[dropcap]E[/dropcap]quality for women and empowering women is an indispensable tool for advancing development. Women had to fight a long battle for Equality and Freedom. They endured hardships and still do in tearing down the rigid ideas of a male dominated society. For a progressive and an advanced society, Women should be given Equality and should be empowered alongside with men. A society cannot function with men alone as in a family where a child needs both the mother and father. Mary Wollstonecraft writes, “A state that does not educate and train women is like a man who only trains his right arm”.For a progressive society, equality should be given to women and should be given the opportunity as given to men. Equality for women means progress for all and progress in so many areas depends on it. Regardless of where it is, a baby girl is not given the same opportunity, equality and freedom as that given to a baby boy. Gender equality is an important aspect which should be strived for to eliminate poverty and promote sustainable development. No nation or society can rise to the height of glory and height of progress unless women are side by side with men.
Equality for women in all aspects of development benefits everyone. Equal participation of women in all areas of development benefits the society. Educating girls with quality education will help building of a better and a progressive society. Women are the backbone of family. It is ‘she’ that runs the domestic errands then train her children. If ‘she’ is educated then her children will be which in turn will help the society. Gender equality thus will help the society to develop and progress.
Long term and sustainable development will only be possible when women and men enjoy equal opportunity. It is not strength alone that should denote a job holder but it should be through ability and talent. Kishido Toshiko says, “If it is true that men are better than women because they are stronger, why aren’t our sumo wrestlers in the government?” Women should not be denied jobs and opportunities just because they are considered the ‘weaker sex.’ Without this so called ‘weak sex’, a family would be topsy-turvy and confusing- “The test of whether or not you can hold a job should not be in the arrangement of your chromosomes.” A woman runs a family and without this woman, a family cannot function well and will not progress so also without women, society will not reach its height of development and progression.
Women are entitled to live in dignity and in freedom from want and from fear. Empowering women will contribute to the health and productivity of families and to. Improve prospects for the next generation. Men and a woman should enjoy the same opportunities, rights and obligations in all spheres of life. When women are empowered, whole families benefit and these benefits often ripple effects to future generation.
Women should be educated and should not be denied higher education. About two thirds of the illiterate adults in the world are female. Educated women will be able to educate her children better than illiterate women. The educated children will contribute to the welfare of the society and thus to the world in whole. Thus, empowering women and equality for women means progress for all.
Humanity requires both men and women, and both men and women are equally important and both need each other. A family requires both the husband and the wife. A child needs both the father and the mother so also the society. There is no phrase as such ‘Weaker Sex’ as both are equally important and both needs to complement each other. Equality should be given in the spheres which in turn will help in the development of the society.
From the biblical context, it is never that women are to be considered weaker and should be denied equality. Nowhere in the bible it is written that women should be denied opportunities or in any sphere. It is true that God first created women seeing that men cannot survive alone. Women were created to be a partner for men, to work side-by-side with him and not to be trampled down his foot. From a man’s rib a women was created and it wouldn’t be possible for men to live and work normally when a part of ‘his’ self is lost and not functioning. It is only through working together and through equality that men can also be complete and so also society. With only one gender, the world will not survive.
Abigail Adams writes, “How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes”. It is observed that the achievements of women are mostly casted aside whereas men aren’t for an all-round development, women should be empowered and given equality. Her achievements and her ability should be appreciated and encouraged. Society will than move forward in path of progress.
Men and women both need each other and this fact cannot be denied. Both men and women are created to support each other and not to treat each other with disrespect and inequality. Today, men and women are engulfed in this gender-war which is a hindrance to the progress and development of the society. Men will always need a woman in this world but women also cannot do without men in her world. Both need each other’s help, respect, love and support in all walks of life and in progress for all.
For all to develop and progress “We must raise both the celings and the floor”. A house will be incomplete if it has no roof or floor. Both the roof and the floor are essential for a strong and a complete house. For all to progress, both men and women are needed. Equality should be thus given to women. Men alone can never be the complete ‘House’ and men can never lead the society to progress if women are absent. “Everytime we liberate a women, we liberate a men”.
Women have always been considered the weaker gender. This idea is to a large extent disappearing but it still does. Today women are advancing and progressing in every field. Shirley Chisholm paved the way for Hillary Rodham Clinton and many other female presidential hopeful. A renouncing example is Oprah Winfrey whose devotion and hard work gave her the ability to launch her own T. V network in January, 2011, a first for any women. Spirited activist like Della Abzug, Susan B. Anthony and many others paved the way of freedom and equality. From the field of education ~d politics and in many other fields, women have shown their strength and superiority, V. Welfi and Dorothy Parker were among the first to give voice to the emotional depth and biting wit of women during times of extreme exism.
Even in India itself women have paced so much. From a world where women were forced to so’ many social evils such as purdah system, Sati system and others, women have progressed so much in every spheres of life. The’ Women’ who were once confined at home are now slowly creeping out and always advancing towards progression and even fighting for their equality and freedom.
Modem inventions have banished the spinning wheel and with modernism a women today is different from her grandmother. Women today are heading big corporations, heading governments, enabling social change and so much more. Politician Dianne Felistein puts it brilliantly in this quote, “Toughness doesn’t have to come in a pinstripe suit”. The advancement of women in several fields has led to the progress of all and in order to have a more developed I and a sustainable development, equality to women should be maintained.
In this gender-war, women should not lose their hope but should remain strong and should continue their fight with gracefulness and attitude. Women should not consider themselves inferior or weaker. Women should realize and appreciate the gem they are. Without women the entire world will be handicapped and women should realize their worth and believe that they are magical creatures who can change the world and born with a purpose. Charlotte Bronte writes, “I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves,” and above all, “Be the heroine of your life and not the victim”.
For a balanced society and progress for all; equality for women is vital. Women should be empowered and should not be denied jobs or in any other spheres of development. Women and men are created together for a purpose and thus each should appreciate the other and live in equality. A single leg cannot operate and function perfectly in a human body so also these two creations should realize that they need each other through the paths of life and both are essential for the progress of a society. Equality should not be denied to women. Men and women are a part of each other and the ‘Elixir of each other’s life”. Equality for women is thus progress for all.
By Miss Ketshunuo, Department of English, NU,Kohima Campus: Meriema
(Ms Ketshunuo secured the 1st Position in the Essay Writing Competition for the Post
Graduate students of Kohima Campus on the topic “Equality for Women is Progress All” in commemoration of International Women’s Day, 2014, organized by the Women’s Studies Centre, NU, Kohima Campus, Meriema).
