“When people are discussing as to what man and woman can do, always the same mistake is made. They think they show man at his best because he can fight, for instance, and undergo tremendous physical exertion; and this is pitted against the physical weak- ness and non-combating quality of woman. This is unjust. Woman is as courageous as man. Each is equally good in his of her way. What man can bring up a child with such patience, endurance, and love as the woman can? The one has developed the power of doing; the other, the power of suffering. If woman cannot act, neither can man suffer. The whole universe is one of perfect balance”, said Swami Vivekananda once while deliberating on empowerment of women. What he felt, in those days might have roused much ripple amongst people no doubt but it’s the truth he reflected years back in his thinking about women which is so modern and realistic in approach.
In fact, what was felt by the Indian monk years before took a form of socialist political event and eventually blended into the cultures of different countries years after.
International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
This year’s theme, “Empowering Women-Empowering Humanity: Picture It!” envisions a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education, having an income, and living in societies free from violence and discrimination. The celebration varies from region to region. Generally, it is celebrated to provide respect to whole women fraternity, appreciate them and to express love for them. It is a day, not only to appreciate, respect and love women but a day to celebrate women's economic, political, and social achievements.
Since its birth in the socialist movement, the day has grown to become a day for recognition of women's issues and celebration of their rights across developed and developing countries alike. This day, hence, is a reminder of vigilance and action required to ensure that they gain and maintain equality in all aspects of life
History of International Women’s Day
International Women's Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe. In 1909, the first National Woman's Day was observed in the United States on February 28. The Socialist Party of America designated this day in honour of the 1908 garment workers' strike in New York, where women protested against working conditions. In 1910, the Socialist International meeting in Copenhagen established a Women's Day, international in character, to honour the movement for women's rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. It is to be noted that in 1914, International Women’s Day celebration was held on March 8. From then onwards it is celebratd everywhere on March 8. The 1914 event celebration in the Germany was especially held for the women’s right to vote.
Since those early years, International Women's Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women's movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women's conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women's rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. Increasingly, International Women's Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.
The Charter of the United Nations, signed in 1945, was the first international agreement to affirm the principle of equality between women and men. Since then, the UN has helped create a historic legacy of internationally-agreed strategies, standards, programmes and goals to advance the status of women worldwide.
Every year International Women’s Day is celebrated using a particular theme. The theme of the International Women’s Day celebration of 2013 was “A Promise is a Promise: Time for Action to End Violence against Women”. The theme of the International Women’s Day celebration of 2014 was “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women”. The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it!”
Status of women in India- past & present
International Women’s Day is celebrated with great zeal and passion in India on March 8, every year to increase the awareness about women’s rights. This event celebration plays a great role in distributing the real message about the women’s right and their place in the society. It even promotes for bettering the living condition of the women by solving their social issues.
In the Vedic Period women were educated, enjoyed equal status, used to get married at a mature age and had full rights to choose their husbands.
Indian women now-a-days too is participating in all fields like going to space as astraunaut or shining in sports, education, science, IT, politics (as Prime Minister) and many other odd fields such as driving trains.
However, there are many issues that need to be tackled too, such as dowry, sexual harassment, crime against women, rape, child marriage, domestic violence, eve-teasing etc.
From time to time many Indian reformers fought for the betterment of women in India such as Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Peary Charan Sarkar etc. With their efforts change happened to some extent, laws were made against the odds of the society.
Legal Framework
The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The Constitution not only grants equality to women, but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women.
India has also ratified various international conventions and human rights instruments committing to secure equal rights of women. Key among them is the ratification of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1993.The Mexico Plan of Action (1975), the Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies (1985), the Beijing Declaration as well as the Platform for Action (1995) and the Outcome Document adopted by the UNGA Session on Gender Equality and Development & Peace for the 21st century, titled "Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action" have been unreservedly endorsed by India for appropriate follow up.
Current Scenario
However, there still exists a wide gap between the goals enunciated in the Constitution, legislation, policies, plans, programmes, and related mechanisms on the one hand and the situational reality of the status of women in India, on the other.
