Today, we come across the cacophony about, “Women Empowerment.” The term empowerment according to Oxford Dictionary is defined as: to authorise, license, entitle, permit, allow, sanction, accredit, qualify, delegate, or certify. As such, women by nature are already endowed with the virtually inherent capacity to possess invincible energy and panurgy. What all we require to tell her is, “Woman Know Thyself”, identify your ingress, realise your worth, invigorate your actions and inosculate with male counterparts to perform alongside. As such, women have an innate quality of multitasking. There’s so much potential in each woman that it only needs to be explored and put to use with confidence.
The pages of history books are replete with examples of women’s peerless courage, skill, knowledge and outstanding achievements. There have been martinet, and paragon women who turned around the course of events through their outstanding actions, discoveries and inventions, who ruled and conquered the countries, oppugned invasions and orbited the earth. Those are the women who had identified their self, inviolable capacities and capabilities and by putting their inner energies into action, they proved their inherent power which was neither gifted nor granted by someone, society or even by any government.
Apart from past glories, women today occupy posts of power and prestige in the field of science, technology, the legal field, the political world, civil administration, the corporate sector as well as the armed forces. Recently, on March 8, 2025, a total of 133 officer cadets, and 24 officer cadets (women), were granted short service commission into various arms and services of the Indian Army, embodying the spirit of duty and sacrifice, at Officers Training Academy, Chennai.
However, there is a flip side of women’s personality, ie her anatomical constraints, which is a reality and realism should not be mistaken for anti-feminism. Although men and women are wired differently, still both men and women are equal and complementary to each other and the two can not be torn asunder. Today, with the growing access to education and mass awareness, women want to break the compartmentalisation of the sexes. They are looking for the freedom from dogmas and deep- rooted chauvinistic and patriarchal attitudes. Women’s movement of independence is not a battle of sexes as it is being perceived by certain people but a battle against discrimination, stagnation and confined roles. Women have traditionally been respected in all religions and cultures. In Hinduism, despite a patriarchal society, women are seen as powerful goddesses alongside the gods, and at times aggressive. According to Verse 6.4.17, from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, the birth of a girl who would be a scholar is desired. The quote prescribes the specific rituals for obtaining a learned daughter.
In Islam, the Quran warns the people: “ If anyone does the deeds of righteousness whether male or female, and have faith, they will enter Paradise and not be wronged in the slightest. (Quran 4:124). “They (your wives) are your garments and you are a garment for them.” (Quran 2:187). “And among His signs is this, that He has created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them; and He has put love and mercy between you. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect.” (Quran 30:21). Prophet Mohammad says,” Fear Allah in respect of women”. And “The best of you are those who behave best to their wives.”
In Christianity , the Bible depicts women in a variety of roles, including as mothers, prophetesses, judges and highlights their value and contribution to society.
The dignity of marital relationships has remained excellent throughout Indian traditions. However, in the present day life, marital disputes are on the rise. Similarly, the phenomenon of pre-marital and extramarital relationship has increased, which quite often become the serious bone of contention between the married couples. National Commission for Women has launched 21 pre-marital communication centres in nine states on Women’s Day, with the aim to provide guidance to young generation on how to lead a happy married life.
Contrary to the past traditions, family disputes are fast multiplying. In most of the cases, wives have been found leveling false allegations of dowry against in-laws. Recently, Justice Amit Mahajan of Delhi High Court, has flagged the tendency of women to implicate family members of the husband without proof in complaints of dowry harassment to gain more leverage. Earlier, observing domestic violence cases, a Bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh, said, that the family members of an accused cannot be implicated without a specific charge in the criminal case in a sweeping manner.
Marriage is a pious institution, where extramarital relationship or adultery has no place. However, a Bench of the Supreme Court comprising the then CJI Dipak Mishra had decriminalised the 158-year-old law on Adultery, under Section 497 IPC, which is regarded as a disastrous and arbitrary judgment.
With all these values attributed to women and womanhood, gender-neutral laws will be more effective in sustaining marital bliss and harmony compared to gender-specific laws, which are likely to be misused.
(The writer is a legal journalist. Views expressed are personal)
