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A judge has an unusual ruling on a case of bigamy in India. What do you think?
In the midst of the anger fuelled by the two judges involved in (alleged?) sexual crimes against women- Tarun Tejpal, who judged people through his sting operations, and AK Ganguly, who judged people because, well, he was a judge, many of us did not notice another judge from Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh sitting in judgment over a “domestic” dispute. Here goes:
Judge Ganga Charan Dube, presiding over the Khandwa Lok Adalat, was sitting in judgment over the complaint of a wife who alleged that her husband was spending more time with his live-in partner who had been staying at their house for the last two years.
The honourable judge pondered over the complaint, and ordered that the wife and the other woman will stay under the same roof as the husband, and that the husband will have the middle room of the three-room house, while the women will occupy the other rooms, according to a “mutual agreement” the judge arranged between the feuding parties.
According to Ashwini Bhate, the government advocate, Judge Ganga Charan Dube further ruled that the middle room will have access to both the rooms occupied by the two women and that the man will spend a fortnight each with both the women every month.
According to the Press Trust of India, as quoted in The Telegraph of December 2, 2013, the judge thereby “defused” a “live-in row”.
Till Judge Ganga Charan Dube came along, I had thought that the man in question had committed a criminal offence by doing what he did, but then judges know best.
I am a former bureaucrat, and have worked a lot on gender issues, disaster management and good governance. I am also the proud father of two lovely daughters. read more...
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If her home and family seem to be impacted by her career then we expect her to prioritize her ‘responsibilities at home as a woman’ and leave her job.
The entrenched patriarchal norms have always perpetuated certain roles and responsibilities as falling specifically in the domain of either men or women. Traditionally, women have been associated with the domestic sphere while men have been considered the bread winner of the household. This division of roles has become so ingrained in our lives that we seldom come to question it. However, while not being questioned does give the system a certain level of legitimacy, it in no way proves its veracity.
This systematic division has resulted in a widely accepted notion whereby the public sphere is demarcated as a men’s zone and the private sphere as belonging to women. Consequently, women are expected to stay at home and manage the household chores while men are supposed to go out and make a living with no interest whatsoever in the running of the household.
This divide is said to be grounded in the intrinsic nature of men and women. Women are believed to be compassionate, affectionate and loving and these supposedly ‘feminine’ qualities make them the right fit for caring roles. Men, on the other hand are allegedly more sturdy, strong and bold and hence, the ones to deal with the ordeals of the outside world.
Investing in women means many things beyond the obvious meaning of this IWD2024 theme, as the many orgs doing stellar work can show us.
What does it mean to invest in women?
Telling the women in our lives how great we think they are? That we value the sacrifices they have made? (Usually though not necessarily only – a sacrifice of their aspirations, careers and earning potential in order to focus on family).
No, thank you. Just talk is no longer going to cut it. Roses and compliments are great, but it’s time people, leaders, organizations put their money, capital, resources on track instead.
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