Women and empowerment do not exactly go hand in hand, at least not in India. A woman who dares to dream and is competent enough to achieve her goal is often looked upon with a mixture of admiration and skepticism. She is revered as the modern woman, the woman of today. She carries an aura of self assurance and confidence that is almost addictive, and most often, is admired unequivocally by friends and family. She is the fancy of every young girl and the source of inspiration to all women around! If she also manages to maintain the right balance between her household chores and her profession, she becomes the ultimate Diva!
While the society never fails to admire such women, it seldom recognizes the other section, the section of women who chose to stay in, so that their families can enjoy a hassle-free life. Without being judgmental on this count, let us try to envision the thought process that goes behind a woman’s choice to give up personal aspirations, with the sole intent to fulfill her other duties fastidiously.
Some might argue here that such a thought process might have more to do with idiosyncrasy than a logical requirement. But, I must say, in that case, we should learn to respect this idiosyncrasy which calls for such huge sacrifice and courage.
Experience tells us that it is always easier to tread on the treaded path; you take a diversion and countless questions will be hurled at you. Likewise, for the modern woman! A full fledged career outside the confines of her home is the accepted reality. The modern woman decides to sit back at home and take care of her family, and eyebrows are sure to be raised! While the majority might simply discard her as someone with questionable abilities, some might even link her decision to being bowed down by family pressure. Very few, if at all, would stand apart and applaud her for her own decision to live solely for her family and that is where we go tremendously wrong.
Let us accept the fact that it requires tremendous guts, self assurance and selflessness to say no to a career where accomplishments are tangible and instead, take up a 24/7 job with no set benchmarks to measure and appraise performance.
I am sure both categories of women deserve kudos for their own accomplishments; the modern woman who supports a career as well as home and equally, if not more, the modern woman who decides to stay out of the rat race and make her home her only work arena.
By Shyamalima
Monday, September 29, 2008
Women Empowerment
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4 comments:
well, as per me, the ideology of women empowerment is vague, in the sense that women are empowered! I might have a different vision of women empowerment than what you have. But just to give u some facts: about 60% of food gathering is done by women. and I would like to give reference to North-east women (mainly Bodo women): - You will find Traffic police women; women shop-keepers; and women entrepreneurs.
There is no difference between the sexes in North east (mainly the tribal belt) since for survival; both men and women are important. and as the ratio is almost equal, women are given equal rights (some tribes give them more). women are equal!! just we need to change the perception!
Women have always been applauded for home creators. The fact is women have been better em-powered then they were in the past.
Well, women have been underated in the past in the Asian countries, but in the rapidly changing 21st century, they have etched out their presence in every competitive field fighting all odds.
As a person who was born among successful women, the term "women empowerment" hardly matters to me. What I do know, non-working mothers played a major part in the lives my now highly successful friends. That alone tells me that they have passed their "women empowerment" test with flying colors.
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