There has been so much talk related to women empowerment, Gender Budgeting, Women Reservation and so on. But at the basis of all these discussions is Right to Freedom. Initially we have to understand whether our society is able to provide this fundamental right to women. And, if it is able to do so then of what degree?

To start with, we can observe the upholders of the dignity of society. These selected few have been the moral and social police for long. The object most frequently under their scanner have been women whom they mostly revere to as Goddess. Some of the most frequent terms associated to this creed have been Obscenity, Nudity, Trafficking, Dowry, Foeticide, Purdah, Prostitution etc., etc.

There are many laws associated to curb each of the problems. But may I ask all those upholders of high morals that, why always when we make laws we don’t give women a free hand to decide on making of laws. Most of the times, laws have been framed even without asking them or even considering them. It is also right that maybe many people think that even now women are not that much decisive. At some degree this is also right. But when have we trusted them so much so to let them decide anything freely. Even wearing a cloth a woman has to be submissive to the society.

I want to bring to light one recent incident which took place in south Delhi involving a girl from northeast. The so called culprit was a highly erudite person associated with IIT. In that Murder cum attempt to rape case everybody found the person from IIT as responsible. But according to me the chief conspirator in this case was society. Let us try to justify this viewpoint.

Going according to statistics, for every 1000 male there are 821 female in Delhi, our Capital. This figure is a small indicator of our lack of sensitivity towards fairer sex. I would also like to bring to your kind attention the recent cases involving innocent kids from Sarvodaya Vidyalaya which can atleast be considered as a better representative of our society. In these cases hoards of child molesters running amock defying all laws. What a great future our society is making! The immediate result was stampede and what the lasting impact it had on society can only be thought. Indian society in the name of culture has been making laws discouraging the freedom of women. These covert laws are not hurting the sentiments of women alone but are also the chief conspirators in making men lonely and a bit weak psychologically.

There have been many myths surrounding our culture and tradition. Let us try to bust some of them. First of all if obscenity is considered to be maligning our society then we Talibanese must first destroy the Bamiyan of Khajuraho, Konark, Ajanta caves and so on.

Secondly Lets take the example from the most revered scripture of all times i.e. Ramayana. Firstly in Ramayana Kaikeyi went with Dasrath in the war front and saved his life. Honestly we should ask to ourselves that how many of us support Women at workplace, Leave the warfront behind.

Another example from Ramayana is more enlightening. Sita, who is considered as divine Shakti, was kidnapped by Ravana the Grand-Old-Foe of Rama( From Swayamvar onwards), and was kept in seclusion in Ashokvatika in Lanka for 2 long years. Still Rama accepted her. How many among us will trust our better half even if she is with one of our friends even for 2 days. Here we have to show our much hyped tolerant Indian viewpoint. Some people will counter the above argument by asking that, why then was Sita asked to pass the test of Agnipariksha. Here as well I want to remind all my intelligent friends that it was not the test to justify the purity and sanctity of Sita. Because, purity and sanctity are the terms of such a high paradigm, that they can only be tested by oneself alone.

Coming back to our real issues; Our Policy makers have not been able to move a single step in the direction of Uniform Civil Code which is nowhere a religious issue but of basic human rights of women who have been denigrated by history and ignored by present. Another issue of Gender Budgeting is also important to be discussed here. Gender Responsive Budgeting even if started at top level cannot initiate better results if there is no ground work at base level. So, in this regard it is imperative to create sensitivity without any covertness in society.

Another burning issue, except female foeticide, dowry and infanticide, is prostitution. In recent Supreme Court judgement, it was said that if you cannot curb prostitution, legalise it. In response to this some of our legal experts countered it by saying that we have not been able to curb corruption as well so shall we not legalise it.

So first of all, I would like to put in place the difference both these phenomena hold. Corruption is an integral part of system which shows inherent inefficiency on part of individual or group. This inefficiency cannot be compared with prostitution which is a profession. As long as legality of issue of prostitution stands, I want to ask to all legal experts that how many among them are expert in the field of medical sciences. How many know the side effects of the contraceptive pills, abortion, operation multiple pregnancy, morning after pills and miscarriage has on the health and fertility of a woman. Do they have any plan to help prostitutes to have a better source of livelihood? It should be mentioned here that many of the socio-economic evil like rape, molestation, foeticide, infanticide, dowry and related killings are direct consequences of the covertness towards understanding shown by the society towards sexual behaviours. Please before making any law keep all these pre-conditions in mind which will result in a better law as well as condition of women.

Now coming to my last issue on empowering women. As we all know that most of the women in India are housewives. So when we talk of gender budgeting, why shall we not compensate each homemaker by atleast providing them with the half of the salary earned by their husbands as remuneration? This will look a bit awkward that the salary earned by a person is given away to the other. But it will act as an incentive for both and at the same time augment the performance of men at workplace. It is going to be a difficult task but this is the least we can do for the role played by women for development of society. We can start this initiative in organised sector first and rest will follow.

Many will counter this argument by saying that it will bring rift in the family. But I want to mention here that those people who can understand the importance of women will never feel so. But the people who have always been active in putting a check on women’s growth will definitely feel cheated.

If our lawmakers are very active in moral policing then why don’t they start to do constructive work in a conservativo-liberalo-transient society.

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