<p>Indian-origin Anita Bhatia, a veteran in strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation and management, has been appointed by<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/guterres-honours-indian-police-officer-posthumously-for-contribution-to-un-peacekeeping-by-yoshita-singh-221548"> UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres</a> as the Deputy Executive Director in the global body's agency focused on women empowerment and gender equality.</p>

<p>Bhatia holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Calcutta University, a Master of Arts in Political Science from Yale University and a Juris Doctor in Law from Georgetown University.</p>

<p>She has been appointed the Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) for Resource Management, Sustainability and Partnerships, a statement from the UN Spokesperson's Office and UN Women said Thursday.</p>

<p>She has had a distinguished career at the World Bank Group, serving in various senior leadership and management positions, both at the headquarters and in the field.<br />
Bhatia brings extensive experience in the area of strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation and management.</p>

<p>Veteran Indian diplomat and a gender equality champion Lakshmi Puri had previously served as the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women.</p>

<p>Bhatia served for several years as Director of Global Partnerships for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group's private sector arm.</p>

<p>She developed and expanded innovative partnerships with public and private sector partners to support IFC strategy in key areas, including fragile and conflict-affected states, gender equality, financial inclusion, support to women-owned businesses and other priorities critical to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.</p>

<p>In addition, Bhatia has served as Director of Development Partner Relations for the World Bank, leading efforts to ensure strategic alignment between institutional priorities and resource mobilisation across the group.</p>

<p>In various positions, she focused on enhancing sustainability, institutional effectiveness and impact through strategic partnerships. As Head of IFC's Latin America Advisory Operations, based in Lima and La Paz, she successfully grew the Corporation's reach and impact in the region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As Director of Partnerships and Advisory Operations, she oversaw financial management, risk management, portfolio management, knowledge management and learning for Advisory Services across the globe.</p>

<p>Bhatia has led diverse teams, including as Global Head of Knowledge Management, Head of Business Process Improvement and Head of Change Management. In addition to Latin America, she has worked in Africa, Europe, Central Asia and South and East Asia.</p>

<p>The key appointment comes less than a week after Guterres appointed decorated Indian Army officer Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar as his new Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan.</p>


Indian-origin Anita Bhatia, a veteran in strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation and management, has been appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as the Deputy Executive Director in the global body's agency focused on women empowerment and gender equality.

Indian-origin Anita Bhatia, a veteran in strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation and management, has been appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as the Deputy Executive Director in the global body's agency focused on women empowerment and gender equality. Bhatia holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Calcutta University, a Master of Arts in Political Science from Yale University and a Juris Doctor in Law from Georgetown University. She has been appointed the Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) for Resource Management, Sustainability and Partnerships, a statement from the UN Spokesperson's Office and UN Women said Thursday. She has had a distinguished career at the World Bank Group, serving in various senior leadership and management positions, both at the headquarters and in the field. Bhatia brings extensive experience in the area of strategic partnerships, resource mobilisation and management. Veteran Indian diplomat and a gender equality champion Lakshmi Puri had previously served as the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women. Bhatia served for several years as Director of Global Partnerships for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group's private sector arm. She developed and expanded innovative partnerships with public and private sector partners to support IFC strategy in key areas, including fragile and conflict-affected states, gender equality, financial inclusion, support to women-owned businesses and other priorities critical to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, Bhatia has served as Director of Development Partner Relations for the World Bank, leading efforts to ensure strategic alignment between institutional priorities and resource mobilisation across the group. In various positions, she focused on enhancing sustainability, institutional effectiveness and impact through strategic partnerships. As Head of IFC's Latin America Advisory Operations, based in Lima and La Paz, she successfully grew the Corporation's reach and impact in the region. As Director of Partnerships and Advisory Operations, she oversaw financial management, risk management, portfolio management, knowledge management and learning for Advisory Services across the globe. Bhatia has led diverse teams, including as Global Head of Knowledge Management, Head of Business Process Improvement and Head of Change Management. In addition to Latin America, she has worked in Africa, Europe, Central Asia and South and East Asia. The key appointment comes less than a week after Guterres appointed decorated Indian Army officer Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar as his new Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan.

