Stop Devaluing Women!!!

on: February 19, 2016In: WTN Special

Sensitizing people on violence

against women is an important
need and fact that this country
faces. It is a known fact that
worldwide

women

are

somehow, somewhere affected

by this social shame of gender
discrimination

and

violence

against women, the issue gains

much relevance.
The forms of discrimination and
violence are varied, sometimes from subtle imprecations to extreme torture, depending on the
strata of society. In India the discrimination and violence is widespread, well-pronounced and
intricate, deeply entrenched as it is in the mind of a male-dominated and feudalistic society,
aggravated by illiteracy, poverty and lack of a smart redressal system.
Female foeticide has not been stemmed yet, marital rape and domestic violence is rampant, as
are general incidents of rape and acid attacks. Kidnappings, murders, trafficking, prostitution,
long working hours, sex abuse, exploitation at workplace and by in-laws or husband, child labour
etc are all different forms of violence and discrimination that our womenfolk face daily in society.
It is said that violence against women is the most tolerated form of injustice, for our women dont
have much of a voice to counter the violence, often manifest in various subtle and intricate forms.
Women had to fight and are still having to wage a lot of wars everyday around themselves for
their smallest rights and for justice.
It is a tremendous job to break into a male bastion, break the shackles and get even with them.
The West, to a large extent, has been able to achieve that point of understanding and have been
forced to give way to the feminine discourse too.
In countries like India, we are still far away from that level of evolution and hence need lot of hard
work.
A civil society which devalues and discriminates women on various parameters is not a civilized
society as yet, we must admit and accept that. That is the only way we can begin work. If we
negate the truth, we would be duping ourselves and pushing the country towards darkness.
Things are changing, but the moves are disorganized and tardy. We have come a long way from
the days of Sati burning, but we have increased incidents of rape.

We may have a larger educated class of women than say what we had 20-30 years back, but
side by side, we also have one of the largest population of anemic women. We need more
serious and concerted efforts at various government, non-government, international and
individual levels to get things going in the right direction.
This knowledge comes from education and awareness. Thats an area we have to work hard. We
cannot afford to be reckless and wanton in our ways, and use women as a pleasure tool or as a
neglected section of society who need attention only when menial work or physical pleasure is
needed.
Unless we are able to develop the inherent belief in men that women are the other side of the
same coin of humanity, who deserve every privilege of life in equal share as men do, we cannot
create a just and equitable society and our values would be false.
We need to provide a conducive environment for all humanity, irrespective of sex or creed, to
develop their qualities and help them prosper, because that way we will be benefiting ourselves
and our society. If we nip the potentials in the bud and make a whole section of humanity a cog in
the wheel of daily humdrum, we are curtailing the chances of having a more materially developed
and culturally evolved world.
In our country, women in major parts of the country are still living in an imposed cocoon of
inhibitions and restrictions, which lead them largely to remain withdrawn from the social
happenings, as if they are ashamed of being born women and are better off hiding.
Often, victim women dont even know who to approach in case of any violation and even if they
reach the right place, their grievances are hardly addressed the way they should be. Sprucing up
the system must be made an indelible part of the smart governance mantra we are adopting.