Sheikh Nosheen
Woman is a mirror of society and a true reflection of a developed nation. If we have to understand the concept of most civilized and developed nation in the world, obviously, one should try to learn the concept of women-empowerment and development.
The change in demography, climate, fashion and economic development is only a trend, but still woman is standing very far away from it. India is a nation known for its national integration and communal harmony, but somehow it lacks its acute implementation among the minds of people. Travelling to the platform of, 21st century, where world is gearing for 50-5o slogan, man is equal to women (MEN=WOMEN) in all spheres, but frankly speaking woman is still travelling through dark passage of time.
Rape, Molestation, Domestic-violence and eve-teasing are the permanent diseases present in our society, dominated by male phenomena. Every day, we go through newspapers or online media, somewhere a daughter or a woman is being victimised by the customs present in our male-dominated society.
In Jammu and Kashmir State, 4051, cases have been registered only about domestic violence and still we are celebrating International Woman’s Day. It is by luck or chance, our state is being headed by Woman chief Minister, but still a woman has to face so many troubles in society, because woman has been taken forgranted part by this society. We have state women commission, in Jammu and Kashmir State, but the sorry state is that still most of our villages couldn’t access the information by this commission. A woman is still living in a threat of civil action, to approach a police-station for writing or registering a complaint, as most women are not tech-savvy.
The so called Swachh-Bharat-Mission, is wandering for its proper implementation, women in villages have to wait for night-hours, to answer the nature’s call. Girls in huge numbers are unaware about the cycles taking place in their health system. It is only Government, which has to come forward for creating a general awareness for women empowerment and livelihood and put an end to the dark picture of a woman.
If woman would be projected for development and a respect tag would be implemented for womanhood, state will do majestic development in all its spheres. In Election manifesto, it should be vested clearly, about the development of woman sector. The states Government have to come up with Women-Responsive Task force, to redress the issues related to eve-teasing, molestation, and cyber crime against woman.
Moreover, my survey has projected that a woman has to suffer most, if she loses her husband or son. She has to go through the trauma. No one, except her can understand the pain. I travelled across the villages of Jammu and Kashmir State through a project on women-empowerment. At every juncture, what I find pain, agony, domestic-violence and pressure of house-hold. Woman has to travel kilometres to fetch the water for drinking and eating purpose. Mostly women are ignorant about their health-care and its related issues.
No doubt, we have women in top government posts and corporate lobbies but the fate of a woman is still travelling in a river, under dark shadow. The state policies have to draft and implement for proper empowerment of woman in our society. It is the duty of men to support woman causes in every village and change their thinking against woman. The gender violence should be stopped now. As Parliament passed the maternity bill for the support of woman and a baby, Government should come up with the measures for the support of woman living in rural villages of India, especially in Jammu And Kashmir State. Woman has to rise and come over from the dark corridor towards the road of Respect, empowerment and Dignity. If this goal is achieved, then no one stops this woman from the goal of Social-empowerment and Development.
I have witness social-injustice from my childhood, I lost all my near and dear ones and My-story teller Grandmother, is in my mind and heart. The pain I am travelling through is all because of being a woman.
The writer is Woman-Executive Coordinator TO CEEOIndia, and running women-empowerment centres across rural villages of Jammu and Kashmir State and is currently enrolled with Department of Human-Behaviour Harvard Extension School.
From the print edition of 22-28 march 2017.