Gender disparity manifests itself in various forms, the most obvious being the trend of continuously declining female ratio in the population in the last few decades. Social stereotyping and violence at the domestic and societal levels are some of the other manifestations. Discrimination against girl children, adolescent girls and women persists in parts of the country. The underlying causes of gender inequality are related to social and economic structure, which is based on informal and formal norms, and practices. Consequently, the access of women particularly those belonging to weaker sections including Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/ Other backward Classes and minorities, majority of whom are in the rural areas and in the informal, unorganized sector – to education, health and productive resources, among others, is inadequate. Therefore, they remain largely marginalized, poor and socially excluded.
Within the framework of a democratic polity, our laws, development policies, Plans and programmes have aimed at women’s advancement in different spheres. From the Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-78) onwards has seen a marked shift in the approach to women’s issues from welfare to development. In recent years, the empowerment of women has been recognized as the central issue in determining the status of women. The National Commission for Women was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1990 to safeguard the rights and legal entitlements of women. The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1993) to the Constitution of India have provided for reservation of seats in the local bodies of Panchayats and Municipalities for women, laying a strong foundation for their participation in decision making at the local levels.
The present Government has initiated a number of schemes and programmes,policy initiatives aimed at securing the lives of women and girl child as part of Prime Minister’s vision to take every citizen along in the country’s march towards becoming a modern country. To name a few Swacch Bharat Mission, National Digital Literacy Mission, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme and the PM’s Jan Dhan Yojana, are expected to rejuvenate the socio-economic and political mindset and landscape of this country. While the Swacch Bharat Mission can have a multiplier effect of not only usher in a Clean India but can build a robust India which has an educated, healthy, happy population, Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Jan Yojana envisages to empower every person by integrating him/her with the banking network in the country and also make him an active beneficiary of the welfare largesse of the government through a transparent mechanism. Similarly many schemes related to women health, nutrition, etc are restructured with a focus on women and girl children and adolescents. National Digital Literacy Mission intends to transform India into a digitally empowered knowledge society.
Union Minister of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu has stated that central government is working on mandating 50 per cent reservation for women in all the urban local bodies of the country, to promote their participation in urban policy making for developing ‘engendered cities’. He has stressed on the need for imparting gender perspective to designing urban policies and programmes while inaugurating a two day ‘International Conference on Gender and Urban Poverty’ recently. The Minister further indicated the government’s initiative to focus on the basic toilet needs of women and provide one crore household toilets in urban areas under Swachh Bharat Mission which on a conservative estimate will benefit over two crore women daily and promote ‘engendered cities’ with the objective of welfare of women through their participation.
Finance Minister Shri. Arun Jaitley has doubled the budget of the Nirbhaya fund to Rs.2,000 crore from Rs 1,000 crore this year. "The government is committed to safety and security of women, and another Rs.1,000 crore has been allocated to the Nirbhaya Fund," said Jaitley while presenting the Union budget. Besides, the thought of incorporation of special women force in Railway protection is an indication of Union Government’s constructive approach towards security and maintaining the dignity of women in India.
Besides, the thought of incorporation of special women force in Railway protection is an indication of Union Government’s constructive approach towards security and maintaining the dignity of women in India.
International Women’s Day in India
International Women’s Day is celebrated with great zeal and passion in India on March 8, every year to increase the awareness about women’s rights. This event plays a great role in displaying the real message about the women’s right and their place in the society. It even promotes for bettering the living condition of the women by solving their social issues.
Ministry of Woman and Child Development which is the nodal ministry for Woman issues organizes various events across the country along with state departments,district /panchayat administration to highlight various issues concerning women.Some of these include presentation of Stree Shakti Puruskars and Nari Shakti Puruskars by the President of India, Women and Child Development Ministry has instituted two new awards this year namely (i) Rajya Mahila Puruskar & (ii) Zila Mahila Puruskar. Rajya Mahila Puruskar will be given by the Chief Minister of the respective State and Zila Mahila Puruskar will be given by the District Collector of the respective District. Anganwadis will organize activities to observe International Women’s Day.
Apart from being a salute to the spirit of womanhood, the day is a diligent reminder of the continued vigilance and action required to ensure that women's equality is gained and maintained in all aspects of life. Besides, women have to move forward in solving their problems on their own and not depending on others. In the words of Swami Vivekananda again, “Our right of interference is limited entirely to giving education. Women must be put in a position to solve their own problems in their own way. No one can or ought to do this for them. And our Indian women are capable of doing it as any in the world.”
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