When almost all the newspaper, more or less,
covering the articles related to empowering the females in “International day
of the Female Child” on October 11, one of the pretty woman reading a newspaper
next to me asked a question, “If a female finds no way out in her life and decides
to engage in prostitution willingly, does this decision empower her?”Although I
remained mute at the very moment, her question pinched me and made me think deeply
about it.
Well, lots of debatable issues come forth when we
start to talk about empowering the females. What are the things required to
empower someone – education, freedom, love and support, good financial status,
no cultural or religious barrier, good job opportunities and so on. The list
may go long but these dayseducation is taken as all in itself. No doubt,
education is the essential factor to empower the females but it is not end in
itself. What, if a female is highly educated but possess no freedom in her
life?
In the developing country like Nepal, many barriers
for females’ empowerment lie entrenched in cultural norms. Dogmatic culture
restricts females inside the four corners of the house. This is a highly
concerned issue from the last two decades and more, at least for feminists.
Various laws and rules were made, several times parliament was roared, public
dared to come out for justice in the streets, and victim females collected the
guts to raise their voice to the society however the position of females, yet,
the same. Still many females are compelled to sale their bodies for food, some
are in the foreign land with no hope, some females,still, are forced to follow Chhaupadiand Kamlari. Many teen age females, even these days, engage in Indian
circus and permit their body for sexual assault. Many young females, till today
too, are raped and bear children in under and early age. Under the roof of
Nepali, where females are worshipped as the incarnationof goddess Saraswati and
Durga, are regarded as witches.
The era of modernity has arrived but the thoughts of
people remain the same. Still in our society, feast is given when a male child
is born but when a female is born, she becomes a burden, not only for a single
house but for the whole society. In the patriarchal society like ours, only females
are responsible to determine the sex of a child; however male’s chromosome is responsible
as science proved.
Females are taken as second gender that goes
another’s house after marriage. So, proper love, care and respect is not given
to them in our society. Considering females as weak gender, they are not
allowed to get out for work. If a female tries to become self-dependent, she
has to face various casualties in life from words to action. The responsibility
of indoor work is given to the females from the early age whereas the case of
male child is different. Male child, who is taken as the essential part of
parent’s life from birth to death can enjoy freedom from his childhood days.
After the birth of male child, parents still think that they will go to heaven
(Baitarnitarnu) after their death. Furthermore,
our religion has constructed hegemony upon us. He was Lord Ram who doubted the
virginity of Lord Sita after she returned from Lanka. It was Eve whodisobeyed
the sayings of God, ate the forbidden fruit and was cursed. She was Kunti who
bear a child from lord Surya without getting marriage.In this respect, our
culture and religion is responsible for restricting the females and we are much
more responsible for constructing such culture and creating such dogmatic
religious myths.
Our government system can be a backbone for females’
empowerment. Instead of conducting rallies, giving motivational long speeches,
high profile seminar and meetings, the government should bring effective
programs in reach of every female so that they can choose the right path for
themselves. Yes, government should bring
effective programs in reach of every female so that they can choose the right
path for themselves. Yes, poet Devkota was right; Goethe, Shakespeare, Helen
and Padmini’s are there in our land but we couldn’t recognize them. They are
living a pathetic life because they are unknown of their own talent. So, they
are not hungry for mercy rather for multiple opportunities to accomplish the
concept of “New Nepal” into reality.
Laws should be implanted effectively in all sectors
and in all level. To empower the females, government needs not to think about a
grand project but focus on tiny things which lead them towards the path of
empowerment. For instance, equal opportunity for females in politics, equal job
opportunities for females in government level, stop sexual harassment in public
places or at home by implementing effective law, access of education to each
and every corner of the country, providing scholarship facilities from
government level to them who actually deserve it, stopping orthodox practices
like witchery, child marriage from the society, providing sex education, and so
on.
As quoted by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu -The
journey of a thousand miles begins with one step –gradual change is possible if
we, at least, start from what we can. Only blaming our own fate and cursing the
government can’t bring change in our status quo. There are various female
legendry figures, who, tried their best and left a great remark in the history.
Florence Nightingale, Mother Teresa, Marie Curie, Pasang Lyamu Sherpa,
Bishnu Kumari Waiba (Parijaat), Anuradha Koirala, etc. are few of the legends.
Until and unless, females
are socially, mentally, politically and economically independent the issue of
empowerment will remain only as a matter of discussion. Again a question
arises, from where to start? As hard the question is, as simple is the answer –
education. It is said that “if a male is literate, an individual is literate;
if a female is literate, whole country is literate.” The universal truth is
that education achievements of a female have ripple effects in her individual
life, family and coming generations. She can nourish her family with good
education. Then, her family can be an example for the community, a community
can be an icon for the country and a country can be a lesson for the whole
world. Female’s education is also one of the effective to reduce poverty.
Educated females do have large area of exposure. They can maintain their
carrier in the field they like and earn the means of living. If males and
females equally contribute their time in earning, the problem of poverty will
remain no more.
The more we debate
about female’s empowerment, the issue of respect and equality can’t be
sidelined. For this males and females should go hand in hand as they are the
two parts of a same coin. Without the support of one another becomes cart
without a wheel. When the issue of female empowerment rises, males need to be
supportive to females. Until and unless, two bodies becomes a single soul, the
country can’t go ahead; the attempt of empowering the girls can’t get
fulfilled.
Female’s education also plays a key role in
population control and decreases the involvement in illegal sex like
prostitution. Females who have been educated are likely to marry later and
possess small and happy family. Education helps females to pursue careers as
their choices and become financially strong which helps them to spend their
wealth for good purposes. When they become financially strong, they will not be
compelled to engage in third grade jobs. They do have equal respect and
responsibility in the society. Their voices will no more unheard or neglected.
So, let’s develop a country empowering females. Start with tiny attempts, say
“I” and “now”.
-zealsubedi@yahoo.com
