Tag: Gender parity

Women Reservation is a Reality Taking Shape

‘Women Reservation is a Reality Taking Shape’

By LokMarg

Seema Mittal, a doctorate in Science and post-grad in Management, says men have found it difficult to accept women at the helm and that mindset needs to change. Her views:

Women, the genesis of humanity have been fighting for their identity since ages. Different civilisations have across the planet treated them differently. It is usual to see women merely as the homemaker, the child-bearer or any role the male dominated society so perceives.

Despite competing and proving to be at par with the men, the opportunities for women in the public domain have always been limited. It has always been debated that women can never be at par with men due to innumerable limitations. And so, men have always found it difficult to accept women at the helm of affairs. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi herself being a woman never encouraged other women at any top position in politics and bureaucracy.

It has been the Modi government that acknowledged the need for reservation in order to increase women participation in politics as well as other fields. There are a lot of constituencies which are reserved for women both in the Lok Sabha as well as the Vidhan Sabha. The Modi government has initiated 33 percent reservation for women in the cabinet. That in itself is a huge change. Despite the fact that they could ensure only 10 percent representation as of now, I am hopeful that things are in the line of progress and more women leaders shall be at the forefront in the coming years.  

It is the mindset that really needed to be changed and that is a step that the government has taken and long strides towards it shall soon become a reality. Maybe the women vote bank has invited political attention, I cannot say. But whatever the reason, I strongly feel that from not accepting women at the driving position to having them as major decision makers in the country is huge. They have proved to be the game changers. At least someone has risen above the party lines and made a sincere effort in this direction.

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The President of India is a woman who comes from a background that no government would have dared to appoint at such an esteemed position. Unfortunately, in the Lok Sabha elections this year, the women brigade of the government failed to win in a big way. But at least they fought their seats well and good.  

Currently none of the Indian states have a woman chief minister though the ruling government has appointed a woman governor. There surely are challenges in giving coveted posts to women in the ministry. Reservation alone cannot increase women participation.  

Families need to support women to come out boldly to accept these positions. They are still not encouraged by the family and are too bogged down by responsibilities at home to step out and prove their merit. Women must have financial support to enter politics. For this, they have to be financially independent or from a well to do family. There is a long way to go. 

The entire mindset and system need a revamp to accept women at positions that have always been the man’s domain. I hope that in the coming years the glitches shall be removed and more deserving women shall be appointed justifying the reservation for women. It is not a myth but a reality taking shape.

The narrator started her career with Stock Holding Corporation, Mumbai, and now successfully runs an enterprise dealing in hearing aids

As told to Deepa Gupta

‘I Lit My Mom’s Pyre Because It Was Only Fair To Do So’

By LokMarg

When Ajmer-based Deepika Sharma lost her mother to a heart attack in 2016, she along with her younger sisters Jyotsana and Purnima performed her last rites, a role traditionally reserved for male members. Sharma empathises with actress Mandira Bedi who was recently trolled for performing the last rites of her husband

I felt both surprised and sad to see that even today amid so much awareness about gender equality, a celebrity like Mandira Bedi was trolled for performing the last rites of her late husband Raj Kaushal and her choice of clothes during cremation. Do these troll have any idea what it means to have lost a loved one.

In December 2016, I lost my mother to an unexpected heart attack. We are three sisters and when the time came to bid a final goodbye to my mother, not once did my father or any of us sisters think that we needed a male member or relative to perform the last rites.

I am proud to say that our extended family also stood by us, supported us and shared our grief during the emotional turmoil we were going through at that time. We know that traditionally women are not approved of lighting the funeral pyre of the deceased in families; in some cases they are not even allowed to enter the cremation spot. My question is: why?

The fiesty Sharma sisters: (L to R) Deepika, Jyotsana and Purnima

Why should women be not allowed to participate in the last rites of a family member? Who has prescribed that these ritual are the responsibility of only male members? Why can’t women perform the funeral rites and light the pyre when it is them who are the caretakers of the family, often sacrificing their career and ambitions? Women have achieved parity with men in all the fields. Why should performing last rites be any exception then?

Come to think of it, are we doing the right thing by not letting a daughter or wife witness the last rites of her lost family members? Is it fair that a male member or a distant relative is roped in to light the pyre instead of the deceased’s own daughter or wife?

When we decided to take that step, we didn’t see it as breaking the stereotype. For us, this was the only fair thing to do: that is how our beloved mother’s last journey had to be. Our mother shared with us how she had been subjected to taunts for not begetting a male child. But she never made us feel any less and made sure that each one of us became able and independent. 

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We owe it to our mother. She was a woman of strong grit and determination. During her time, when working women were a rarity, my mother fought against all odds to take up a job. I must mention here that my father was a big pillar of strength in the family. If one’s partner stands by your side, there is nothing one cannot achieve. She could never be bogged down for not bearing a male heir because of my father’s love and support.

I am glad to see that the times are changing, slowly but certainly. There have been many cases that we get to read about and see around us where women too lit the funeral pyre of their parents and performed funeral rites breaking the stereotype.

I do not find anything wrong in following and believing traditions that are being passed on to us from our ancestors but when it comes to this particular one, I strongly feel  every woman be it a daughter or a wife deserves to be present during the funeral of her parents/ husband if she wishes to.

As Told To Mamta Sharma