“For a working woman, protesting is no longer the right approach when the mindset of a patriarchal society takes the form of expectations from her loved ones. Today, men and women are both working from home but, more often than not it is the women who are managing the household. The challenge for women is now even greater due to pandemic. I believe equal pay at work is one aspect but, it is the equal share of household responsibilities that can allow women to have equal time to work. Women must remain resilient and patiently challenge this patriarchal mindset”.
Shreya Jayateerth Joshi, Senior Engineer, Samsung Semiconductor India, R&D (Alumna of IIIT Bangalore)
“No doubt, the society is evolving to treat women with respect and grace but not in full margin though. Still we hear many instances of women being exploited. The fight is still on. My appeal to my own kind is that, rise and rise for your own good, for the betterment of your future generation and to show them that you are also equally worthy to enjoy all the freedom and rights for yourself. It is time that we empower ourselves, and empower the entire Womanhood. Be educated and be aware.”
Dr. Neha Arora, Sports Officer, IIIT Bangalore
“Women only have been afforded fewer rights than their male counterparts. They have to work harder to realize their rights in practice. Viewing women’s rights as human rights has been fundamental in the struggle to ensure that women are treated fairly. Equality between men and women is one of the most fundamental guarantees of human rights. I also believe in the saying, ‘If you educate a woman, you educate a family, if you educate a girl, you ensure a prosperous future“.
Vedavalli, Executive Secretary to the Director, IIIT Bangalore
“Even before we raise the issue of equality, women have already proven that they are on par with men in sharing responsibilities. Balancing work and family is both a female and male issue. There is no definition of what it means to be a girl. What a man can do, a woman can do, too. It is time for everyone to accept, acknowledge and being respectful towards women.”
Madhavi, Housekeeping Staff, IIIT Bangalore
“It is very sad that even in the 21st century, many parts of society believe that a woman is incapable of managing family without man’s support. For the last 12 years, I have been a care giver to my ailing husband, raising two kids and support the entire family, financially and morally. Yes, it is very challenging yet, I choose to challenge rather than depending on my relatives. I am leading a happy and independent life”.
Amaravathi, Housekeeping Staff, IIIT Bangalore
“I am fortunate to grow up in a family that gives equal prominence to both the gender. Our country needs talent and creative ability to stay competitive globally, and hence educating every individual without any gender bias is very important. When women are encouraged to do what they love, their participation in the workforce will rise significantly over time. My advice to women would be to choose the road less traveled and the road she would love to travel.”
Nupur Banerjee, MTech (Computer Science) Student, IIIT Bangalore
“Women’s Day is celebrated only in urban areas. It is seldom celebrated in rural areas and women in these regions are deprived of even basic human rights. In a society where men control the destiny of women, how is it possible to empower women? The realities of rural life in India are difficult to comprehend. While a minority of people in major cities have benefited from the information revolution of the recent past, discrimination between sons and daughters still prevail in villages. We should take this up as a challenge to raise social awareness and end this discrimination.”
