For over the last two millennia the status of women had been one that, in retrospect, evokes sympathy and commiseration. Though there are still several miles to traverse with regards to improving the lives of women, significant milestones have already been achieved by this point in time. The male gender is becoming more and more aware about the vital role of women in society. However, it is unfortunate that it took men two thousand-odd years to acknowledge the importance of women.
The turn of the 19th century marked the emergence of a class of social reformers who championed the rights of women and since then, the same momentum has been in motion and it witnesses a gradual, though not drastic, improvement in the living condition of women at large. While this progress is a laudable one, the movement must continue until all women feel equal, safe and secure on any given day at any given place, something that is yet to be achieved.
Promoting Gender Equality
If there is one thing that can make this earth a better place for women to live, it is gender equality, an overused term these days but a term that see the little manifestation in society. In fact, all existential challenges faced by women can be categorised under the broad term of gender inequality which is the root cause of all evil treatments associated with women. It was because men regarded women as inferior they were oppressive towards them in the first place. Be it oppression, discrimination, assault or harassment, it is all because men view women as an inferior species. This is a universal truth. Irrespective of cultures, time and place, women were and are expected to be in a certain disposition bound by a prescribed set of dress and ‘moral’ codes so as to be ‘correct’ and ‘appropriate,’ which is just appalling and actually a sign of oppression. And the greater the emphasis is on such codes, the greater the oppression.
So, the verdict of the day, to make life easier for women, is: women are to be regarded as a counterpart on equal footing. They deserve equal respect in the family unit, equal pay at workplaces, fair treatment on social media, and equal etiquette on the streets. Without the realization of all these values, women will continue to reel under the knuckle of men and beasts.
Acknowledging The Value Of Women
In a way, gender inequality and the undervaluing of women are two inter-complementing elements. The one exists because the other spawns it and provides a prerequisite setting. Gender discrimination of women emerges because men undervalue women; the undervaluing of women takes place because men regard women as unequal. The solution to this paradox is the obliteration of any one of the twin elements as they are interdependent and feed on one another.
It does not take a Goldman Sachs analyst to ascertain the value of women. They are integral to the formation and continuance of human society. Without them, the family institution will collapse. Myriad numbers of corporations around the world already have women leadership in vital positions. The same narrative goes for governments and non-governmental institutions, and in every corner and nook, women have provided foundations for a continued sustenance. In fact, recent findings have indicated that women are more conducive to a more peaceful and prosperous nation and a more peaceful world, for that matter, if they are in a position of power and calling the shots in matters of polity and governance.
Educating The Next Generation
At the end of the day, it is ignorance that women are where they had been and where they have been and will be, if the ignorance of the world at large is not under check. The male species is extremely biased and prejudiced towards the gender on the other end of the spectrum. Growing up, an individual has little or no grooming in the concept of gender equality and that women deserve the same regard and treatment as men. It is really heart-rending that over the past thousand years there had been hardly any religious text, scripture, culture or people teaching the young the equality of genders.
And so to conclude, the onus is on us to reverse this thousand years’ worth of damage by educating the new generation. If women are to call earth their true home, men must understand them and value them; for it is by understanding the value of a gem that one can see and treat a gem as one. And, thankfully, the remedy to this ancient ailment in the form of gender discrimination is not elusive after all. It is within an arm’s reach. It does not require a whole dissertation to elucidate it. It lies in a simple solution, in everyday parlance. It is a one-word solution – educate!
