Like other valuable days dedicated like celebrating love as in Valentine’s Day or for cancer patients as in World’s Cancer Day, The International Women’s Day celebrates the true spirit of womanhood. Conventionally, celebrating Women’s Day has been symbolised as the reflection of progress and a call for change. It’s the extraordinary occasion to delight the moments of those brave women who make a striking move to revolutionize something in the society.
But are we celebrating Women’s Day for any good? Has women still got her long lasting rights? In a country like India, gender inequality is preceded not only by gender bias but also by the mounting rape cases, one rape in 20 minutes every day. At times, we are proud of triumphs achieved by women who feature strong and powerful character in the various sectors. On the other side, there is complete darkness. American feminist, Gloria Steinem’s lacerated remarks to Indian society is a bell for women living by conventional rules and availing modern facilities.
The darkness lures the clandestine effect that lies in the male centric society in India that allows men and women to come on the same social plane, but the tangential forces of the social hierarchy succeed to sideline women. This is nothing new. Then when the change will come? Can the Women’s Day bring newness to the Wasteland of India’s social and political system? Theresa May, Home Secretary of US duly emphasised that along with celebrating women’s achievement, we must think of the problems women face sadly throughout.
Another issue that still lurks ghastly in our society is the ever forgetting incident of Nirbhaya’s rape in 16th December 2013 that has opened a lot of public discourse and protests for nothing. The major lot of the society immediately rolled on the heels poking on the dressing style of the ‘modern girl’. To an utter despair, do girls of less than 15 and 10 years of age have to mind their dresses too? “This is high time to become alert to check out for those scorpions because these days you cannot even trust your uncle too”, says Content Strategist, Nazneen Sultana.
Reportedly, the rape cases have increased to 1330 in 2013 as opposed to 706 in 2012 and 10% of the rapists are strangers. Molestation has gone up to 2844 from 727 in 2013. If you don’t think these as numbers, then let’s come forward and nail it hard. Smarika Khari, PR Manager says, “This is the most heinous crime in the world. Why these beasts in the society don’t think that we also have the right to live? There should be strict law against them so that nobody will dare to do such things and we can come outside and breath freely.”
It’s all about the attitude that needs to be changed. Considering women as the gem of our society, Arti Gairola, Social Media Expert says, “They say that rape cases usually happen due to girls trolling late night and wearing short dresses. After the16th December rape, we have noticed that less than 15years of girls are being kidnapped and raped brutally. Does the same statement of dressing sense fit here too? The main reason is cheap mentality that allows the criminal to act more without any fear. No woman is safe in the country.”
By: Arti Gairola
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