Every sensible and thoughtful man or woman in this world will agree with me to the fact that to each of them, their mum is their world. Most of us would even agree to the fact that their mothers have been the driving force and pillars of their lives. Women as we see it now in this present world play a very diverse and colorful role. They have even reached positions which men have not able to reach.
When we look around us we can see that our present day women are in a much better position than their predecessors during the old times. Women in the past were considered stereotypes. They were supposed to stick to their traditional roles only. They were supposed to stick to raising the kids and looking after the family. They were discriminated and prejudiced. They were not considered as equals to men and had to face various oppressions in this male dominated world. The few who broke out of restrictions in past few years were faced with discrimination and harassment at work place and in the public.
Women have individually and collectively struggled to bring about changes to their pathetic situation which they were in. Now women have the right to study, work at places of their choice etc. The situation of women have improved in various spheres of life like health, legal reforms, education, job opportunities etc. In developing countries, women are even responsible for up to 80% of food production. Women have broken the chains of unwanted restrictions and emerged victorious in their struggle for equality and right of choice to do what the wish to do. A women's role has changed tremendously and is making its greatest impact in our society today. Women are standing tall and are playing a major role in many important areas such as Politics, Professional Training Jobs, Medicine, Business and Law. They are creating their own spaces in various roles in the society and economy.
In India itself women are now holding prominent posts in various fields.Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, India's richest woman, is Chairman and Managing Director, Biocon Ltd, a biotechnology company that makes enzymes. Naina Lal Kidwai is the Chief executive officer of the HSBC Bank in India, Kidwai is the first Indian woman to graduate from the revered Harvard Business School. She is also the first woman to head the operations of a foreign bank in India. Sulajja Firodia Motwani is the joint managing director of Kinetic Engineering Ltd and managing director of Kinetic Finance. She has played a pivotal part in transforming the Kinetic Group from a niche moped manufacturer into a maker of a full range of two-wheelers.
Even after women seeing so much development, in many parts of the world, women still struggle for recognition of their value to the economy, and for equal pay. There have been reports of honor killings still taking place in various parts of the world and even in as close as North India. Most of these victims are women. Lately even in Dakshina Kannada women were harassed in the name of moral policing. Every girl's freedom level varies, not necessarily from place to place. As a girl grows into a woman her husband is in charge of her freedom. The status of each woman is even now in the hands of the men in her life who decide her level of freedom. Even after proving their worth to the world, women are still finding it difficult to break away from the restrictions in their life.
As we celebrate women's day on March 8th we acknowledge that we still have a long way to go to achieve full emancipation of women from the hardships they have experienced because of their race, gender and social class. It is the day for reaffirming our commitment to the work towards the liberation of women. Once a family friend, a reputed Doctor told me "Women of today is not a showpiece or a puppet. She is empowered to lead, motivated to rise high and understands enough to care". So it is fitting that women's contribution to development should be acknowledged and their potential to drive change should be recognized. Let us give them the respect and privilege they really deserve.
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