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by Rajen Kumar
No Escaping Social Media
Running a magazine concentrating on issues of small and medium enterprises and managing with limited resources is a like living life on the edge. In this rush of meeting deadlines,...
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Apr 2012EMRC, Brussels Associates with SME WORLD as its New Media Partner
EMRC has promoted business partnerships with the developing world and has organised dozens of business forums in key decision-making cities, such as Amsterdam, Rome,...
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Special Reports
Gendered For Injustice….??
Manisha Gupta
Nov 2010
Nov 2010
Justice if delayed is denied, as in our country. So while the likes of Kasab, living happily and 'fattily', fed on Butter-Chicken, celebrate a third anniversary this 26.11, others can just go on!
But is justice only done in courts and injustice only inflicted by wrongdoers? And does justice require expensive litigation? An emphatic No! Justice can also be delivered without hammering the judge's mallet, simply by changing mindsets. Especially in case of women.
How many of you think women get the justice they deserve? And how many times do you think, the injustice is meted out by the opposite sex? You know we have a tendency to cling to the same explanations for everything. It's a man's world. Ya, ya! But do we ever think deeply, if that's really so?
While training one of the batches of artisans and entrepreneurs, I came across the difficulties and hurdles a woman craftsperson has to face. All other roadblocks being identical, it does make a difference if you happen to be one from the wrong gender. Whatever people may say, irrespective of what's projected by the media, being a woman itself is a challenging task, to survive, a more daunting one. But to be successful is one haunting challenge that women have to really grapple with.
Race of Life
We talk of women empowerment, upliftment and gender equality. But aren't most of these only good things broadcasted everywhere but followed nowhere. When I asked one of the women in the batch why it took her so long to come out and think of doing something she's always wanted to, why she couldn't come for a training earlier so that she already would have set up the business she's been wanting to, guess what she told me. “hamein ghar se bahar nahin nikalne dete hain. Ab aap hi bataiye, bina bahar jaye ham training ya business kaise kar sakte hain?” I had no answer. But sure did have another question. Good I asked that! For, otherwise I would have come out of the class thinking –why do men do this? Why should they not support women willing to run the race of life and succeed? Just why?
Her answer to my “who prevents you from coming out of the house?” shocked me. “hamari saas”. And I had almost prepared a “gender bias” presentation to be shot off to all the men in the world. Here was one woman who had talent, skill, acumen and the will to do something of her own, to stand on her own and to add on to the family income and she was being prevented by another woman, her own mother-in-law? One who herself was a talented weaver and could have in fact partnered with the daughter-in-law for the betterment of the entire family. But she was not even willing to let the younger woman step out of the house. What a pity and waste of dual talent!
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3 Comments >>
Mahaley
07 Aug 2011 (12:05:53)
I cannot tell a lie, that rlaley helped.
Ducky
05 Aug 2011 (19:31:54)
Gee wiillkers, that's such a great post!
ATULYA
16 Nov 2010 (23:12:47)
A very good article. Everybody broadcasts women empowerment but nobody follows it. I strongly believe that women should break free and do whatever they want to. They shouldn’t be scared of anyone.
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