A land without fear for women

A new book, jointly written at the Pune International Centre taps the wisdom and articulation of thinking men and women, on how our views on women have been shaped over centuries and decades

Anybody who has grown up in India will recall with trepidation and revulsion, at the two cases of rape and murder that have dominated media headlines for days, some for even weeks. One horrible incident that lingers is the kidnapping and subsequent murder of two innocent children in Delhi in 1978, Sanjay and Geeta Chopra and the subsequent arrest and incarceration of the perpetrators, Billa and Ranga.

Thanks to the proliferation of television and social media, the infamous Nirbhaya case involving the brutal gang rape and murder of a young girl in a moving bus in Delhi, created a wave of national protests and the beginnings of a resolve—at least in Indian cities that these inhumane acts against women must stop. And then, almost out of the blue came the Abhaya case in Kolkata. A city which had always prided itself on protecting and even venerating women, people who worship the Goddess Kali, above all else were taken aback by a brutal incident that again shook India to its roots.

What is it that make women so unsafe in our cities? In small towns and rural parts of India we have heard of grievous punishment meted out to women by their own families and village leaders, for falling in love with someone out of their own kin. But, it would be fallacious to believe that these are isolated instances or restricted to the hinterland of the country.

Women all over the country have faced criticism for “bold” dressing, been subject to rude male behaviour in educational institutions, and faced eve teasing and both mental and physical harassment often at work and sometimes at home. One could come to the early conclusion that this bias against women is the result of male domination in India society from an early age and the reality of a painfully slow legal system where cases against women are rarely brought to court. And, the process of justice is often protracted and prolonged till the impact of the eventual punishment is not felt on the lumpen elements in society, who continue to escape and not fear significant punishment.

A new book that we have jointly written at the Pune International Centre, taps the wisdom and articulation of thinking men and women on how our views on women have been shaped over centuries and decades, what policies will enable women to succeed in a more equitable environment and what can now be done to unleash woman power in the country.

To be published by the end of this year, “Nari Shakti” starts its literary journey from the teachings of Hindu mythology, moves on to policy and explores new initiatives from organisations like Educate Girls, Lighthouse Communities and the Aspen Global Opportunity Youth Network, to instill agency in young women and enable them to stand on their own and find sustainable livelihoods in the country.

The book also brings in voices from Indian success stories in India through former SBI Chairperson, Arundhati Bhattacharya and former MP, Vandana Chavan, and from abroad through success stories like Nikki Barua of Beyond Barriers.

It is also interesting to note the strong support expressed in the book for women’s participation by eminent men like Padma Vibhushans Dr Raghunath Mashelkar and Dr Vijay Kelkar and Professor Anil Gupta of IIM Ahmedabad, and also practical ideas from the Pune International Centre and Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture.

As co-editors of the book, Dr Uma Ganesh and I, who have always believed in and practised a “women first” approach in all our companies, believe there is much value to be unlocked by making all sectors of the economy safe and welcoming the participation of women in large numbers.

What can be done in the next 20 years to create an environment of safety and true equality for women in the country? Many initiatives have begun to sensitise males, irrespective of their economic or social strata to treat women as equals and respect them for their intelligence and grace, rather than look down upon them as the “weaker sex” and indulge in sexist thoughts, words or deeds. It will take a generation or more for this to really sink in, but what can definitely be done is to ensure that parents and teachers nip all gender bias in the bud. It would be easy to pass the buck as indeed, many people are wont to do and say “women too should behave better or dress more respectably and show less assertive attitude” but that would be truly endorsing and even perpetuating gender bias and behaviour.

Equality for women is a key pillar on which a truly developed nation stands. The Nordic states in Europe and to a large extent China, where the percentage of women in senior management is substantially more than India, could serve as role models. By 2047, if we aspire to have 40% of senior management, 30% of leadership and at least 20% of Board Directors and Chairpersons as women, we could claim to have solved the problem to a great extent and set up the foundations for true equality in the country. Towards an environment of mutual respect and acceptance for both genders and also for the LGBTQ+ community, let our nation progress.