PERSPECTIVE
SR. D.J. MARGARET FMA
Rise Women in India! Claim Your Legitimate Freedom! “To be a free woman is to shrug off the dubious cloak of “protection” that patriarchy offers, which is its unique selling point for many women.” - Anonymous
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ike men, women have been created free (Gen 1: 27) and desire to live without unnecessary the intrusion of others. The desire and the demand of women for freedom is a natural and legitimate one. Freedom of women is not only a human right but is also an existential and an integral imperative responsibility of the society. The freedom of our country from the British rule has not guaranteed freedom, respect, dignity, and equality to women in India. They are not empowered sufficiently as they are unable to live safely and freely in an Independent country. For instance, when Indian laws and regulations fail to protect women from sexual harassment in public and private places, women’s empowerment is impaired and societal responsibility is dented. Women in India have not yet become aware of their own strength. They are struggling to claim their legitimate space in an independent India. Many women live in chains where patriarchy is deep-rooted, and they find themselves in a precarious predicament whether to rebel or to reconcile with the situation. Peace with patriarchy The Salesian Bulletin
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has been enforced on women through fear, violence, oppression and injustice. In this context, women need to realize that to be free women is to shrug off the dubious cloak of “protection” that patriarchy offer, which is its unique selling point for many women. Often these women have been deceived and have been coached through fear into fear. However, there are some daring women, in small-town India, who have shown remarkable resolve in standing up to patriarchy, whether it is in the form of smashing liquor bottles or beating up wife-beaters, demanding justice from the assaulters and dragging them to the cops. Women face an existential threat in free India wherein freedom for women means loss of security, safety, identity, equality, and justice. Women need to rise up from the oppressive tradition, culture, family and male domination that deprive them of their legitimate freedom at all level. On August 15th 2018, we will be celebrating the 71st day of independence to our Mother land India. We often refer India as our Mother country. Mother here refers to women of India. India being an Independent country, we need to raise a question whether women are really Independent or enjoy true freedom. The presence and contributions of some of the Indian women today in various sectors of the society might appear that Indian women are enjoying freedom. It might seem that they enjoy their August 15th every day in their life. But the majority of Indian women are still in the pre-Independence oppressive British era, not within the rule of British, but within the chains of Indian tradition, culture, family, male domination etc. It is good to recall here the words of Mahat-
AUGUST 2018