International Women's Day - A farce ???

“9 year old raped and murdered. Body found on terrace of police quarters. Second such case in last one month in Kurla”. This was an article in today’s newspaper – 8th March 2010 – also celebrated as International Women’s Day. Why only one day in a year ? What is the purpose behind this farce ? We all as women and even the men should honestly ask ourselves are women truly “empowered” ?

Every day one hears about women being raped, femal infanticide, dowry deaths, physical, mental and emotional abuse to women.  Are we supposed to celebrate this ?

Even we, the supposedly educated, economically independent women – what is our plight ? Yes, the going is still good for us. It could have been much worse. We feel we are better off than our mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers who did not go out to earn a living and were only homemakers. Are we truly better off ? Women have changed their mindset and have set foot out, supplement the income and juggle the house work. How many men have changed their mindsets and agreed to help the working woman with housework. A few, I agree, have changed ? But what of the rest ? Who come home and are too tired to do anything. On the other hand the woman will come home and cook and clean and look after the kids, their homework, extended families and a hundred other things. She has to bear the brunt of it. Are we celebrating this ? It’s a raw deal I say!

And of course in today’s times of “super” everything we convince ourselves that we are “super women” – super moms, super workers in office, super daughters and wives and daughter inlaws. And in the bargain what ? We will get up one day and realize life has passed us by … we may become bitter or we may just go on to make the most of what time we have left – live for ourselves. But even then we are not happy – it has been ingrained in us from childhood – that women should derive happiness from doing for others !!

Stereotypes have to change. Our mindsets and attitudes and the way we deal with children whether boy or girl from the time they are born have to change. There is such a hoola balu on the Women’s Reservation Bill which has been hanging in mid air for a decade. What more can I say ? Is this really cause of celebration on International Women’s Day ?