Social Activist Ranjana Kumari Attributes Societal Norms For Women's Inferior Status In India, Why Doesn't The Patriarchal POV Die Down?

"Freedom means being free of all bonds but unfortunately, there are many ties that bind an Indian woman. One of the biggest ones for a woman is societal ties. It is the society where women continue to be seen as second-class citizens and the reason behind it is our mindset,” said Ranjana Kumari, Social Activist, Director of the Centre for Social Research in Delhi and Chairwoman of Women Power Connect, a national organization of women's groups on being asked her take on azaadi (freedom).

“Politically, we have all assumed that we are a democracy, we have human rights, and our constitution also states that each citizen is equal. In reality, our constitution is completely against inequality and states that there shouldn’t be any kind of inequality between males and females,” she added.

We stand in an independent India today, all set to ring in another year of independence, but the status of women in the nation doesn't seem to have changed. Even today, women are deprived of the basics, the independence to make choices for themselves, and pursue education, career, and life goals for starters.

Freedom is a far-fetched dream for women. Independent India, which otherwise offers all its citizens of India social, and economic empowerment has time and again failed women in all respects. This Independence Day, as we ask women across the nation, what freedom means to them, we are only getting disturbing insights into the status of women in society. In an exclusive chat with us Social activist Ranjana Kumari unveiled the harsh realities of girls and women in India and sadly, it all rolls down to fundamental rights.

The Poor Mindset That Just Doesn’t Change

Society's mindset towards women seems to be unchanged over the years. Women are held responsible for household duties, while men are the decision-makers, bread-winners, thanks to traditional gender roles in the country. Speaking of gender roles and the poor mindset of the country, Ranjana Kumari said, “Because of our mindset, we make sure we give our sons all the facilities, we try our best to make him go ahead in life with support in everything, be it education, sports, or career. The same society, on the other hand, thinks the other way when it comes to girls. ‘What will she do by studying?’, even today, 75 years after independence, parents think that their daughters will eventually get married and educate them. It is society’s perspective only that entitles men to power and takes it away from women.”

Women are deprived of the fundamentals like education, healthcare, and employment to name a few. Unfortunately, here, society has a key role to play. Over the years, society has acted as a dictator for women in the country and managed to deeply ingrain patriarchy in our minds.

Kumari said, “Even today, sending girls to school is a big challenge even though the right to education is a fundamental right in the country. Even if girls go to school, the dropout rate is high. Speaking of careers, there has been a constant drop in women's participation in work, however, the numbers have increased in advanced countries. Further, women are also bound when it comes to making any kind of decision for themselves, be it around education, fashion, diet, or going forth in society. Why the ties here? The person should have the right to make decisions since it is about their personal growth, however, for girls and women, these decisions are always made by others and who makes these decisions? The society.”

While the nation is willing to stand for women in society without hesitating a bit, women hardly get any support from the people around them. Many factors to the issue, patriarchal attitudes, societal norms, financial dependence, lack of awareness, and social stigma to name a few.

“‘Log Kya Kahenge’” is a common saying in our society but no one really comes forward to help girls and women grow in life. On one hand, society entitles men with all rights and on the other, disempowers women of everything. This further leads to discrimination of females, following which they don’t have the freedom to walk on roads, study in schools, forget that, in their everyday lives too, girls and women have to face different obstacles,” said the social activist.

Online Safety, Another Concern For Women In India

While we are still trying to cope up with women's safety concerns across the nation, the advancement in technology has brought forth another big issue for the gender. Ranjana Kumari highlighted women’s safety concerns in the online world. She shared how even when women are using mediums for connectivity, they aren’t safe. They are subjected to bullying and harassment.

Don't Miss: Azaad Bharat, Azaad Naari: HerZindagi's New Campaign Invites Readers To Share Their Idea Of Freedom This Independence Day

Changing The POV

Turning India into a safe and inclusive space for women is the need of the hour but it needs an all-round approach. Ranjana Kumari stressed the importance of offering an equal world to all genders in the country. She said that the only way to put an end to inequality is that society shows the same acceptance for both men and women. Kumari underlined that it is our families, and customary practices around us that lead to a faulty mindset and things can’t really change till the time we get over this POV.

Ranjana Kumari also spoke of the other side of the coin and shared how women today are educating themselves, working in big positions, and taking on huge responsibilities. “Women with their grit and capabilities are putting themselves forth but it is the society and democratic institutions from the parliament to panchayat who together are trying to bring women down, they try to introduce obstacles in their way. Until the time this is changed, it isn’t possible to reverse the situation,” she said.

Need To Offer Quality Care To Women

Another issue that needs to be addressed is women's health. The issue has been neglected for years now. Even though the country has made immense progress on the medical front, things haven't changed for women. Women's health continues to be de-prioritised in India and the reasons are unsettling. Limited education and awareness about women's health issues, deep-rooted gender discrimination, no decision-making power, stigmas related to reproductive health, financial constraints, and lack of healthcare facilities among others.

Don't Miss: Passenger Clicks Flight Attendant's Intimate Parts Secretly, Heinous Act Zeroes In On Women Safety Struggles In Post-Independent India

Women in India, who make up 48.5% of the population as per the 2011 Census are deprived of basic rights like access to healthcare and there seems to be no glimmer of hope.

Director of the Centre for Social Research, shed light on the neglected women’s health issues in India. “We need to invest in women’s health. People, even though they know about menstruation, don't wish to speak about it or learn about it. Why do women lose their lives during childbirth? This is because we don’t take care of their nutrition, and families aren’t aware of their health needs.”

Lastly, the social activist said that for an advanced society, we need to make our girls stronger and ensure that they are respected by all. We can’t agree more. Change begins at home! Here are some ways we can do our bit to make our nation an equal place for all:

• Educate others and create awareness among people around you. Let them know about their rights and government policies to fight crime, discrimination, and social injustices.
• No matter what sphere you are in, you are likely to see a disparity towards women. Do your bit and introduce policies at work, and homes to ensure everyone is treated fairly and offered the same opportunities.
• Stand up for others. If you see a woman being discriminated against because of her gender, raise your voice for her, speaking up will make a difference.
• It isn't easy to give up on patriarchal ideas just like that. It will take you a good amount of time to fight the norms, take one step at a time and promote equality by busting the patriarchal beliefs.
• Support girls and women in your family in all respects, be it their education, healthcare, or career.
• Promote shared responsibilities at home, and challenge the societal norms related to domestic roles.
• One reason why women in the country have low self-esteem and confidence is that their achievements are hardly recognised. Celebrate the women around you and let them know they matter!
• Remember to lead by example. Through your actions and attitude towards women, let your family members know what is the correct way of treating the gender.