Women's Day....

Women's Day....

I breezed out of my home today morning like a cool cat. My son and husband smiling at me affectionately making my demeanour calm and composed,. The positive energies endowed by their warm support make me the person I am. That I am a woman becomes secondary. My recognition as an  individual, respecting me for being what I am, accepting my long hours at work, my trying days, mood swings, insecurities and enabling me despite all my flaws so that I feel sufficiently empowered to do my work is a blessing.
Yes, I work for the empowerment of women in rural areas but would that have been possible if I was not truly empowered???
And so even as I stand tall today, my head bows in gratitude to my parents- amma and appa, my family , my friends, all the men and women in my life without whom this could not have been possible.
Gone are the days of radical feminist intellectualism or gross gender inequality which existed. Society has to a large extent transformed itself to accept women as equals in all arenas of life . While cobwebs may still exist as also people who obliterate the true essence of this liberation by being mental slaves to women remaining in servitude, much water has flown over the bridge. Women as harbingers of change is not a myth any more. Whether in their hearth and homes, the corporate world or in all fields of life, women's contribution to society is recognised and acknowledged.
Of course greater milestones may still be there to achieve as also removal of the gender bias in some forums. But by and large one can daresay that equality has come to stay.
And why not with several forums working for that cause. With society learning to value the worth of a girl-child thanks to all the efforts made by our reformers, administrators, government and NGOs,   the days of gross discrimination are certainly a thing of the past.
MSRLM is one such organisation which works for the empowerment of women through community based organisations. The self help groups it forms are to promote social, financial and economic inclusion leading to sustainable livelihoods. Whether enhacing productivity, providing alternative livelihoods or skillimg youth,  the ultimate aim is economic prosperity of the woman so that she finds her true place in society.
MSRLM has over 3.8 lakh SHGs and 40 lakh households in its fold. It essentially works to promote the overall development of the woman, her family and society through 'Dashsutra". These include social aspects of health, sanitation, education apart from inculcating habits of saving, lending, repaying and writing books of accounts. The consistent efforts made for the capacity building of the women has ensured increasing their overall awareness in general and given them the strength to speak on all forums, specifically in the gram sabhas or panchayati raj institutions in particular. That women can speak out their minds and unflinchingly ask for electricity, water, roads or prohibition speaks highly of their growth. This, perhaps is the most satisfying aspect of our journey.
In a patriarchal society and a man's world being born into a good family has been my good fortune. Our family has enabled me to be an achiever in my own right without the discrimination of being a woman. However millions of women in society at large are still victims of physical abuse, domestic violence, sexual deviousness and covert or overt exploitation.
Women's day can be an occasion to highlight such social problems and work towards their eradication from society. It is only when each woman feels secure 24 x 7, when her work as a home maker is recognised, when her looks are not means to market goods at large, when voyeuristic men stop to look at her as an object of  pleasure, when her rights of land and heirship are transcribed on paper, when her voice as an individual is heard on all forums without ridicule, when lip service on one day and back biting women in power on rest of the days cease, when a women's worth as an individual is recognised despite her feminity, only then would we reach the utopian state of gender equality. Everyday and not just a single day would then be a day for every woman.