International Women's Day : Unpalatable double standard
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 09 2016 -

Respect women. This was President Pranab Mukherjee in his address to the Nation on the eve of International Women’s Day on March 7.

The crux of the message is understood and appreciated and herein arises the question of why a call needs to be rung out to respect women.

Isn’t this a tacit admission that women are not accorded the respect they deserve in society ?

While the message was a call to respect women this is also the opportune time to acknowledge that for too long women have not been accorded their rightful place in society.

Forget about the world or even the country, but talk about Manipur.

A place which gave the world the two Nupi Lans, the Meira Paibi movement and Irom Sharmila and the natural question that arises is whether the examples cited are just stereotypes.

The Sangai Express does not have the record, but worthwhile to remember that it was on the eve of the International Women’s Day that a large number of womenfolk tried to storm the CM’s bungalow to demand the arrest of the suspects behind the murder of a housewife some time last week at Thoubal.

Moreover it was on the eve of this day that the Joint Action Committee and family members of the 6 years old child who was raped and later died at RIMS decided to claim the mortal remains of the child.

Two cases may not exactly paint the position of women in society, but these examples should be enough indication that women and the girl child are not safe.

Crime against women and the girl child may not be unique to Manipur, but when these cases occur in a place which gave the Meira Paibi movement to the world, then it is time for a reality check.

The Sangai Express has said this many times and will continue to repeat this point so long as women and the girl child continue to be at the receiving end.

And the despicable practise will go on as long as society continues with its double standard.

This should explain why women are placed on a pedestal in the public sphere but are reduced to punching bags within the four walls of their own homes.

This should explain why eve teasing is accepted as part of the growing up phase of a boy.

This again should explain why the birth of a son is always preferred over the birth of a daughter.

It is the mindset that needs to be addressed to on a priority basis.

The lesson has to start from within one’s home.

This will make the observation of a day such as the International Women’s Day all that more meaningful.

On the other hand, society as a whole should acknowledge that while women continue to be placed on the pedestal in the public sphere they continue to be a hammered lot within the four walls of their homes.

This is a shame.