In the simplest of words to define women empowerment is basically “the creation of an environment where women can make independent decisions on their personal development as well as shine to equals in the society” All Women in today society want to be treated as equals so much so that if a woman rises to the top of her field it should be a commonplace occurrence that draws nothing more than a raised eyebrow at the gender. This can be possible if there is a channelized route for the empowerment of women.
“There is no particular role of women and men in today's’ world”
It is no real surprise that women empowerment in India is a hotly discussed topic with no real solution looming in the horizon except to doubly redouble our efforts and continue to target the sources of all the violence and ill-will towards women. Asking ourselves, what are the roles of Women and roles of Men in todays’ world? We may Jump with the easiest wrong answer saying that “House-wife, looking after the house-hold works and childrens in the family, are some the roles of women? And the role of men in the family/society is to sustain the family, make a family planning, and control over the family?!
No..! No..! No..! Remember-There is no particular role of women and men in todays’ world. Let us aware ourselves with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Article 1. States that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”, Article 3 states that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” and Article 7 “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination”
It is so true that a man and a woman are like two wheels of a cart. The cart can move fast and safely too, when both of them pull it in the same direction and with equal strength. As we keep on moving in life, listening to news, reading newspaper or magazine, or we may have gone through incidents and accidents with women in India. Wondering how the life of our women’s in the country suffered a lot without taking up any actions to overcome the situation.
Sad to know that Gender discrimination is the least of worries for women in India, known otherwise as the fourth most dangerous country in the world for women. Other instances of violence against women has an astonishing and grim variety to it – with acid throwing, domestic violence stemming out of dowry, rape, harassment and an assortment of others.
Beside, a report on the crimes against women by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) comes up with some alarming statistics:-
Sl No.
Crime Head
Year
2006
Year
2007
Year
2008
Year
2009
Year
2010
Year
2011
Year
2012
Percentage
Variation
in
2012
over
2011
1
Rape
(Sec. 376 IPC)
19,348
20,737
21,467
21,397
22,172
24,206
24,923
3.0
2
Kidnapping & Abduction
(Sec. 363 to 373 IPC)
17,414
20,416
22,939
25,741
29,795
35,565
38,262
7.6
3
Dowry Death
(Sec 302/304 IPC)
7,618
8,093
8,172
8,383
8,391
8,618
8,233
-4.5
4
Torture
(Sec. 498-A IPC)
63,128
75,930
81,344
89,546
94,041
99,135
1,06,527
7.5
5
Molestation
(Sec. 354 IPC)
36,617
38,734
40,413
38,711
40,613
42,968
45,351
5.5
6
Sexual Harassment
(Sec. 509 IPC)
9,966
10,950
12,214
11,009
9,961
8,570
9,173
7.0
7
Importation of Girls
(Sec. 366-B IPC)
67
61
67
48
36
80
59
-26.3
8
Sati Prevention Act, 1987
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
-100.0
9
Immoral Traffic
(Prevention) Act, 1956
4,541
3,568
2,659
2,474
2,499
2,435
2,563
5.3
10
Indecent Representation of Women
(Prohibition) Act, 1986
1,562
1,200
1,025
845
895
453
141
-68.9
11
Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
4,504
5,623
5,555
5,650
5,182
6,619
9,038
36.5
Total
1,64,765
1,85,312
1,95,856
2,03,804
2,13,585
2,28,650
2,44,270
6.8
The above statistics shows that a total of 2,44,270 incidents of crime against women were reported in the country during the year 2012 as compared to 2,28,650 in the year 2011 recording an increase of 6.4% during the year 2012. These crimes have continuously increased during 2008 – 2012 with 1,95,856 cases in the year 2008, 2,03,804 cases in 2009 and 2,13,585 cases in 2010 and 2,28,650 cases in 2011 and 2,44,270 cases in the year 2012. West Bengal with 7.5% share of country’s female population has accounted for nearly 12.7% of total crime against women by reporting 30,942 cases during the year 2012. (Source: womenempowermentinindia)
There are several challenges that are currently plaguing the issues of women’s rights in India. A few of these challenges are presented below. While a lot of these are redundant and quite basic issues faced across the country, these are contributory causes to the overarching status of women in India. Targeting these issues will directly benefit the empowerment of women in India.
