What women want

Avanti Sopory
The latest UPSC results have once again proved the supremacy of women intelligence. Holding four positions out of top five ranks in the recently declared results is only a story of grit and intelligence. Soon after, all newspapers and news channels were flashing this news interviewing these administrative officers in making and their respective families.
It was a moment of celebration for India too, since it reflected women equality and progression. But alas! How short lived are happy moments. Soon we also had the news of Ms Smita Sabharwal, all India fourth ranker from 2001 batch, who became a victim of “yellow journalism” by none other than the established “Outlook” media house. It is a pity to comment and create news sensation out of the attire of an efficient IAS officer, who has done exceptional welfare work in the last 14 years.  Sadly so, even world leader Hillary R Clinton is also talked more by the media for the power dresses that she wears rather than the power speeches she gives at international forums.
The list of well read, accomplished and dignified Indian women who are at places of repute is very long. But the question is have they reached there easily, without anyone digging at them personally? Didn’t they all have to face some sort of discrimination or harassment while achieving the professional feats? The answer is a resounding no.
To know why the answer is a no, let’s understand the factors involved.
Stage 1 – when the girl of the house looks out for professional options and is clear in her mind on what to pursue. She takes the exam/interview and qualifies the recruitment process. She is given a certain role and responsibility and thus embarks on her professional journey.
Stage 2 – however parents think that their daughter is not still settled in “real terms” and hence start looking around of a suitable match. Marriage solemnizes and finally according to them their daughter is settled. But undesirably more often than not, the real unsettlement period starts now.
Stage 3 – this is where the real struggle begins for the young girl. She gets sloshed between her personal and professional commitments and the stress levels reach to the zenith. Her family needs as much of attention as much the power point presentations at work. Life turns out to be no less than a zombie, struggling to catch and fix everything that comes her way – quite like the conveyor belt (dare she misses catching any part on the belt).
Stage 4 – pressing responsibilities on both home and work front, push her to seriously contemplate quitting her job or take the back seat in the professional workspace. This meant that she will give way to her peers and juniors to move up the hierarchy ladder much before her. And if she is lucky enough, she may get the most understanding family, who would support her by all possible ways and push her to achieve her professional feats.
Stage 5 – then there is this long period of unemployment often referred to as “a sabbatical”, where ex-working women are now “at home wives, mothers or daughter-in-laws.”
Stage 6 – this is when some of the ex-working women try to re-invent themselves to get back to professional work, albeit it comes after much contemplation. To enhance skill and her chances of getting job, she may take a new course or learn some proficiency or even try her luck with previous employer/company. Alpha women may well be aware that some of her ex-colleagues or junior could be her bosses or peers now.
This well explains what goes behind the making of those working women we see around us.
Any orthodox Indian family might think this to be a natural progression for a woman. Their thought may be right because that’s how women have been type casted over so many centuries. Getting married at a young age and then attending to household chores and children was the primary job of majority of the women in India. This was understandable for time, when women never thought or fought for their own identity.  But living with this mindset in today’s times, feels like being caged. Looks like undergoing the experience of living in one of the Arab nations, where women are deprived of many basic essentials.
Fortunately in India, we are still far more progressive when it comes to women inclusion in policy matters and corporate presence than many Arab counterparts. However it will still take another 100 years to make women participate in full strength.
Looking at the stages three and four, one wonders to think, what if it was the man of the house who was constantly fighting and making choices between office responsibilities and household issues. Would he also struggle with the uncertainty of the maid, milk delivery, relatives coming or what to cook for dinner? Would he also think about quitting his job or take the alternate path to a mediocre career. Of course he will not because he is the “man of the house”. It would be a matter of disgrace for him. Then why does a woman’s career take all the drubbing?
Women in India may go through the above stages, but one element that is the unfortunate reality is harassment and discrimination.
-If a woman at workplace is more capable than her men colleagues, she is unintentionally bruising the ego of the man.
-If a woman at workplace is attractive, she may be linked and numerous passes would be made at her.
-If it’s a single woman, lecherous men may try to take advantage.
If a serious looking and well-meaning IAS officer can be commented upon her clothes, then imagine what will be the state of affairs of lakhs of women who may not be at such senior position of authority. Not all of these regular working women in India who may have faced discrimination on gender basis or any sort of harassment at work can file a case against the accused.
For any man-colleague, they need to accept their women colleagues as human beings first and then as woman. Women don’t need any sort of pity or special reservations. They just need equity of basic human rights of respect and dignity. And they cannot be disregarded for a long time is evident from the amendments companies are making.
In order to woo their lady employees, leading e-commerce website Flipkart has extended maternity leave of 24 weeks plus four months of flexi-working hours with full pay, and, if required a one-year career break without pay. Another giant Genpact has just launched Career 2.0, which gives women on break a chance to come back to work, with the advantages of flexi-hours and work from home. Philips is also looking at ways and means to allure women who wish to get back to work after a break.
Tata’s and many other software firms were pioneers in creating women friendly policies, but there is still a long way to go before piquant men start talking about the commendable jobs of his lady colleague than her attire.

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