In a fast-changing society across the globe, women empowerment and to secure justice to them in every walk of life has become a necessity of the time. March 8 is observed as International Women’s Day in the member-countries of the United Nations.
The subject of women empowerment and gender justice has assumed considerable importance for all civilised nations and they have taken up this programme as a principal subject in their national agendas. It is gratifying that so far the Indian scenario is concerned, many welfare legislations have been passed to upgrade the life and condition of women so that they would form part of the mainstream of national life. There are many laws to give protection and security to the women and to guard against violation of their legal rights. There is dowry prohibition Act, protection of women from domestic violence Act, sexual harassment of women at workplace (prevention, prohibition and redressal) Act-2013 and prevention of indecent representation of women Act. Similarly, sex determination test of girl child is an offence; and to meet this new challenge, preconception and prenatal diagnostic technique (prohibition of sex selection) Act-1994 is in place. Killing of female fatuous is a criminal offence besides gross violation of human rights of women. By this inhuman act of killing the female child, the right to life of the girl child is taken away. There is a Constitutional mandate under Article-21 that ‘no person’ shall be deprived of his ‘life’ or ‘personal liberty’ except according to the procedure prescribed by law. The word ‘life’ means and includes living with dignity which has been held by the Supreme Court in many landmark judgments. In this context, it is heartening to note that the United Nations to eliminate gender bias and discrimination between man and woman had a Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEADW) and issued the protocol to all member-states for its due observance to put an end to gender-based violence on women.
However, it is distressing to note that there has been growing violence on women both at home, outside and even at their workplace. Even, women in some hilly and forest regions of the country are being accused as ‘witch’ and practising ‘witchcraft’ and are tortured for that and are paraded naked in the villages on this accusations which are based on blind faith and superstition only. There are strict laws in place to take care of violence on women, but the pity is that the offenders are not punished in many cases and they go scot-free. Therefore, condign punishment for dowry-related offence, sexual violence and obscene acts against women is very much necessary to arrest this trend of different kinds of atrocities and violence committed on women. However, law is not the only panacea to cure this malady and abate such offences. There is an urgent necessity of public consciousness and mass mobilisation to meet the new wave of crimes against women. Significantly, in our male-dominated society, the psyche and mindset of men folk has to change with the onward march of the society towards women’s empowerment, to enforce their rights and to give them justice. Time has now come that they should be given chance and opportunity to develop them in the best possible manner, to be part national life and social milieu only with the assistance of male members and civil society. They must feel that they are equal partners with men in the task of nation-building.
Concluding, the Prime Minister in his first ‘Mann ki baat’ address for the year 2018 mentioned about the glorious achievements of women in different fields and highlighted their contributions for bringing changes in the society. The Prime Minister stressed that women deserve commendation and respect as they are part of the Indian culture. Therefore, while observing the International Women’s Day, there should not be rituals and customary practices of confining the day only to holding seminars, workshops, etc., and to giving long speeches from the podiums.
The day needs to be celebrated by applauding the women for their good works done to the family, the society and the country as a whole. The married women should be given their due respect and dignity by their husbands on the day with gifts to them for doing a lot for the whole year for the welfare of the family. The women should be worshipped at least on this day. Needless to say that the Indian society, tradition and culture have accepted women as goddesses since time in immemorial.
(Prof Das is a former Special Judge, CBI, Mob: 9437022723)