Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
Be fair to FAIR SEX
|
Today is International Women's Day. Women need to discard the philosophy of self-denial and assert themselves.
|
Rajana Ramani
Women have proved time and again that given equal opportunities, they can equal, if not excel, men in almost all spheres of human activity. Today, they have stormed even what were previously considered as `male bastions'. Be it banking, business, bureaucracy, judiciary, politics, software, railways, airways and space... women have made their presence felt, and have often proved with their perseverance and hard work that they could no longer be written off as "Adam's rib".
Once upon a time, women were confined to their homes as it was considered a sin to interact with strangers who belong to the male sex. It was thought that primary education was enough for them. In course of time things changed and most parents, in urban areas and to a lesser extent in the villages, are educating their daughters on par with their sons.
B. Vijayalakshmi
The educated girls are taking up employment and continuing in their professions even after marriage. Their husbands are also happy and encourage them to work as it is difficult to manage a family on a single income in view of the high cost of living these days. However, women who are playing a dual role find it extremely difficult to manage the things at home and at work-spot, in the absence of support from their husbands.
"While job security gives economic independence to women, in a majority of the cases women are being over-burdened both at home and office and experiencing severe physical and mental stress. Most men think it is below their dignity to share the domestic chores with their spouses," says the Director of the Andhra University Centre for Women's Studies, B. Viajaylakshmi. She feels that the International Women's Day is an occasion to take stock of the problems confronting women and find out ways and means to alleviate their sufferings.
"Unless and until women discard the philosophy of self-denial and assert themselves, they would be made to play second fiddle to men in the male-dominated society," says the Mayor, Rajana Ramani.
Anuradha Reddy
"Fortunately the situation is improving with girl's education being given priority. The reservation being extended to women in education and jobs has also helped in securing their financial independence," she felt.
"The International Women's Day celebrations have contributed a lot to the development of women in the last two decades. The focus is now on women and everyone has realised that they require greater care and attention," says K. Ratnaprabha, Officer on Special Duty (industrial investment and promotion).
"There is a noticeable change in the attitude of parents even in rural areas towards their daughters. The education of girls is being given equal importance. Hitherto, parents used to think that only their sons would look after them in their old age and hence longed to have a male child but the situation is fast changing."
K. Rathnaprabha
A senior IAS officer, Ratnaprabha, had done a lot for the improving the conditions of women. She had formed DWCRA groups in Chikmaglur in Bijapur district of Karnataka through the Bidar Integrated Rural Development (B.I.R.D.) Society way back in 1983 and subsequently in Adilabad and Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh.
The members were advanced loans for setting up self-employment ventures like carpentry, bamboo, cane-chair-making and poultry farming.
"As the District Collector of Raichur and Bidar between 1990 and 1995, I worked for the improvement of literacy among women and achieved up to 80 per cent literacy in the target group (9 - 35). Women were given auto-rickshaws to enable them to earn their own livelihood," she says.
R. Sashiprabha
Says Ms. Ratnaprabha: "In those days, I wrote to the Government that lands should be allotted in the name of women. I had succeeded in getting house sites sanctioned in the joint names of man and wife, so that the former could not mortgage the property and raise money to indulge in vices like alcoholism."
Says the Director of Medical Education, R. Sashiprabha: "Women are respected in India and they are occupying good positions in society. The 33 per cent reservation in recruitment and promotions has contributed to their uplift. However, celebrating women's day is necessary to create greater awareness among women about their rights and duties."
"The present day woman is not a mere `angel of the house'. Women are able to take decisions on their own and contributing their mite to the uplift of society. In the march towards the 21st century, they should have a greater role to play," says the dietician, M. Anuradha Reddy.
Staying ahead in the race! Women have proved they are second to none provided they are given equal opportunities.---Photo: K.R. Deepak
"Women should try to release the `Shakti' in them to prevent male chauvinists from relegating them to a secondary role," she feels.
It is high time the fair sex is given a better deal.
B. MADHU GOPAL
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
|
