GENDER EQUALITY – FACT OR FICTION
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, sharing the same spatial or social territory and subjected to the same political authenticity and cultural expectations. Despite such unanimity the societies are divided or stratified on the basis of caste, colour, class, religion and/or gender. The gender, in true sense, is neither biological nor is decided at the time of birth. It is constructed through the process of Socialization which prepares them for the social roles they are expected to play in future. These roles differ from culture to culture and at different periods in history. Thus a baby born as a boy or a girl has no idea of his/her role in society till they grow up and are socialized to behave as Men or Women.
Both the genders, men and women, are important wheels in this social cart and contribute almost equally to its growth, prosperity and development. Irrespective of this fact, the women are traditionally discriminated against and the main stream seems to be the male stream making the society, we live in, patrilineal. The men have been considered revered and superior while women, although guaranteed equality under the Constitution, have been considered inferior to men. The status of women seems to be theoretically high but practically low. In scriptures they have been given higher position while in practical life they are considered subordinate to men.
The Status of women in India has been subjected to many great changes over the past Millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points in the medieval period to the promotion of equal rights by reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful. Earlier, women were seen only as housewives who were projected to cook, clean and take care of their family. However, of late, they have made their presence felt in a predominantly male dominated society in all the spheres of work. They have proved, time and again, their dynamicity in many roles and in no way are inferior to men in any walk of life. It has been remarked that women perform 66% of the world’s work and produce 50% of the food, yet, they earn only 10% of the income and own only 1% of the property. The male-female wage gap has been stagnant at 50% among blue collar workers and 27% among white collar jobs. The statistics on one hand show the hard work and productivity of the female gender while on other hand shows the discrimination and poor returns for the same work as against their counterparts.
In India, although, women have held higher offices as well, the majority of them continue to face atrocities one way or other, be it at work places or at domestic areas. According to National Crime Registered Bureau (NCRB), the growth rate of crime against women has been higher than the population growth rate in 2010. The irony is that today everyone talks about woman power but the naked truth remains that we are far from reality and nobody is willing to take initiative. The need is not to look at women as someone who need protection and respect as a subordinate being, but as the one who have control over their lives, are not considered weaker and are not being biased.
Women is the builder and moulder of nation's destiny and represent the face value of any nation. The role of women has changed tremendously and they have been able to create a positive impression in the society, although the male dominated society is not yet ready to accept it. The weaker minds are unable to accept the change and are either trying to bring them down intellectually or physically by the brutal heinous ways beyond imagination. Thus if on one hand women are climbing the ladder of success, on the other hand they are mutely suffering the violence inflicted by their own male counterparts.
Being Pro Woman does not mean that one has to be Anti Man. All it means is to narrow down the difference between what we preach in theory and what we practice in reality. This is possible to some extent by making stringent laws, recruiting squads for protection, validating various women welfare organizations and advocating lifetime punishment for criminals. On papers and enforcing such amendments in legislation is not enough as we all know when it comes to the practical utility, everyone has a doubt. The more important and intriguing is the self-introspection, revival of the lost ethical and moral values, curtailment of domestic violence and proper education of children. The sick minds who mind giving equal status to women need to be motivated and streamlined in a positive direction so as to resolve the crisis. If all of us understand our own responsibility and do our bit sincerely, the time is not far when we may be living in a healthy society with healthy minds wherein the only single goal remains gender equality.
Dr. Pawan Suri
Chief Cardiologist
SGL SuperSpeciality Hospital
Jalandhar, Punjab
Email; psuricardio@gmail.com
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