Vission
The change
The advancement in the human civilization and growth of scientific knowledge and technological skills have now changed much of the reasons and circumstances that women had to compromise and surrender their rights in the hands of the men folk. Many societies recognized these evils and felt the need to be fair with this gender. Some even rightly gave them the status of goddess—worthy of veneration. They started valuing the “mothers” of humanity and made them worthy of worship, protection and a rightful place in the society.
Slow Progress
The ancient mindset of the male folk continues to discriminate females in many societies and the progress in the matters of gender equality is very slow.The women education is transforming the scenario at many places. The contraception technology is synergizing the process of women emancipation and empowerment a lot. The sex education and adoption of contraception technologies will go a long way in loosening many a social restrictions on the young women. They are gradually becoming masters of their own bodies. The legal and institutional supports in matters of equality in health, education, access to jobs and care during pregnancy and infant care etc., are getting quite helpful in correcting the gender discrimination. Many societies have granted reasonable rights to women folk from where they are beginning to get empowered. The birth-control regime is proving a boon in this regard.
The social mindset:
The mindset of the males, however, is yet far from the acceptable level in matters of management of social, cultural, religious and economic affairs of the society so as to give real feel of universal gender equality. Our tribal hangover continues to be strong, particularly in the socio-economically backward societies. The hard wired psyche of the men (and women too) for centuries may take some time to reconcile with the changing needs, aspirations and potentials of a civilized mankind.
The Need:
The crash programmes are needed in matters of women education. The institutional support in matters of employment, maternity care, infant services, exclusive right of woman in matters of conceiving and retaining the fetus, legal protection against domestic violence, just and easy divorce procedures, right to property equal to male child, enforcement of legal right to life, limb and liberty, exemplary punishment to the molesters, rapists and others denying the girls their natural, social and cultural rights etc., are urgently needed. The sex education, birth control technologies, demographic regulation, natural resource management and developmental courses must form part of the curricula at different levels in schools and colleges. A more liberal attitude is needed in this respect. The young couples must also show a sense of accommodation to the wishes and sensitivities of the parents and the society. A persuasive revolt may be acceptable when the ‘couple’ is financially independent and self –reliant. The financially dependent children must not venture revolt and show plenty of courage and patience till they become self-reliant.
The social indoctrination:
The change in the mindset hard-wired against women is going to take time. Even the women themselves had started believing in the “correctness” of many forms of restrictions on them. The childhood social indoctrination made them think many evils as socially justified. The affected gender is seen even actively participating in continuation of this inequality related social behavior. Coupling discriminations with religious dictats further complicated the matters and, therefore, any reform is resisted by society—by both male and female members alike.
Girl education, leadership and change in the social mindset:
The girl education holds the key to the empowerment and emancipation of womenfolk. Fortunately, the human civilization has reached a point when such discriminations are being gradually recognized as impediment to further social advancement. Many societies are taking actions to remove gender discrimination through different legal and social ways. If the causes that led to such situation are properly understood, the effective measures are not difficult to be implemented that can address the problem expediciously.The educated women have to take the leadership for themselves and must raise their voice against the injustices done on their gender. The change in their mindset will promote change in the mindset of the society as a whole. Mother is the first and most effective teacher of a child. And, “child is father of man”