International Women’s Day, which is being celebrated today, is another reminder that a lot needs to be done for gender equality.
The gender disparity has meant that women continue to remain lesser citizens, deprived of opportunities.
Though a lot has changed for the better, women remain victims of the patriarchy system, and therefore invisible in many spheres.
Many jobs are still out of reach for them, and with institutions refusing to make it easier for women, many are forced to leave their jobs. Such institutional discrimination needs to be stopped. Here everyone must intervene to ensure that there is no gender-based discrimination. The onus is on all to ensure that women have equal rights and have access to all the opportunities, at public as well as private spaces.
Only with collective effort can we hope for a future that is just and equal for all. The first step is to acknowledge that all are equal.
The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Choose to challenge’. It is time to challenge the unseen barricades that have been put up everywhere to stop women from being equal citizens.