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Regardless of which party is in power, women's safety and right to go out freely continues to be very low priority for all governments in India. When will this change?
Regardless of which party is in power, women’s safety and right to go out freely continues to be very low priority for all governments in India. When will this change?
The year 2016 ended on a bad note for women in general. The unpleasant Bangalore mass molestation case was not just a horrible experience for the women who suffered, but for women across the country. It once again raised the question: How many more such incidents will it take for the government to realise that our country has become an unsafe place for all women? The state, caste, creed, colour, age…it does not matter. If she is a girl, by virtue of her existence, she will be harassed.
This is not the first time a mob mentality took over and women suffered at the hands of men who obviously thought that they were having ‘fun’ and since it was New Year’s Eve night they could get away with anything.
Similar incidents have occurred previously as well. In 2008, two women were attacked by a mob of drunk men outside a popular 5-star joint in Mumbai. A few years later, a lone girl was attached by more than 20 men in Gurgaon, once again on 31st December. These women were also traumatised for no fault of theirs except for being spotted by the wrong men. As always, the answer of the insensitive authorities is that women should not have been there at the ‘wrong place at the wrong time’.
The incidents of assault and harassment are not confined to New Year’s eve. Such incidents happen throughout the year. The fact is that till concrete steps are not taken, till examples are not made out of perpetrators of such heinous crimes, all places at all times will continue to be wrong for women.
There was other equally disturbing news throughout the year. The assault and murder of the perfumer Monika Ghurde in Goa was a shocker. A city usually known for its bohemian culture and friendly nature was tainted by this gruesome murder. There was also the incident of a young girl attacked and stabbed by her stalker in Delhi.
With every year the list of such incidents grows. Post every incident there is a noise, hue and cry, call for action and then all the promises made are forgotten, until another such incident happens. I remember post the uproar caused by the ‘Nirbhaya’ incident, we had women constables patrolling the trains for a few months. They would also give out, what they termed as ‘friendly advice’ about what we should wear if we were traveling alone at night or to lonely places. Hence, once again placing the responsibility of women’s safety on our own shoulders.
Today, as women, we have to be overly careful of where we go, who we talk to, what time we come back, always looking over our shoulders, always suspicious. As women we live with the added stress of ensuring our own general safety and wellbeing. Afraid to go out alone, afraid to live alone. Hoping that we do not become another statistic, another incident, to be filed and forgotten.
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Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Menopause is a reality in women's lives, so Indian workplaces need to gear up and address women's menopausal needs.
Picture this: A seasoned executive at the peak of her career suddenly grapples with hot flashes and sleep disturbances during important meetings. She also battles mood swings and cognitive changes, affecting her productivity and confidence. Eventually, she resigns from her job.
Fiction? Not really. The scenario above is a reality many women face as they navigate menopause while meeting their work responsibilities.
Menopause is the time when a woman stops menstruating. This natural condition marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. The transition brings unique physical, emotional, and psychological changes for women.
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