No eyebrows are raised today at the thought of women going out to work. Plenty of lip service is paid to the idea of equality of men and women. And yet no one would deny that working women or non working women have to face problems just by virtue of their gender. Familiarities exist in case of women who have been the victims of violence and discrimination all through the ages in all societies, cultures, regions, caste or religious communities. Even in India, a country which emphasizes peace and non violence, women have to bear the burnt of violence, discrimination and lack of empowerment – domestic as well as public, physical as well as emotional and mental.
If we go back into the history, the status of women in Indian society has undergone several changes over the centuries. During the ancient times women enjoyed a high place in the society. But the medieval period of Indian history witnessed a sudden degradation in the status of women. Many social evils related to women crept into the Indian society during this period. Child marriages, lack of female education and sati were major among them. The doors of educational, economic, social, political and cultural opportunities were closed for women. Even their personal freedom in respect of movement, diet, dress, marriage etc came to be curtailed. They were made meek and enslaved as well as prostituted. They were used like a commodity which could be sold and purchased just to make them perform certain functions.
Due to all those atrocities on women, the issue of empowering women became a challenge. It’s a burning topic of discussion in the Indian societies still and will be one. We can ourselves visualize the outcomes of the efforts and attempts of the government and the society to uplift the women. The most outstanding effort in this challenge is to provide education to the women, as taken by our leaders and society. Indian government provides women with a number of reservations in various socio-educational fields. Gradually people gained knowledge that education empowers women economically, socially, physically and emotionally. They understand that an educated mother is not only the trusted partner, but a good housekeeper, a well informed and loving mother, besides being an efficient official. She combines in her multiple roles that no ever do.
More than half of the population of women is empowered and we can see the outcomes in the form of Indira Nooyi, Sunita Williams, Katrina Kaif, Shahnaz Hussain, Pratibha Patil so on and so forth. But we have to forge ahead with some more applicable steps for complete upliftment of women.
The major challenge between her and her success is the attitude of the stronger section of the society i.e.; men. It’s because day by day women are climbing the success ladder and becoming too independent that they need no backing now. It’s due to their own skills and talent through which she earns huge money sometimes in comparison to their husbands due to which men develops jealous feeling against them. It’s what happens in the homes of working parents- the male partner wants to be at highest pedestal of the family and if women stand on the top – there starts unreasonable arguments.
The ego disturbs the peace and harmony of the house and mind as well as the sanctity of the married life. And what happens to the small child growing in this kind of family environment develops violent reactions against the parents or is himself victim of violence. Hence, the physical, emotional, and cultural development of the child hinders which leads to lacking obedience and respect of the parents due to not getting proper parental support, love and affection. This problem will affect a child in his/her later stages.
In case unmarried girls there are brothers in the family for comparison made by the parents. Another problem in the success race of women can be her diminishing respect and honors in a society. As women are coming at the fronts and gaining triumphs over triumphs and especially becoming victorious over men, men started perceiving women as their opponents who are trying to compete with them in the success race.
No one is unknown of the fact that day after day crimes are also reaching new heights. There are rapes, murders, assaults, prostitution, infanticides and what not against women, just to fulfill the thirst of materialism, money and sex. It indicates towards emerging insecurity especially for working women. It does not mean that non working women are safe; there safety is also in danger. The trembling secret is that women themselves are involved in making women prostitutes and paying men to rape other women. The question is – whom to believe. Women are themselves becoming thirsty for the women’s blood.
The most disturbing and thought provoking difficulty for the women is that there is lack of qualified matches for highly qualified and beautiful, belongs to a well fed advanced family surely search a bridegroom who suits her well in aspects. We know that’s it’s a typical wish to be fulfilled. So, the qualified girls remain unmarried in wait for a suitable boy for their whole life.
All these problems are quite demanding and stimulating but the new women is even ready to tackle them with the best of her efforts. She stands like a huge wall before them. Women must help themselves and each other in the fight against stereotypical societal attitudes. This attitudinal change in required if women want to live in the world as free human beings without fear.