Since independence, as far as education is concerned in India, the gap between women and men is severe. While 82.14% of adult men are educated, only 65.46% of adult women are known to be literate in India. Moreover, the norms of cultures/ traditions and the concept that state that man are superior to women in the family slowly spoiling the society of the country. Eradicating this gap and educating women about their real place in the world is a step that will hugely set this entire movement rolling down the hill to crash and break the wall of intolerance, negligence, exploitation and discrimination
Poverty is considered the greatest threat to peace in the world, and eradication of poverty should be a national goal as important as the eradication of illiteracy. Due to abject poverty, women are exploited as domestic helps and wives whose incomes are usurped by the man of the house. As we know, the state Andhra Pradesh marked for nearly half of all sex trafficking cases in India, the majority involving adolescent girls. According to police estimates, a shocking 300,000 women and girls have been trafficked for exploitative sex work from Andhra Pradesh; of these just 3,000 have been rescued so far. The same case may or have been happened to our own native state (Manipur) due to financial problem or due to poor socio-economic incomes. If poverty were not a concern for all, then the girl child will be able to follow her dreams without concerns of sexual exploitation, domestic or work.
The health and safety of women is also an important factor in gauging the empowerment of women in a country. The empowerment of women begins with a guarantee of their health and safety.
Though there have been many actions undertaken by the Government al Organization or Non-Governmental Organization to Empower Women in the country such as National Commission for Women, Millennium Development Goal (MDG), Ministry for Women & Child Development and Swayamsidha Programme, etc. etc. are working for women empowerment in the country, there are still a huge areas where women empowerment in India is largely lacking. To truly understand what women empowerment is, there needs to be a sea-change in the mind-set of the people in the country. Not just the women themselves, but the men have to wake up to a world that is moving towards equality and equity. And women should also not to discriminate themselves for we need a change of equality. It is better that this is embraced earlier rather than later, something is better than nothing for our own good.
Let us arise away and stop not until our goal is reach, we are born equally, we have a long journey to move on, time of equality in both men and women is knocking at the door of hope.
[Reference: women empowerment in India, NCRB, UDHR.]
[Key-words: women empowerment, human rights, step undertaken, education, health and challenges.]
Best,
KhamLianLal@Khams Zotal
I can be reach at:
Mob: +919089197425
Email: [email protected]
“There is no particular role of women and men in today's’ world”
It is no real surprise that women empowerment in India is a hotly discussed topic with no real solution looming in the horizon except to doubly redouble our efforts and continue to target the sources of all the violence and ill-will towards women. Asking ourselves, what are the roles of Women and roles of Men in todays’ world? We may Jump with the easiest wrong answer saying that “House-wife, looking after the house-hold works and childrens in the family, are some the roles of women? And the role of men in the family/society is to sustain the family, make a family planning, and control over the family?!
No..! No..! No..! Remember-There is no particular role of women and men in todays’ world. Let us aware ourselves with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Article 1. States that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”, Article 3 states that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” and Article 7 “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination”
It is so true that a man and a woman are like two wheels of a cart. The cart can move fast and safely too, when both of them pull it in the same direction and with equal strength. As we keep on moving in life, listening to news, reading newspaper or magazine, or we may have gone through incidents and accidents with women in India. Wondering how the life of our women’s in the country suffered a lot without taking up any actions to overcome the situation.
Sad to know that Gender discrimination is the least of worries for women in India, known otherwise as the fourth most dangerous country in the world for women. Other instances of violence against women has an astonishing and grim variety to it – with acid throwing, domestic violence stemming out of dowry, rape, harassment and an assortment of others.
Beside, a report on the crimes against women by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) comes up with some alarming statistics:-
Sl No.
