MIND SPACE (Reading for inspiration)

FEMALE INCLUSION

----- Bagampiriyal

Female inclusion a concept that goes beyond mere equality. It is the notion that all services, opportunities and establishments are open to all people and that male and female stereotypes do not define societal roles and expectations. Equal opportunities in education learning and acquiring knowledge is the most important need for women in today’s society. The home is the biggest breeding ground for gender inequality, after all woman are most likely to shoulder the burden of doing most of the care work at home ranging from cleaning to looking after children and the elderly, all the while ensuring that their health does not suffer. The balancing act will result in failure unless efforts are made to ensure a change in our behavioral patterns.

Let us take the example of Mala a woman who lives in a spacious apartment in Chennai with her two daughters and husband who is occupying a senior position in a MNC. The society looks at them as a perfect family. But with my close friendship with Mala I realized that she has been suffering from emotional abuse in intimate partner relationship. They own two flats both in her husband’s name solely and whenever she asks about his salary or bank balance he gets annoyed and puts her off. He provides everything whatever he feels right for the family. He takes them to places where he feels important and even holiday destination and trips are solely decided by him without any consent of his wife and children. Mala is a woman with a set of values and even though she is a graduate and from an upper middle class family she lacks awareness concerning the parameters of a healthy relationship. For Mala, experiencing emotional abuse and isolating tactics applied by her own husband is not too big a cost to bear for the benefits of the relationship and future of her children. Economic dependency on her husband and inability to stand alone in the society with the children leaves to accept her fate and quietly suffer.

There are many Indian woman like mala who suffer in their households due to their circumstances and lack of awareness. It is the duty of parents to educate children on parameters of healthy relationship. Emotional abuse can include verbal assault, dominance, isolation ridicule and degradation both in public and private. However the law recognizes physical and sexual violence as crimes against individual but not emotional abuse. It is very important for a progressive society to consider the physical and mental well-being of women. The concept of female inclusion should begin in each and every Indian household opinion of women should be considered in all decision take in a family may it be a holiday plan or buying a house. We cannot talk about female inclusion at a broader level when it does not happen in every household. Change it only a thought away. Be the change you see.