International women’s day, 8th March, is like a cultural festival for women,celebrated world over by women organisations. SWEDWA the branch of AIWC(All India Women’s Conference) celebrated the occasion, this time, in collaboration with its Vasant Gaon chapter named VIBHUTI. The programme was marked by customary speeches and performances, but the main attraction of the programme was the street play (Nukkad Natak); the artists displaying through performances various forms of violence/crimes perpetrated against women. The slogan coined by the troupe was worth pondering over ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao par uske pehle beto ko samjhao’.Indeed, it seems to be the pertinent slogan given by these young, passionate and talented artists of #Sukhman Manch in the present day scenario existing in our country. Despite the efforts and the ambitious schemes for women launched by our government such as; ladli yojna, #beti bachao beti padaho etc there hardly has been lowering of figures of gruesome cases of rapes, female foeticide, domestic violence etc.
On this women’s day we need to ponder over the reason for this situation. And, it was rightly pointed out that it was high time to change the psyche of people to bring about the desirable positive change in our attitude towards the fairer sex.The genesis of all the crime existing against women is the system of patriarchy,and surprisingly women are found to perpetuate this practice against another women, more often than men.
A mother begins the distinction between her son and daughter. There are greater incidences of discord between mothers- in-law with their daughters- in-law than
with their fathers- in-law, so on and so forth. Mother is the first teacher of a child. If the mother teaches her child(son and the daughter) through her words and actions to respect a women, the son will grow up a gentleman and the girl with the self -esteem to have her valued for her qualities and not for her riches or being eye candy for the opposite sex . A confident and considerate, woman can bring about the desired change. But, it requires that women learn to value their femininity rather than losing their uniqueness by demanding equality with men. Lets feel proud to be a women, a mother who has power to create!