Nandita Das shoots for Onir’s I Am Afia at a city hotel. (Aranya Sen)
Sadly, we do. In an ideal world there is no need for a Women’s Day. But when the opportunities, rights and spaces are constricted for half the population, a reminder of that is necessary.
Sadly the “day” phenomena get reduced to tokenism and everybody, including the media, focuses on that particular issue only around the “day”. But we can’t afford to be cynical as it undermines even the little that is happening.
I am an eternal optimist and so I think it is good that at least around March 8 every year people are forced to focus on much-neglected issues.
At least once a year, the media does bring out interesting stories of the trials and tribulations of women and also opens up the public space for debate and churning of ideas.
It is not strange any more that when we generalise about things these days, we forget the larger chunk of the population that doesn’t occupy our little world. Stories on rural issues are decreasing in every paper and on every channel, unless there is something sensational to report.
I have often heard the urban upper class, men in particular, say that in today’s time the women are not only equal to men but are often more privileged, so what are they going on about women’s rights? Are we here only talking about the less than 2 per cent women who enjoy that space and are not treated differently?
From my own experience I can say that, while I am part of that privileged minority, I too have to negotiate through the deep-rooted conditioning and attitudes. We can’t wish away the startling sex ratio. Even the right to life of a girl child is threatened.
In a land of paradoxes, there will always be stories of strength and empowerment and that is cause for celebration, but as long as we don’t forget the millions of those who are still struggling for basic human rights.
And till such time, Women’s Day will continue to be relevant.