Crime Head
Year
2006
Year
2007
Year
2008
Year
2009
Year
2010
Year
2011
Year
2012
Percentage
Variation
in
2012
over
2011
1
Rape
(Sec. 376 IPC)
19,348
20,737
21,467
21,397
22,172
24,206
24,923
3.0
2
Kidnapping & Abduction
(Sec. 363 to 373 IPC)
17,414
20,416
22,939
25,741
29,795
35,565
38,262
7.6
3
Dowry Death
(Sec 302/304 IPC)
7,618
8,093
8,172
8,383
8,391
8,618
8,233
-4.5
4
Torture
(Sec. 498-A IPC)
63,128
75,930
81,344
89,546
94,041
99,135
1,06,527
7.5
5
Molestation
(Sec. 354 IPC)
36,617
38,734
40,413
38,711
40,613
42,968
45,351
5.5
6
Sexual Harassment
(Sec. 509 IPC)
9,966
10,950
12,214
11,009
9,961
8,570
9,173
7.0
7
Importation of Girls
(Sec. 366-B IPC)
67
61
67
48
36
80
59
-26.3
8
Sati Prevention Act, 1987
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
-100.0
9
Immoral Traffic
(Prevention) Act, 1956
4,541
3,568
2,659
2,474
2,499
2,435
2,563
5.3
10
Indecent Representation of Women
(Prohibition) Act, 1986
1,562
1,200
1,025
845
895
453
141
-68.9
11
Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
4,504
5,623
5,555
5,650
5,182
6,619
9,038
36.5
Total
1,64,765
1,85,312
1,95,856
2,03,804
2,13,585
2,28,650
2,44,270
6.8
The above statistics shows that a total of 2,44,270 incidents of crime against women were reported in the country during the year 2012 as compared to 2,28,650 in the year 2011 recording an increase of 6.4% during the year 2012. These crimes have continuously increased during 2008 – 2012 with 1,95,856 cases in the year 2008, 2,03,804 cases in 2009 and 2,13,585 cases in 2010 and 2,28,650 cases in 2011 and 2,44,270 cases in the year 2012. West Bengal with 7.5% share of country’s female population has accounted for nearly 12.7% of total crime against women by reporting 30,942 cases during the year 2012. (Source: womenempowermentinindia)
There are several challenges that are currently plaguing the issues of women’s rights in India. A few of these challenges are presented below. While a lot of these are redundant and quite basic issues faced across the country, these are contributory causes to the overarching status of women in India. Targeting these issues will directly benefit the empowerment of women in India.
Since independence, as far as education is concerned in India, the gap between women and men is severe. While 82.14% of adult men are educated, only 65.46% of adult women are known to be literate in India. Moreover, the norms of cultures/ traditions and the concept that state that man are superior to women in the family slowly spoiling the society of the country. Eradicating this gap and educating women about their real place in the world is a step that will hugely set this entire movement rolling down the hill to crash and break the wall of intolerance, negligence, exploitation and discrimination
Poverty is considered the greatest threat to peace in the world, and eradication of poverty should be a national goal as important as the eradication of illiteracy. Due to abject poverty, women are exploited as domestic helps and wives whose incomes are usurped by the man of the house. As we know, the state Andhra Pradesh marked for nearly half of all sex trafficking cases in India, the majority involving adolescent girls. According to police estimates, a shocking 300,000 women and girls have been trafficked for exploitative sex work from Andhra Pradesh; of these just 3,000 have been rescued so far. The same case may or have been happened to our own native state (Manipur) due to financial problem or due to poor socio-economic incomes. If poverty were not a concern for all, then the girl child will be able to follow her dreams without concerns of sexual exploitation, domestic or work.
The health and safety of women is also an important factor in gauging the empowerment of women in a country. The empowerment of women begins with a guarantee of their health and safety.
Though there have been many actions undertaken by the Government al Organization or Non-Governmental Organization to Empower Women in the country such as National Commission for Women, Millennium Development Goal (MDG), Ministry for Women & Child Development and Swayamsidha Programme, etc. etc. are working for women empowerment in the country, there are still a huge areas where women empowerment in India is largely lacking. To truly understand what women empowerment is, there needs to be a sea-change in the mind-set of the people in the country. Not just the women themselves, but the men have to wake up to a world that is moving towards equality and equity. And women should also not to discriminate themselves for we need a change of equality. It is better that this is embraced earlier rather than later, something is better than nothing for our own good.
Let us arise away and stop not until our goal is reach, we are born equally, we have a long journey to move on, time of equality in both men and women is knocking at the door of hope.
[Reference: women empowerment in India, NCRB, UDHR.]
[Key-words: women empowerment, human rights, step undertaken, education, health and challenges.]
Best,
KhamLianLal@Khams Zotal
I can be reach at:
Mob: +919089197425
Email: [email protected]