THINK FOR HER  

       Malsawm Kipgen           

                                                     

According to Bible, God made Adam (first man on earth) after He created Heaven and Earth, and all animal kingdoms, to rule over them. He saw His creation and was happy. However, He saw one void in His creation. He saw Adam was lonely. Therefore, He created Eve to be Adam’s companion. Both were under the same law of the God. The Bible clearly states that Eve was created for Adam’s companion and she was not his subordination. None was greater than another was.

J.S Mill, the political thinker who perceived Utilitarian Principle and the champion of women cause, rightly said that disparity between men and women prevailed because of men interested in women’s subordination. Mill claimed that since all women were brought up from childhood to believe- “that their ideal of character is the very opposite to that of men; not self-will, and government by self-control, but submission and yielding to the control of others.” Mill’s referent for the legal subordination of women was the mid 19^th Century English law of the marriage contract. By this law, married Englishwomen could hold no property in their own name, and even if their parents gifted them any property that too belonged to their husbands. Unless a woman was legally separated from her husband, (a difficult and expensive process) even if she lived away from him, her earnings belonged officially to him. By law, only the father and not the mother was the guardian of a couple’s children. Mill also cited the absence of laws on marital rape to prove the inequality suffered by the Englishwomen of that time. Another ardent supporter of the rights of women, Feminism, ascribes women subordination to ‘patriarchal system of society’. It is a system of social structures and practices through which men dominate and exploit women. It is present in different institutions and structures from family to state to international relations.

Feminist scholars show that power relations are organized based on gender. The unequal struggle for power through history, where men established control led to the subordination of women because of their reproductive role. A socially constructed masculine experience is shown to be a universal experience and imposed on women and society as a whole. This preserves male privilege and reinforces social practices in the private and public spheres. Feminists see war not just as the impact on women approach, but as a system where the gender stereotypes are re-enforced and gender relations restructured. Women are concerned with war because women and children are victims of policies that they did not plan or execute. It is men who participate in and define public life, and take decisions about war and militarization. Even today, there are less than ten percent of women in most parliaments. In the Vietnam War, which devastated eighty percent of the vegetation, studies showed that it was the peasant women who bore the burden of finding wood for fuel and growing food. So feminist in International Relations do not argue for women’s equal rights to be part of the military or for the right to dominate. But they want the right to speak for peace and be in position where they can put this point of view.

The year that follows India’s independence, the status of Indian women was no better. The then government of Free India passed several Acts such as the Widow Remarriage Act, the Special Marriage Act (1954), the Hindu Succession Act (1956), the Hindu Marriage Act (1955), and the Dowry Prohibition Act etc to empower Indian women. The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 (Act No. 20 of 1990 of Govt. of India) to : (1)Review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women; (2)Facilitate redressal of grievances; and (3)Advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women. In theory, all these Acts look appealing, but when it comes to practice nothing-concrete result is visible. Still, Indian women reeled under the impact of rigid Hindu cultural tradition and its unwanted dowry system. The status of Christian or Muslim women in India is no better.

In our society, how far has the equal status between different sexes is visible? Though we believe and somehow true that the status of Manipur women is far better than the rest of Indian women, there are instances where parent prefers to have male child than female one. If a son came late, the reason is demanded and if the reason is not logical, he is taught and excused him. But if a daughter came late, the parent would immediately throw an inconsiderate words without finding facts. This small thing brings a psychosomatic effect to the young women. I never like the fact that some parents ordered their daughters to stay indoor most of the time. No doubt, staying indoors has some advantages, as she would not listen to the useless gossip of her friends. She would learn culture, manner, develop the art of running family and others.

We should not forget that when women met, they not only gossip, they also discussed important issues pertaining to society and future career. Being together teaches them the importance of coordination. It trains them to be tough in order to survive in this male dominated world.  Sharing their thoughts heartens them.

Most of the time it is found that daughter is found far better than son. From a very tender age, she does household things thus easing her mother burden. Before marriage, she provides a financial support to the family as working women. Even after marriage, she has innumerable concerned for her family unlike son.

Why cant we have a vibrant women IPS officer amidst our society? Are we stopping our beloved because we do not have faith in her to endure such mannish job? or does our society not sanction a women to do such job that are considered a men job?

Dear parents, give her more space and encouragement, and the support she needs to overcome doubts.