By Robancy A Helen
Madurai, March 7, 2024: In India, women have achieved so much over the years, but how it is exercised does matter. At times, only the richest women, born with silver spoons—women belonging to the so-called dominant caste—are entitled to certain privileges.
There is no equality among women as they are of different socioeconomic and political backgrounds, creating lots of disparity among women at large—in terms of opportunities and access to education, employment, rights, human dignity, freedom, safe spaces to live and work, their security, dreams, aspirations, talents or passions to pursue, and so on.
Do all women in India have equal space to talk about varied issues that matter to them or concerns that are close to their hearts, lives, and futures? Though women are discriminated against because of gender inequality, the first lady of the country cannot enter the temple, but the female finance minister can.
According to the Human Rights Commission Report, three Dalit women are raped a day; this does not hit the headlines, but a woman from a so-called minority group can accuse anybody of sexual abuse.
The mainstream and social media will run behind to cover the news because hegemony, patriarchy, male chauvinism, stereotyping of females vis-à-vis males on cultural notions, societal norms, and social and economic political economy dominate the policy, practice, and precepts of the powerful and privileged people in society.
Additionally, this social, economic, and cultural disparity in the country makes it impossible to establish equality. A crime is a crime, whoever does it in front of the law.
Violence against any woman must not be tolerated. But here, it is sad and unjust that the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable women are deprived of their constitutional rights and their inalienable dignity and freedom to live in a society.
Since the first lady belonged to the tribal community, she was denied temple entry and uninvited for the inauguration of the new parliament; instead, actresses of the so-called dominant caste were given a red-carpet welcome.
How can a secular nation be established to emancipate women if equality is not practiced?
It is like a mother treating her children unequally. The sad reality is that no woman is safe in India, but justice can be delayed or denied to socially and economically weaker women because they are disadvantaged in more than one way, and shattering those unfettered shackles of life is not easy for lack of political will, empowerment, and opportunities.
To drive the point home, let’s take the case of Anita, a medical aspirant, who sought justice against the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET), but the law of the country failed her to death. When Dalit women were raped and killed and women’s movements fought in the capital, they were denied justice. When two women in Manipur paraded naked, the lawmakers remained silent.
Another case is when Asifa, an eight-year-old Muslim girl, was raped and killed in the temple sanctuary. The law did not punish the perpetrators.
Further, when Bilkis Banu, a pregnant woman, was raped, tortured, and her family members were killed in the Gujarat riot in 2002, the criminals were garlanded and brought out of jail.
Is the law of the land equal for all women?
We celebrate Women’s Day this year with the theme “Inspire Inclusion.” Sometimes, it looks more absurd than anything else. However, it is better to be optimistic than otherwise. There are always glimmers of hope amid the absurdity. Hence, we should not give in to despair but rather aspire for a better world here and now, especially for women.
Will all women, including the Dalit, tribal, fisherwomen, manual scavengers, and sweepers, be treated equally, or will only the so-called elite women, the so-called dominant caste, or the mothers, wives, and daughters of the rich, educated, powerful, influential, privileged, and powerful people be allowed to experience this freedom?
There are millions of women in India who are deprived of sanitary napkins. Will this inspire inclusion to remove 12 percent of the Goods and Services Tax (GST)?
Dalit Christian women and Muslim women are unprotected under the Prevention of Atrocities Act of 1989 because of their religious beliefs. Will they be entitled to enjoy Inspire Inclusion?
Will the washerwomen, the so-called unseeable, be able to have space in the larger society to experience Inspire Inclusion?
Will the women of Sivakasi firework factories be allowed to have dignified jobs to inspire inclusion?
Will transgender women and sex workers be able to come out of slavery to inspire inclusion?
The rape survivors and acid attacks: are they able to walk freely without shame to inspire inclusion?
Will the taboo of menstruation break the stereotypes and allow us to enjoy the freedom of inclusion? Will eve-teasing and stalking in public transport and spaces be stopped to inspire inclusion?
Will women be able to walk on roads after six years to inspire inclusion? Will women be given equal opportunities, equal wages, and treatment to inspire inclusion?
Will women be accepted at the decision-making levels in all religions to inspire inclusion? Will women share the stage with men in all religious and political gatherings to inspire inclusion?
Will women have the space to chair positions at all levels to inspire inclusion? Will these women’s ideologies stop spreading to inspire inclusion?
Will Indian serials and movie scripts stop antagonizing women to inspire inclusion?
Will the bodies of women be more dignified than mere sex objects to inspire inclusion?
Will the single and widowed women in this country be free of the inhuman practices of exclusion to inspire inclusion?
Will the women find their personal space and the right to marry, become mothers, and make their choices in life to inspire inclusion?
Will the girl children be treated equally at home to inspire inclusion?
Let this Women’s Day transform an unequal society into one that promotes and inspires inclusion that will value women for what they are and what they need to be to contribute to society and sustainable development.
(Robancy A. Helen is from Tamil Nadu is a member of the Idente Missionaries (Religious Institute of Christ the Redeemer). With an academic background in English, social work and theology, she has written about and has actively been engaged in addressing Dalit and women’s issues. She has served for five years as the program coordinator in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India’s Office for Scheduled Castes/Backward Classes. She holds a doctoral degree in English Literature and trains Catholic youth and children in leadership and social issues.)