The country all over has been mourning the death of Nirbhaya and agitated by the series of rapes and assaults on women. People have demonstrated their outrage by coming down to streets against heinous crimes. Networking sites were stormed with messages, campaigns to stand for women's rights to protection, safety and security. There have been ongoing debates to discuss the issue on many channels attempting to seek solutions and put a stop to these despicable crimes.
These efforts have gone in vain and have done nothing to stop women from being abused and their rights being violated. In fact the number of cases being reported has incessantly increased. Not a day goes by without hearing the news of either a young girl or a woman. A woman at all ages is equally vulnerable of being abused, there is no place safe enough for women. Women are petrified at the thought of walking home alone and parents terrified at sending their girls alone as a result curbing their mobility and freedom.
We sure had come a long way from bringing about a sea change in the status of women. The social reformers had paved a path where women could tread freely whether it was Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule, Ishwarchand vidyasagar or Raja Ram Mohan Roy who advocated girl child education and women's rights in the country. The occurrence of these cases of violence might yet again impose restrictions on women blaming her and making her responsible for the acts of violence. This might result in putting the woman behind closed doors under the garb of protection and safety limiting her of her chances to explore the world in her own way while compromising on her freedom.
There is no one way of controlling the situation and making the country more gender friendly, based on principles of equality and equity. It needs a systemic change where through education we attempt to bring about a change in the mindset of people. Legal reforms are the need of the hour where we have stricter laws that are well thought, enacted by giving quick justice.
The mind set of people is not easy to change we need to start working on it from our own families by giving equal rights to boys and girls, not bringing a divide through the patriarchy supported gender roles. We need to teach our children to respect women by not just making them study about respect to women in the moral values class but also role modelling them at home. Promotion of gender sensitization at home and at school/ colleges will bring about a change in the mindset of people.
A long way to go in bringing a systemic change in the society but concerted efforts will definitely pay off. So, lets all bear the torch trying to save our society from retrogression to amelioration
