Woman's era, still a distant dream ?!

Rajubai Jadhav a handicraft artisan from Bijapur Karnataka at Saras exhibition;  one of  my favourite "Sheros"  

We celebrated yet another International Womens' Day a fortnight back and once again witnessed world waking up to the realization that women are indeed God's greatest gifts to humanity! As expected, there was frenzy on social media with posts on women, many of them paying unrealistic homage that perpetuate stereotypes. The advertising world went gung ho trying to have a piece in the pie by positioning the products as "sensitive to women",  playing marketing gimmicks for eye balls. My phone kept buzzing with endless invitations for talks, rallies, networking events, conferences and marches to celebrate "International Womens' Day". Some of the events/talks I attended organized by corporate companies/cultural institutes were truly meaningful albeit most lacked representation from rural women and were reserved for the select few.

For majority of working women, the day was largely about flowers, balloons decoration, roses, chocolates and cards and "special celebration parties" with free stalls for mehendi, makeup, fashion shows and talks on "women oriented" topics, more or less remaining nothing more than fun/party time. Of course, there is absolutely no harm in dedicating an entire day for fun and frolic. But is that where the day should be confined to? 

Don't get me wrong. I am all for celebration, gender equality and women empowerment but am bit apprehensive about diluting purpose of the day to nothing more than sheer tokenism. It doesn't serve much purpose except granting 'feel good" factor for our collective conscience. A day that has garnered immense significance in the human history calls for critical planning, commitment and sharp focus on gender parity, addressing issues of gender politics, discrimination and danger faced by women world over. But changing reality needs changing mindsets, attitudes, behaviour and a paradigm shift in our narrative. 

The awareness about Womens' Day is limited to a very small percentage of women population. For many women from rural parts or lower social/financial strata of society the concepts of women empowerment, gender parity and equality don't exist. How can the celebration of women's day be complete without participation of women whose voices are never heard? How can we expect to change our social landscape if women who matter are not part of dialogue? How do we address the real issues of women with dichotomies existing almost in all spheres of life? 

  

There is dire need to integrate the voices that reflect our ground realities and raise the issues to local, national and global level to the extent that they become movements, helping harness influence over policy/decision makers and protect woman's rights. No doubt, celebrating International Womens' Day is a step in that direction but unless we make a conscious effort to work towards making each day count as womens' day, the dangerous disconnect will continue to erode our social fabric.

I remember having read an article recently about women from smaller towns driving change in India. Those women are participating in the work areas traditionally known as male bastion; food/parcel delivery, kirana network, mobile repairing, carpentry etc. Looking at the joyous, confident photos of those young women from lower income strata of society, I felt proud.  

At one of the hand loom exhibitions I attended recently, a weaver from Benaras divulged an interesting story about how the scene of sari weaving and traditional gulabi meenakari (pink enamelling, a quintessentially Benarasi weaving technique) considered to be exclusively male bastion is being transformed by women who have slowly but certainly learnt the art form, taking center stage.

The more we read about such random tales of women entering in organized and un-organized sectors, we get an impression that all is hunky dory and women are finally claiming their rightful place in work force. Sadly, the reality is far from truth. Recently at an event, I learned about World Economic Forum's estimation that revealed a shocking observation that it will take eighty years to achieve gender parity in the world! Yes, eight long decades, just imagine!

The Organization for Economic Co-operation Development(2014) observed that the G20 countries would experience economic growth and increased citizen welfare by increasing labour force of women. While the gender differences are slowly shrinking, barrier to womens' participation rates still remain very low. While increasing representation of women in the public spheres is important and can potentially be attained through some form of affirmative action, an attitudinal shift is essential for women to be considered as equal within their homes and in broader society. 

It is constant endeavour for any Indian woman to protect her freedom from being clipped by her personal or professional environment that sometimes demands blind subservience to conformity or slavish attitudes towards rigid traditions and mindsets, the real malaise where women are thought to be dispensable! Unfortunately, the reality around me sometimes shows even some privileged young urban women not having a clue, enough courage and drive to create their own destiny. And that makes me realize the change needs to be from within; from our own minds, homes, communities and society in general. And till that happens, I don't see women getting their long deserved and much awaited place.   

“And though she be but little,

She is fierce.”

-William Shakespeare, A MidsummerNight’s Dream