Release of Report ‘Understanding Gender Equality in India’

On the occasion of its 20th anniversary and International Women’s Day, the National Commission for Women organized a half day event to release the report Understanding Gender Equality in India 2012, a study of secondary literature from a variety of sources, in collaboration with UN Women. It was also an occasion to felicitate women achievers from different backgrounds. It was indeed humbling to hear a stalwart of the women’s movement in India, Veena Mazumdar, saying that she had not done anything exceptional in putting together India’s first report on the status of women and that it was due to the efforts of many social scientists, researchers and political leaders that the report Towards Equality became a reality. It was moving to see an aspiring young woman lawyer in a wheelchair from Haryana, fighting odds of poverty and existing social norms, thanking her parents for having supported her thus far; a young Muslim woman from Uttar Pradesh fighting public harassment despite death threats; an 85 year old Gujarati woman journalist, the first to have access to the inner spaces of the Parliament, who used to report in purdah; a woman lawyer of the same age defiant as ever that change has to be brought about by women themselves. Women of exceptional mental strength, determination and courage – a true celebration of the indomitable spirit of womanhood!

On a lighter note, the event was also an opportunity to see a variety of beautiful saris of all colours and designs. Vidya Balan, the film personality, has been the subject of many a columns on her choice of the sari as the attire for award functions. The fashion fraternity claims that it could be one of the outfits in her wardrobe but not the only one! At this event, I was reminded that for many women across the country, it still may be the only outfit in their wardrobes. Yes, modernity, mobility and availability have surely redefined the dressing sense of Indian women. But does it really have to be either/or? Why not all and each to her own, as and when?