Where do we stand on International Women's day ?

• by Swikrita Dowrah

International women’s day celebrated on the 8th of March is an occasion where we reflect on the successes and failures of the women’s’ empowerment movement. Its an occasion where each one of us acknowledge the existence of women with respect and look back at their achievements and the problems they faced while trying to succeed.

Every year, the United Nations comes up with a theme to mark this occasion and to set the objective for women development rolling. This year too there is no exception, with the united nation theme--- “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for all.”

This theme has the greatest significance in a country like India where equal rights and opportunities, though, guaranteed by the constitution is almost a myth, especially as far as gender is concerned. And, this year, the women’s day will bear testimony to that with the government of India decided on passing the much debated women’s reservation bill on the occasion of this day.

This bill was supposed to have been implemented years back in 1996.It was one of the most contentious pieces of legislation to be considered by the parliament, seeking 33% reservation in Lok Sabha and the state assembly. This bill has been hanging for over 14years now for want of political consensus and since the very first attempt to introduce it by the then HD Deve Gowda led United Front government, the bill has faced violent oppositions with papers being snatched away from the hands of the then law minister, Ram Jethmalani in 1999.Even in 2008,when the law minister HR Bhardwaj introduced the bill in Rajya Sabha, he used to be closely “guarded “by congress Ministers. Today the government has ultimately decided on the bill being passed on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, but not without opposition. Parties like Samajwadi party, RJD are reluctant to let it through and are seeking a quota within quota for women from backward classes. With such a vicious debate surrounding the implementation of 33% reservation let alone 50%, shows how seriously the country has to achieve the UN’s objective of equal rights and opportunities.

The problem doesn’t simply end here. For in a country like India which is taking giant leaps in economic and developmental sectors, there remains a darker side where rape, dowry, female infanticide are on a rise. There are innumerable instances in India’s long history where women have struggled hard to achieve things despite many forces being against her. Now the question is where does the celebration lie? There are more girls going to school and more girls topping the board exams despite efforts to kill them before they are born. Do we rejoice at the fact that ruling parties are contemplating on giving women a chance to sit in the parliament after facing opposition for 14 years now? Shall we celebrate the fact the women’s hockey team won the Asia cup despite no support, no sponsorship and miserable living conditions than their male counterparts? That women entrepreneurs and managers are making their mark in the world even if the recognition comes by way of a separate women’s award? These are issues we can celebrate on this women’s day.

On the other hand, although we celebrate, there is a need to pause and reflect, why the number of women as compared to men continues to decline in India? Moreover, despite changes in rape laws, the convictions for rape are few and far in between while incidence of violence and crime continues to grow. No doubt, India has the largest number of professionally qualified women. However, everyday we get reports of parents continue to sell their daughters ‘to marriage’, often miserably unhappy by paying unaffordable amounts of dowry. At the same time, we can look back and wonder why despite the progress in science and technology, millions of Indian women continue to die during childbirth.

This international women’s day, the 100th anniversary is an occasion where the true strength of Indian democracy will be shown when the women’s reservation bill gets tabled. For, in a country like India, where every 8th march, the achievements of women is highlighted, the opposition they face should also be addressed. This women reservation bill seems to be giant step towards that end. Till then, India must try to work together to make the United Nations central theme---“Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for all.” a reality!