Why women matter

Matters surrounding women: their safety, their existence, their identity, their prosperity, everything about them is an all-season ever-valid matter of debate and discussion. As much as this intellectual indulgence garners serious attention, there is little change we actually see on ground. Be it reservation for women in legislative bodies or their education or even the food they are provided to eat (or allowed to procure), the matter of women upliftment and gender sensitisation never go out of discourse. The representatives of people in positions of power put the matter of women on the backburner. But in a recent survey conducted extensively for young voters, the safety of women is the paramount issue for first-time voters. With the phenomenal advent of social media and the multitude of information from myriad corners of the country that are brought forth rather easily, awareness among young people of general things is nearly a given.

While on one hand, there is patriarchy and all its resultant shortfalls, there is also a considerable section of well-informed and aware youth that realise the gravity of the pervading social malady. The Nirbhaya incident of December 2012 saw a massive public outrage against the precarious state of women in general and the appalling extent of laxity of security for them. The outrageous idea that it is the responsibility of women to safeguard themselves from being violated seems to have lessening takers now. There is growing awareness among young people, both men and women, that a female is an individual before everything else and deserves to be respected because of that. Even before a female is born, a pregnant woman mirrors the society she belongs to, whether conservative, ignorant or poor, or destitute, malnourished, well-fed, well-clothed, well-informed, and well-educated. The increasing awareness of these things will pave the way for a better and safer society for not just women and girls, but healthy and good individuals that will nurture humanity and the values that will bring about a progressive society. It is time we understand and acknowledge that women issues are everyone's issues. And addressing and resolving these persisting issues will contribute to the well-being of everyone and the society as a whole.