India is a nation known for its diverse culture, heritage, religion, tradition, ethnicity, civilisation and many more features from the ancient times. But, there is a male chauvinistic attitude in India. Gender inequality is one of the main social issues in India, as a result of which, women are being suppressed, in this male-dominated country. According to Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, there is a right to equality, but have we ever thought whether it is being followed or practised?
The truth is, there is discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, religion, sex, etc. Uplifting and empowering its women must be the utmost priority of the nation. But in this patriarchal society, women are bound by many social, cultural, and religious taboos. Although India is developing as a nation, in the real sense, it is going from dawn to dust. Common forms of violence against women in India include acts such as child marriage domestic abuse, sexual assault, and rape.
According to NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau), one woman is raped every 20 minutes in India. Every day, we hear news of rape, women being set on fire for dowry, harassment at workplace by colleagues, eve-teasing, cases of sexual assault by relatives and so on and so forth. I strongly recommend that everyone should watch the Bollywood movie Highway, which portrays sexual assault by a close family member. Even the web series Four More Shots Please deals with the same issue.
As we know, India is often titled ‘Bharat Mata‘, but do we pay heed to it? Here, women are judged on the basis of their clothes and are subjected to numerous social and cultural taboos in the name of beliefs. Rape is a very common occurrence in India. Despite there being various laws, execution and implementation remain a big issue. The likes of Unnao, Kathua, and Damini struggled for justice and how. So many cases are not even reported.
Women have been long suppressed when it comes to making decisions, attaining education, and working as professionals due to their ‘supposed’ inferiority to men. Who gave anybody the right to judge their potential? Women have relentlessly contributed to all sectors of the economy by reason of pure merit.
Stop the judgment, show empathy, and let them assert their independence and maintain their respect. Women build the pillars of our society and homes. Let their decisions be theirs, and stop imposing barriers on their lives.
Join me in this fight against patriarchy, will you?