1. WOMEN: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE<br />By: Shafaque Gideon*<br />EMPOWERMENT: AN OUTLINE<br />Empowerment in its simplest form means quot;
the manifestation of redistribution of power that challenges patriarchal ideology and the male dominancequot;
.becoming powerful is the literal meaning of the term 'empowerment’. These are being used today in spears of life as a process to strengthen the elements of society. It is both processes as the results of the processes. It is transformation of the structures or Institutions that reinforces and perpetuates gender discrimination.<br />For more than a decade' the term 'empowerment' has been widely used in relation to women as well as marginalized community in India, Today one hears this term much more often than terms like women's welfare, upliftment, development are awareness rising . However ,in spite of the growing popularity and widespread usage of the term, there have been few conceptual explorations of what exactly empowerment means, and even more, what the empowerment of women implies in social, economic and political terms. Women’s empowerment is a global issue today and discussions on women’s political rights are at the fore front many formal and informal campaigns worldwide.<br />WOMEN IN THE PAST<br />Since the ancient times when King’s were said to have as many as 200 wives, the social evils like sati, female infanticide, dowry and child marriage have been haunting the Indian Society. The prevalence of such fanatical practices is not only a sin but a matter of national shame. Since Independence concrete efforts have been made for the upliftment of women and to educate them on important issues of social, economic, political, legal cadre.<br /> Women upliftment and empowerment in India first received National and International recognition when the Indira Gandhi’s Government launched the Indira Mahila Yojana and when the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) incorporated the issue of Women Upliftment as one of its primary objective. Since then a string of social programmes and yojanas have been undertaken to empower the rural women like the Rashtriya Mahila Kosh and Mahila Samridhi Yojana. <br />HOW IS THE PRESENT ANY DIFFERENT?<br />Despite many international agreements affirming their human rights, women are still much more likely than men to be poor and illiterate. They usually have less access than men to medical care, property ownership, credit, training and employment. They are far less likely than men to be politically active and far more likely to be victims of domestic violence. The ability of women to control their own fertility is absolutely fundamental to women’s empowerment and equality. When a woman can plan her family, she can plan the rest of her life. When she is healthy, she can be more productive. And when her reproductive rights—including the right to decide the number, timing and spacing of her children, and to make decisions regarding reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence—are promoted and protected, she has freedom to participate more fully and equally in society.<br />In women has awakened the aspiration to attain all round progress in life. Silently or vociferously she desires that although she is ready to help men, her father, in laws etc yet she does not accept that in order to do so she should be bound like a slave. It is her desire to be given respect, self dependence and education wherein one cannot find any inaptness. One cannot censure women that women are crossing all limits. And that she is rendering weak her duty to serve her husband. She wants her basic human rights. She will agree to nothing less than this and does not want anything more too. The difference is this that she will no longer be relegated to a shoe worn by men. Although she happily accepts to title of being the goddess of wealth of her family yet it should not be inflicted on her without her consent. Neither can women any longer tolerate men forcing her to lead a life of cruel bondage and nor does divine fate agree to it.<br />The government of India felt the need to put in place an appropriate institutional mechanism to look after the Rights of Women and thus instituted the formulation of All India Women’s Conference, National Women’s Commission and State Women’s Commission along with approval of special grants and allowances to NGO’s working for the cause of women upliftment and social mobility. Self Help Groups have also been constituted at Panchayat level to provide a platform for the rural women to discuss issues such as family planning, child marriage, widow remarriage, Sati, domestic violence. Mother Teresa’s Women University has greatly helped in the cause of women empowerment who received Noble Peace Prize for her benign social work. Recently World Bank approved funding for Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Programme (APRPRP) thus garnering international support for the upliftment of women. Women’s reservation Bill in the Lok Sabha has gained momentum with Govt. of India promising the reservation of one-third seats in Parliament for the women.<br />Today no longer can women the world over be bought or sold like female slaves. Instead of being relegated to bondage where throughout her life she serves her family like a maid, now she can freely attain progress in life. She can remain independent and all alone she can now travel afar. She can play a major role like heads of governments. In the fields of education and medical therapy she has gained leadership. There is no field of life where her brilliant skills are not sought after. Wherever she got an opportunity there in competition with men she led by miles.<br />THE FUTURE<br />The status of women in India has been undergoing a sea-change. Supported by Constitutional guarantees to ensure dignity and equal opportunities, their active participation in all walks of life including education, politics, sport etc., has been growing. Taking note of women’s role in the nation-building activities, the Government had declared 2001 as the year of Women’s Empowerment by adopting a National Policy to offer “Swashakti” to women. Several laws have also been adopted to empower women socially, economically, legally and politically. Considering the role of rural India, the country’s backbone, the Government had taken several measures to strengthen Panchayanti Raj system with the active participation of women. This gave a boost to increase the number of women being elected to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies, an indication to suggest their political empowerment.<br />In the near future not only women's radiant talent will shine but that she will be reinstated as a world leader. The reason being that the stature of transformation about to be ushered in by Lord Mahakal, will predominate with sacred sentiments. All dire world problems faced to date has been due to that hard heartedness of males everywhere which with criminal leanings induced taints in every walk of life. The 2 main causes viz. distorted thinking and vile behavior has created agitations, strife atrocities and dangers in various fields. If one nurtures ones ego on the basis of one's gentlemanly nature and spiritual leanings it is alright but who will imbibe that long and austerity oriented path that blooms with greatness and ideals? Who will control the psyche? Who will agree to become a true citizen? Since all this does not happen, the other option of unethical behavior stares at us. Only those solutions like cunningness, kidnapping, arrogant attacks are taken recourse to on the basis of which akin to steadying a grain of mustard on the palm one attains miraculous results of 1st attack giving 1st benefit. These days such trends are being noted. Destiny will no longer allow such trends to reign in this world and that total transformations will be ushered in today's tainted world circumstances.<br />The chief basis of ushering in the future Satyuga or Golden Era atmosphere will be women's leadership oozing with love, cooperation, compassion and generosity. Her basic inner nature has no place for wars, attacks and kidnapping. She aspires for world peace. It is only in an environment of zest and joy that she breathes fearlessly. For others too she yearns to author such situations. If women, who have given us glimpses of untold soul oneness while looking after her husband, children and entire family for her entire life, are handed over world leadership she will definitely create such an atmosphere of conduciveness everywhere.<br />WORLD BALANCE: A NECESSITY<br />It is virtually impossible to reform men at the sensitive emotional level. Since he has not much load as far as producing and nurturing children is concerned he possesses bodily might. Since he hardly has responsibilities of day to day household affairs he can go outside his home to conduct business etc and earn enough wealth. Since he is not satisfied by minor battles he is capable of ushering in large scale wars. Since he gets lots of opportunities to get educated he no doubt can become a scholar but along with this it is definite that those opportunities he gets to behave as per his whims and fancies have become a part and parcel of his very character and personality. More and more of his activities are rooted in unethical thinking. In a certain sense these taints are a very much part of males' inner nature. As a result the world atmosphere reeks of problems, hardships and strife.<br />Mother Nature wishes that world balance is maintained. It has seen the ‘enterprise' of males. She has gauged their working capacities. Out of sheer despair Mother Nature is about to change all this. This will be seen in future as an era predominating with women's leadership. She will no doubt lead the world. Men should not look upon this as their defeat but instead must play a much better role in the coming days while cooperating with women leaders the world over. Everybody will experience the joy of ‘Live and let live'.<br />‘The education and empowerment of women throughout the world cannot fail to result in a more caring, tolerant, just and peaceful life for all.’ -Aung San Suu Kyi<br />