What Can Women Do To Bring About Gender Equality!?

In India women have a prominent place in society. They are treated with respect and considered as equal partners of men. Most women are talented and they make the best use of their talents. There are poets, scholars and even warriors among women. Even during the time of Ramayana and Mahabharata there were women of wisdom, bravery and virtue.

But in the medieval period women were considered to be slaves of men and were deprived of respect and honour. They were expected to live within the four walls of the house, doing household chores and looking after their children. Education and other opportunities were just not meant for them.

Today the Scene has changed. The status and condition of women has improved. However, it cannot be emphatically said that women are at par with men in all spheres of life. Since ours is a male dominated society, women are forced to be dependent on men. Women work both inside and outside the house. They might augment the income of the family: but in most cases, their purse strings are controlled by their husbands. All major descision in the family are taken by the man without consulting the woman.

This situation should and must change. Women can play a part in bringing gender equality In our society. Woman can play role in gender sensitization, as a mother, as a wife, as a sister, as a daughter or as a teacher.

At home, as a mother she should give equal opportunity while bringing up the girl child and boy child. A girl child should be given those errands that are said to be the boy’s job. Errands such as going to shop, buying household items and dealing with money should also be given to girls. There should be nothing like ‘a boy’s job or girl’s job’. Just as girl learn to deal with matters relating to money, I boys should also be taught to cook, clean etc. This will be helpful to mothers and will help them [boys and girls] in the future.

Man and woman at the two wheels of steel carriage. The life of one Is not complete without the other. Neither man nor woman can be true to what they are if either of them leads an isolated life. Man and woman contribute equally to each other’s development.