By Kritika Bhambhry
For Azad India Foundation
“A gender-equal society would be one where the word gender does not exist: where everyone can be themselves” Gloria Steinem
Women have been chasing the dream of equality for centuries. One of the earliest recorded strikes by women for equality dates back to 1828. The most recent one which forced people to take notice was done by Mexican women taking to the streets on International Women’s Day. According to a report by the Women Economic Forum, gender parity is still 99.5 years away at the current pace.
Men have always dominated the world in which we live. Even in art and literature, the patriarchal mentality can easily be seen across the centuries.
A couplet by Tulsidas, a renowned poet, is one such example, who defined the status of women in one of his writings as, “Dhol, Ganwar, Shudra aur naari, sakal taadan ke adhikaari,” meaning that drums, illiterates, untouchables, and women deserve to be beaten. This mentality was not limited to the subcontinent of India but was widespread across the globe. Napoleon Bonaparte, a French statesman and leader of the military, once said, “Nature intended women to be our slaves. They are our property”.
Men’s superiority over women has been so instilled in our society that the birth of a boy is celebrated, whereas a woman is considered a liability. People have chosen to have sons over daughters since ages because they think that men have a lot more physical power and that they will stay in the family, and continue the name of the family, even after marriage. The tradition of dowry benefits men as well.
In forms that are hardly discrete, the unwantedness of daughters is communicated. In terms of marriage and motherhood, the principle of life-long dependency and vulnerability are articulated as the sole goals of a woman’s life.
The transient existence of one’s native home and the fear of going to and adapting to an unknown family are part of the learning during childhood itself that a girl cannot avoid.
The expression of deeply ingrained values, such as the “impurity” of menstruation, makes girls internalize their lower ritual status under patriarchy. The transmission of culturally sanctioned attitudes is the mechanism of gender that directs girls to become women who are socially acceptable.
A woman has always been seen by society as a homemaker. She has to cook and look after children and take care of the family. Since childhood, she has been told that the needs of her family outweigh her own needs.
The access to and experience of education of a woman is obstructed by a patriarchal structure that gives preference to men over women. Although more women are enrolled in higher education institutions and are typically more successful than men in completing 10th board examinations, 84 percent of girls are prevented from completing their degrees. Patriarchal systems either compel them to marry early or discourage them from having formal jobs.
According to a research, parents are more inclined towards sending their sons to private schools, especially the ones that teach in English and their daughters to Public schools, which led to a shutdown of various schools because enrolment rate was quite low.
As far as schooling environment is concerned, researchers found the existence of a dangerous and pervasive pattern of sexual harassment, impunity and discrediting of girl students.
Another reason why girl’s access to schools is curtailed is due to patriarchal beliefs that girls and women must be the ones doing household labour. Such labour is not considered and measured as labour, even though it shares the characteristics of formal employment.
A young girl named Sapna, just like her name, had hundreds of dreams in her eyes about growing up, working in the corporate sector and to be one of those women she admires and sees every day, coming back from their office in their formal clothing.
However, these dreams of Sapna remained dreams only, as she was forced to drop out of her school upon completing her 10th standard. Sapna comes from a poor family that barely makes ends meet.
Sapna’s father is a driver, her mother works two jobs, one as a car washer and the other as a domestic helper.
She also has a younger brother who is currently studying in 8th standard. Sapna was asked to stop continuing her studies as her parents needed a helping hand. Sapna’s parents go to their jobs every day, whereas Sapna is responsible for all the daily household chores, from cleaning the house to cooking all the meals, as well as looking after her younger brother.
Her father believes that the money they make and save would be better utilized if spent on her brother’s education as he is the future of the family. If he grows up to be educated and successful, he will look after his parents whereas Sapna will get married and go to a different house.
According to him, spending on his son’s education is like an investment, with probable returns but spending on Sapna’s education is like an investment with no return. He believes that the money he has been saving for Sapna will be needed for her wedding. Her education won’t pay for her wedding, but his savings will.
Sapna is not the only girl with shattered dreams, so many more girls like Sapna get their dreams severed at the hands of Patriarchy.
While gender differences have been substantially reduced, problems remain in the quality of girls’ education. But, we still need to ensure an atmosphere free of racism, sexism and stereotyping of children on the basis of gender, caste, community, disability or parental occupation.
A country or culture cannot achieve progress without the participation of women. If gender discrimination is abolished, women will have all the capacity, abilities, and expertise to improve the family, the nation, and the world as a whole.
Education develops abilities, imparts intelligence, modifies behaviours and increases self-confidence. It creates opportunities for employment and raises earnings.
Therefore, the primary element in fighting gender inequality and the upliftment of women is education for women. Economic independence would free women from the status of ‘slavery’ and increase confidence in themselves. Women’s economic empowerment also leads to national economic growth.
The featured image is for representational purposes