Sustainable Development is necessary for every nation in the world, and conscious measures are taken both in economic & environmental aspects to achieve that. Many of the social aspects remain unattended. Recent studies show that an estimated 736 million women- almost one out of three women have been subjected to physical and sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, as beth at least once in their life*(1).
Yet less than 40% of these women seek help of any sort*(2). Child marriage is still prevalent in various countries. School-related, gender-based violence is a significant obstacle to universal schooling and the right to education for girls. Many more crimes are happening around such as Trafficking of women, cyber-bullying, workplace harassment, rapes, murders, domestic violence, unequal pay, sexist remarks in the workplace, emotional abuse, and female genital mutilation, and the list keeps getting worse. Women are unsafe even in public transport even though there are huge crowds.
We say that a woman is free to cross the threshold and follow her dreams but we fail to see the obstacles standing at her every step. No matter what we do or wear, we women have always been living- under someone's control and in fear of something or the other.
The law cannot compel people to change the way they think. The law can't make people look at the victim as a victim rather than a perpetrator. It can't change how people look at women. But can we consciously make efforts to ensure that she can live the life she deserves?
Of course, it is taking time to change society’s mindset, I mean we are talking about changing the world. But till that happens, the least we can do is we can encourage law enforcement institutions around the world to take more uncompromising actions against this issue. The law certainly does have the power to condemn the perpetrators and the State too has the authority to make enough provisions for the law to do so.
We say that all of us are the same while trying to preserve and conserve even the tiniest micro-organisms threatened due to our actions. Can we try to stand up for our species which is threatened every day by even our thoughts?
*(1) &*(2): https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women
Violence against Women. 9th March 2021
- Tanushri Nirmal
Kaveri College, Pune
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