From time immemorial, women have always been subjected to many social injustices and inequalities. Society has always put men on a pedestal. This patriarchy soon made its way into religion, politics, literary and cultural spheres. Due to this regressive portrayal of women, generations and generations grew up with the belief that women are the weaker section of society, they are objects and that they do not deserve the same rights or treatment as men. Throughout history, women have struggled for basic freedoms.
While we can all agree that we are in a much better situation now, I still think that Indian women are not truly empowered. The benefits of feminism are not being reaped by all. There are still cases of child marriages in rural India, girls are unable to complete their education, and they are forced to take up traditional roles at home and are expected to leave all individual pursuits behind. The age old custom of dowry still exists in some parts of the country, despite being illegal. Domestic violence is common to both rural and urban India. It is unsafe for women to leave their homes or be out late at night. The patriarchal social structure also enables the perpetrators of violence to escape scot-free and the victim suffers endless trauma. In 2016, the conviction rate for all crimes against women stood at a measly 19% across India. This reflects the lack of consequences which motivate potential perpetrators.
The victim-blaming culture and the general shaming of women is the mentality people have of women in India. Legislation can only do so little to change the mind-sets and attitudes of people, which ultimately are the building blocks of a society. It is ineffective if there is little to no proper implementation. Apart from these pressing concerns, Indian women face a multitude of problems in their daily lives. Women are also harshly ridiculed, mostly in a demeaning manner. They are shamed for every choice they make. Even Bollywood celebrities like actress Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and more have faced criticism and scrutiny for simple things such as their choice of clothing, and apart from clothing, they are shamed for their personal relationships and opinions as well.
So therefore, I personally think that Indian women are not truly empowered. I believe a woman is truly empowered when she is able to choose her own path and not deviate from it because of other people’s unwelcome opinions and judgements. A woman is truly empowered when she can live without the constant threat of potential violence. Women deserve to be treated equally, at the end of day we are humans too.
- The reader is a student based in Dubai.
