal status that she deserves but in our heart still resides that demon who always want that masculinity to win over feminism. Things have changed, nations have advanced, technology has overpowered science but our perception remains  the same. Perception that woman  are meant for certain duties, obliged by society norms and conditions, bounded by certain regulations.

        Lessons are taught in history classes how our great leaders like ANNIE BESANT, SAVITRIBAI PHULE, RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AND MANY OTHERS worked to uplift their status but what is not taught is to follow their principles (see how history is useful here but the fact is that it will remain boring the way it is taught hahaha). We make our generation learn rocket science but not the person behind it. How can we forget that the most famous physicist of 20^th century ALBERT EINSTEIN has been thrown out of school because he was not able to read and how his mother was beside him in his every struggle. To quote – NO STRUGGLE CAN EVER SUCCEED WITHOUT WOMEN PARTICIPATING SIDE BY SIDE WITH MEN.

       The fault is not in the environment but the way we make it, not in our minds but in our thoughts. From childhood, we create a demarcation line between the ways the two genders have to behave. To one we give freedom to act, control, instruct and to other we teach how to adjust, compromise, oblige. When a boy falls and cries we scold him for behaving like a girl and crying. When he does not have that boiling ferocious blood inside him we advise him to wear bangles and do the household activities. Why these examples are given in our day to day life? Is woman a sign of weakness? Her crying or expressing her pain makes her fragile? Her soft and tender heart and cold blood(patience) is a sign of delicacy?

                  Why do we fail to understand that a person’s masculinity does not define one’s strength and power.  The true strength lies in creating and shaping someone’s life. That is the reason why God gave the power of parturition ( a process of giving birth to offspring ) to women. That is why it  is said –SOMETIMES THE STRENGTH OF MOTHERHOOD IS GREATER THAN NATURAL LAWS.

Women Status In Society

With the passage of time, women’s status has undergone multidimensional changes, in an alternate fashion from revered status in the pre-Vedic period, as a pariah during post-Vedic/Medieval Period to strongly independent dynamic gender in the present scenario and is still on her journey. Worship of Goddesses depicts the respect women had in society. Indian Government celebrated 2001 as the year of women empowerment. National policy to empower women was also passed in 2001. On March 9, 2010, Rajya Sabha passed the Women’s Reservation Bill, ensuring 33% reservation to women in State Legislative Bodies and Parliament. All these beautiful data decipher, the status of women has changed but still, a lot has to be done for their empowerment. Child marriage, eve-teasing, harassment, exploitation, deteriorating maternity rate, anaemic pregnancies, molestation, rape, trafficking etc. are impediments in their empower journey which is still prevailing at an alarming rate. 

My Opinion

        I am not saying that things have not changed. They have changed but a lot more is needed to make their lives happy and prosperous. Rules and regulations will not work unless and until  a realization comes  from the heart.  When we change our perception of seeing women only as a symbol of reproduction.  When we change our attitude of making them feel inferior by suppressing them. When we give them equal opportunities in every sphere.

They are a treasure house of precious things and way more powerful and strong than what we assume them. No nation can progress without empowering its fair sex.  To quote – THE EMPOWERED WOMAN IS POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE AND BEAUTIFUL BEYOND DESCRIPTION. THEY ARE THE LARGEST UNTAPPED RESERVOIR (geology uff what can I do I am in love with my subject ) OF TALENT IN THE WORLD.

         I just want to conclude by saying – we as women do not want superiority but equality from society.  We do  not want to stand behind you but with you. We do not want your cheering but support in every decision that we take for ourselves. Lastly, all we need is your changed attitude, thoughts, views that have been imbibed in your personality. We want your acceptance not challenge but if you challenge us then be ready to face consequences because we have the power to create, nurture, transform and destroy. We are a complete full circle in ourselves but we believe in living in harmony with the other gender as we follow the principle of egalitarianism.