Mehak Grover
‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights’- Eleanor Roosevelt
Gender equality is an important part of human rights. What is equality on a larger scale? It is the state of being equal based on status, rights as well as opportunities. Gender equality will be achieved only when women and men enjoy the same opportunities, rights and obligations in all spheres of life.
Is it a lot to ask for? We still have to fight in the 21st century, to have equal opportunities. No country in the world can yet say they have achieved gender equality. How miserable the situation can be? Imagine!
In the words of Nelson Mandela, “Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all kinds of oppression.”
We have gender-neutral laws where a male and a female are entitled to the same pay for the same work. But are we working towards the same? Dignity is a woman’s jewel. Every woman has the right to live in dignity without the fear of violence or discrimination. Criminal law does provide laws for the safety of women. But how genuinely are we using those laws? After an assault on a woman or rape, it takes years to pass a judgement and the judgement can be heartbreaking. As we saw in the case of Bilkis Bano, she was gang raped in 2002. Her entire family was murdered and buried in a mass grave. The eleven convicts were ordered to life imprisonment. While recently, to everyone’s shock, the Gujarat Government released all eleven monsters. What world are we living in? What equality do we ask for? We are living in a world where we can’t be even sure of our safety.
As Hillary Clinton rightly said, “Women’s rights are Human Rights and Human Rights are Women’s Rights.” The world can never progress unless we stand for equality.
There is slightly more population of women in the world than men, nearly 52% of women in the world. But, most positions of power and prestige are occupied by men. In a literal sense, men have been ruling the world for thousands of years and sadly, even today. We have evolved but our ideas of gender equality are still lingering on the typical old trash. This must be showing annoyance but, we should be in a rage- a rage to be treated with respect.
Even in the 21st century, we still dream of an equal brighter world. Gender equality does matter. A fairer world does matter. We need to raise our daughters differently. And more importantly, we need to raise our sons differently. We have raised our sons to be so hard that their egos have become very fragile. And we teach girls to satisfy this fragile ego. We teach girls to educate themselves only to cater to the demands of men. If a man’s success is never a threat to a woman, then how can a woman’s success be a menace to a man?
Isn’t it strange how people distinguish between genders and their role plays? Well, do you see birds flying freely? Still, some of us catch them and make them ‘the caged birds.’ We make them physically disabled even when they have their wings. When we do this, even their mental capabilities are ruined. Why do we distinguish between boys and girls? Why do we try to shatter the dreams of young girls? They can and are breaking every glass ceiling. Why do we want to lock them in a cage of dust?
“Golden cage looks mesmerising. Reality?
Ask the bird!”
We need to get up and realise ‘ I am proud to be Me’. If not now, when?
I am who I am
‘Undefined’
I love who I am
‘Unfiltered’
I cherish who I am
‘Unimaginable’
Follow our WhatsApp channel