“Support of Men – A Catalyst For Women Empowerment.”

Jagmohann Sharma
International Women’s Day celebrated every year on March 8 is to take an opportunity and encourage all to actively choose celebrating women’s achievements, create awareness about women issues, and raise voice for their greater equality. After all they constitute almost 50% in the global human population besides granting equality with men and an independent status and survival sans any discrimination, exploitation, abuse, threats, compulsions etc.
Unless and until society as a whole, especially the men folk reach out to the women in different sections of the society, become familiar with their mental, social and emotional state of mind, know the challenges they face, we can neither understand their plight nor do anything to redeem women out of a morass of discrimination, sexual exploitation, and patriarchal hangovers. With an improved access to education and employment millions of women are joining the Army, Air Force, and even anti – terror operations. Yet, an obnoxious scenario emerges in the shape of working women facing sexual harassment at their workplace despite the fact that the Government is committed to end all forms of violence against women that negatively impact society, hamper gender equality and erodes the social fabric of the country. News Services Division of All India Radio has taken an initiative to launch programmes on women safety in order to create awareness among women. Taking a cue from it The Regional News Unit of All India Radio Jammu on first Thursday of every month broadcasts a special program in this context. Talking to women on different issues, topics, concerns and problems makes us realize the ground realities, threats and challenges they face in all the aspects related in this context to their professions. Talking to doctors we came to know about numerous health related issues. In a program gynaecologist, Dr. Shafika Bano shared the fact that hundreds of women victims of unplanned pregnancy have either to go for abortion or just continue with it and in both the cases, such an approach casts an adverse impact on women’s health related issues. Female infanticide is still prevalent in some rural areas of the country and sex selective abortions, even in urban areas. Dr. Kavita Suri, Director Department of Lifelong Learning, University of Jammu who had been a member of erstwhile J & K State Women Commission divulged the hard realities of social setup which makes women suffer and nobody lends an ear to such horrendous facts. She holds the view that without men’s cooperation and contribution, women empowerment is just not possible. SHO women’s cell, DSP Aarti Thakur in one of my programs shared her knowledge about a number of cases where the women are tortured physically as well as mentally by their in-laws and even by their own parents. They are forcibly stopped to approach the police. Most women refuse to report domestic violence due to their social and cultural acquisitions besides the fact that women have guarantee of justice, dignity and equality enshrined in the Constitution of India. Honour killing is also a major threat to women. If we talk about Haryana, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the news about honour killings is a recurrent phenomenon. Quite often, marrying without their family acceptance and sometimes outside their caste or religion, daughters are burnt, beaten or shot dead. Advocate Monika Kohli in one programs shared that number of women rather prefer to go on suffering than filing a case against their perpetrators. Similarly a social worker, writer and broadcaster, Suman Pal, with a vast experience in women and children related issues says that in the absence of financial independence the women suffer a lot at various fronts leading to mental physical as well as social harassment. Manager Women Helpline 181 Purnima Dhar in a programme shared a number of domestic violence related incidents even during the period of COVID-19 lockdown period with the Helpline having a tough time to rescue the victims. Professor Majid Bhat, an expert of women related studies talks about various types of harassment of women at work places, including sexual abuse, molestation, biased treatment and harassment. In many cases there is discrimination in wages given to the women folk as compared to the men, for the same and equal work. There are many encouraging examples also where the women with their sincere efforts and dedication are doing wonders and setting examples for others. One such woman, Shabnam Nahid from Jammu having an MBBS degree, yet due to certain adverse circumstances could not practice her profession. Now she is running her own Tent house. It’s worth mentioning that Shabnam is a physically challenged lady who can’t move even a step without a wheelchair. Her positive approach towards life, self- confidence, extrovert nature and dedication towards work is inspiring many. She thanks many a men including her husband for their sincere and extended support, help and encouragement. Puja Devi, the first lady bus driver of J&K state while sharing her experience during one of my programs told that her journey to become a driver was not easy. She had to fight with poverty, opposition of family members and above all, the cloistered thinking of the society. She takes a dig at a few from menfolk who instead of appreciating her achievement tried to discourage her. It is really unfortunate that in our country, Patriarchy continues to an evil sociological reality, a curse for even educated women. .At the same time she doesn’t fail to express her thanks and gratitude towards those who trusted her capability and gave her a chance to fulfil her wish to drive a passenger bus. In one of the programs on triple talaaq a participant Razia Majid expressed immense happiness and satisfaction on the law against Triple Talaaq. Razia, a working woman and writer and a social worker also has all praise for her husband and family members who support her in every step that encourages her to do better with more dedication and purpose. In all the success stories of women which I came across, support of husbands ,brothers fathers and other men was there and all of them gave due credit for their success to them. The same cooperation and support is required to bring women at par with men.
An expert in gender studies Dr Vandana Sharma from Central University of Jammu says when it comes to food, there is a stark difference between men and women in the same household. Women end- up eating the last and the least. The much-needed nutrition revolution can come about only if India takes up women’s nutrition as an agenda. Decades of malnutrition among Indian women, due to lack of access or awareness, haunt us today. With every second woman anaemic, every third woman with low body mass index (BMI) and every fourth child born with low birth weight, the malnutrition nightmare has since attained a haunting and staggering status.
Speaking on financial independence of women Prof Renu Nanda says our women are raised in an environment where they are made to believe that investments and financial matters are complicated and a man’s domain. Thus, they usually depend on their partners or other male members of the family, like father or brother when it comes to taking financial decisions. In many cases they literally have to beg from them for their monetary requirements. It is only when faced with unforeseen situations like sudden death of an earning member or divorce, women really understand the importance of having a financial strength of their own. But more often than not, it is too late by then.
Empowerment of women has become one of the most important concerns of 21st century not only at the National level but on a global level as well. It is well said that when women move forward the family moves, the society moves and the nation moves .The best way to empower women is perhaps through inducting women in the mainstream of development . Their empowerment will be real and effective only when they are endowed with an adequate income and property so that they may stand on their own feet and construct a viable identity in society. Government’s initiatives alone won’t be sufficient to achieve this objective. Society as a whole must take a result oriented initiative to create such an atmosphere where there is no gender discrimination and women have full opportunities of self- decision making and participating in social, political, and economic life of the country with an adequate sense of equality wherein the role of men cannot be ignored.
To conclude, all of us know very well that contemporary women are hallmarks of many a success stories and it is just a matter of time before they have their rights duly recognised across all the strata of rural and urban society. The inevitable has to happen sooner or later. Three cheers to the women power. Let us all make it a Woman’s Happy day instead of the customary Happy Women’s day..
(The author is a Dogri News Anchor at All India Radio Jammu)
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