From awarding women achievers to organising health and other social awareness camps for women, the government and non-government organisations on Sunday organised a slew of events across the Haryana to mark the International Women’s Day celebrations.
The woman achievers -- academician, intellectual, politician and youth who represent growing tribe of modern feminine power despite their ages shared their views about women’s social, political and economical status especially in Haryana and what it means to be true empowerment.
GEETA BHUKKAL
Former Haryana Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal said that women have to undergo struggle at various phases in their lives to achieve their goal and we should congratulate them on the occasion of International women’s day for achieving their goals despite hurdles.
Usually, on International Women’s Day it has become precedence that women achievers who work selflessly are identified and honoured at public function. In India, a ritual of performing Kanya (Kumari) puja is performed each year during Navaratra of Durga Puja. While in remaining days, they are forgotten, harassed mentally and physically or even tortured. We believe that not only a particular day or occasion, our society should honour and respect the women throughout the year. Women share 50 per cent of world’s total population and are playing a very vital role in human progress and prosperity. We should provide them equal social, political and economic opportunities, as well as equal rights and legal protections in the society.
In Haryana, after 70 years of independence, lot of work still need to be done for women’s upliftment. Anemia and malnutrition are common problem among teenage girls despite several measures have taken in this direction.
As per national crime records bureau’s report and state’s crime record, there has been increase in violence and crime against women in the State. We talk about empowerment of women but they are not safe in home and outside.
How women will be empowered if they are not safe and secure? The government of the day should lay emphasis on execution of the schemes which have been launched for their welfare and upliftment of rather than only raising slogans of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme among others.
When asked about additional steps to be taken to ensure women’s safety, the former education minister said, “We should go beyond law enforcement and find out the root cause of the issue. We must sensitize men and boys to respect women. Also, families must be counseled to treat girls on an equal footing with boys. Bhukkal further said that empowerment of women means empowering them socially, politically along with equipping them to be economically independent, self-reliant, in addition to providing positive self-esteem to face any difficult situation.
DR KUSUM LATA
Dr Kusum Lata, assistant professor (History) of Institute of Integrated and Honours Studies, Kurukshetra University said, “This day is very special for all women. Due to consistent struggle of many women’s organisations over a period of time, the condition of women has improved. During ancient and medieval era, condition of women in upper class society was good while in lower class society, they struggled.
During Freedom struggle, women participated actively along with men. On the appeal of father of nation Mahatma Gandhi, women had participated in his movement (satyagrah). Gandhi had advocated respecting, honouring and empowering women on many occasions. At one point of time, Gandhi ji had said giving women a status of mother.
Dr Kusum said that the efforts of women and their very significant contribution to the freedom struggle got them the right to vote and equality with men in the Constitution of India. This was followed by a series of Acts, promoting the cause of women in the 50s and early 60s which legalised inter-caste and interfaith marriages, made child marriage punishable and abortion illegal, outlawed polygamy, conferred the equal right of divorce on both men and women, gave inheritance rights to women in the patrilineal property and prohibited giving of dowry.
She further said that even though the women’s movement continues to face numerous hurdles and challenges, it has not deterred women’s confidence and enthusiasm in bringing about a powerful social change. They are forging a new path toward equality and achieving socio-political and economic empowerment.
Dr Kusum said that a gradual change is now visible in modern-day India, and this can be seen in large cities. Women have found employment in fields that have been traditionally considered male dominated. “So, what has the women’s movement achieved?
The major achievement is of having brought women’s issues centre-stage. Women’s issues are taken up not only by political parties but also various women’s organisations, NGOs, mahila mandals, self-help groups, village-based groups as also college cells and initiatives by individual women. The rising interest in women’s issues has got reflected in education as well. In Haryana, women and girls are coming forward and performing well in education, sports and entertainment among others,” she added.
MAMTA SODHA
Mamta Sodha, an Indian sportsperson, who was directly recruited as a DSP after her successful Everest campaign in 2010 said, “I congratulate all women on International Women’s day. The State government is promoting women and girls to achieve goal of their life. Special attention has been laid for their upliftment by facilitating them in many sectors including education, sports among others.” She said that girls need to prove themselves that they are the best. They should be empowered themselves enough to excel in their life. Girls need to give time for themselves and they need to be mentally and physically tough to solve their concerns. Sodha said, “No one will stop you if you are dedicated towards your goal.”
TANYA SINGH
Tanya Singh, a post graduation (psychology) student of Panjab University said, “We personally believe that it is more important to socialise the children in such a way that they are taught that all genders are equal. Our belief system needs to be made strong.”
Talking about women’s reservation, she said that a legal step towards providing females an equal platform should be taken. “If we all feel that everyone have equal rights then we wouldn't need any reservations,” she says.
Singh said, “At last we would like to say that every day should be celebrated and cherished for thanking all the super women in our lives.”
PREETI BHARDWAJ
Vice-chairperson of Haryana State Commission for Women Preeti Bhardwaj said that International Women’s day is dedicated to the women empowerment and their rights. It is necessary that women and girls should be made economically empowered through skill development. Economically empowered women are actually empowered as they can take any decision of their life. Gender equality and economic empowerment is necessary for the women empowerment. Women of the Haryana have remarkably contributed in the development of the state.
Bhardwaj said that so many women achieved many remarkable successes in every era but the real thing which matters is the actual change that took place in lives of common women. Mindset of the society needs to be changed in this context.
Haryana has number of unique schemes for women welfare that have been initiated during the last few years, but the implementation of schemes needs to be strengthen at, various level. There is a need to notice the bottlenecks and gaps in implementation in the previous years so that these can be removed and an alternative and improved scheme can be formulated. The programmes require expertise, and should be managed by technically qualified professionals. Besides, i feel that formalities for the schemes should be minimized so that rural, illiterate and unaware can also avail these benefits easily.
SUMITRA CHOWDHARY
Sumitra Chowdhary, resident of Hisar, pursuing post graduation (sociology) in Chandigarh said that women play an important role in society as they provide happiness, solution and peace to this world. Women are successful in all areas as men. While there is no denying that women have achieved so much but they still have a long way to go. A woman has to realize her own potential and strength as an equal member of society, and this can come only through empowerment. In cities, the scenario is favourable for women where women are men are equally moving forward. While in rural areas despite having potential, women have limited opportunities to become professionally self independent and self- reliant. On self-defence as a form of empowerment, she pointed out, “Women must learn self-defence techniques, which boosts their confidence levels.
ASHITA MANCHANDA
Ashita Manchanda, an academician from Karnal, said that said that it is clear that being equal to their male counterparts remains a far cry for the Indian women. Not only are they marginal as public figures, an average Indian woman can hardly call the shots at home or outside as our society talks about women empowerment it must begin from home.
Women must feel equally empowered at home as they are at work. She said that a most glaring inequality is in the political participation of women. Women's reservation bill or The Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, 2008, is a pending bill in the Parliament of India which propose to amend the Constitution of India to reserve 33 per cent of all seats in the Lower house of Parliament of India, the Lok Sabha, and in all State Legislative Assemblies for women in accordance with the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments which reserved the same percentage of seats for women in rural and urban local bodies respectively. It is one of the longest pending Bills in the Indian Parliament.