Indian-origin Anita Bhatia appointed UN's deputy executive director

<p>On February 20, WION held its first ever Global Summit, “Unleashing the Power of South Asia” in Dubai, UAE. At the event, influencers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Maldives, UAE, USA and India, came together to provide suggestions to improve regional relations. As a guest speaker, I was fortunate to speak about ‘Women in South Asia: Are we caught between Tradition and Modernity?’ Afghanistan plays a significant role in the success or failure of women in South Asia, so I focused on Afghan women. &nbsp;</p>

<p>I began my speech with a historical story that has resonated with me since childhood: The July 1879 Second Afghan Anglo War. British forces of the 66th regiment, equipped with modern machinery, encountered Afghan troops under the command of Ghazi Ayub Khan at Maiwand region of Qandahar province. As the fighting intensified, the Afghans were at the bottom of Maiwand mountain holding on to their swords, as the British came down the mountain on high morale assured by their modern weaponry advantage. As the British advanced to the Afghan position, several Afghan fighters were killed and many others were injured. At that moment, Commander Ayub Khan didn’t know what course of action to take. Amongst the ranks of the Afghans were many women - to help the wounded. Malalai, a daughter of a shepherd from a local tribe, watched as her father and her fiancé battled on. As the situation dramatically worsened when the Afghan flag bearer was killed, Malalai appeared on the battlefield, removing her veil, shouting "Young love, if you do not fall in the battle of Maiwand, someone is saving you as a symbol of shame." This battle cry gave the Afghan warriors new resolve and their efforts redoubled. Her leadership drove the Afghans to victory. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Malalai of Maiwand is a legendary icon of bravery. There are many Malalai amongst us in the modern era, ready to be recognised. In my speech, I highlighted important Afghan women in countering violent extremism and tech, noting that women are in a constant process of modernisation. Afghan women have become change agents in Afghanistan, modernising what it means to be an Afghan woman while maintaining Afghan traditions. We believe that educating and strengthening a female translates to building the family unit. That is why, in honour of Women’s month, I wanted to shed light on a few influential Afghan women who deserve recognition.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These four Afghan female figures have influenced not only Afghan women but women all over the world. <strong>Mariam Atash </strong>is a member of the International Association of Women; US-Afghan Women’s Council; American Women for International Understanding; Virginia and California State Bar Association, entrepreneur, mother and a mentor. She is passionate and outspoken about women’s empowerment. From writing to advocating on major news stations, radio stations and speaking events, she wants to help identify paths to better the lives of women and ultimately improve society as a whole. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
<img alt="Mariam" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5ed3973b-6f24-42af-80d0-6afdb0b9bfee" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/thumbnail_Mariam%20Atash.jpg" /></p>

<p><em><strong>Picture Courtesy - Mariam Wardak</strong></em></p>

<p>The second is a&nbsp;television artist, <strong>Munaza Shaheed</strong>. Munaza is becoming a household name in South Asia with her strong and confident Pashto literacy skills. Munaza’s most indelible contribution to broadcasting has to be her interviews that bring attention&nbsp;to the new issues and people, particularly stories of women.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<img alt="Munaza" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="78df201e-70a7-4f3f-b9d2-0d8a7a18db9f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/munaza.jpg" /></p>

<p><em><strong>Picture Courtesy: Mariam Wardak</strong></em></p>

<p><strong>Sana Safi </strong>is an Afghan broadcast journalist, currently working for the BBC World Service. Sana’s impact as a presenter for BBC Pashto’s TV show made local, regional and international news. Aside from her journalistic skills, she is known for her fictional writing, mainly short stories. Sana provides phenomenal commentary on her Twitter platform, where she constantly encourages, highlights and motivates women from all communities, races and ethnicities. Sana is a global role model. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
<img alt="Sana" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="52d7ff4c-65b8-4827-861e-68374097ec3d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/sana.jpg" /></p>

<p><em><strong>Picture Courtesy: Mariam Wardak</strong></em></p>

<p>After the Soviet invasion, the strong stories of Afghan women were rarely told as the focus turned to war. The rise of the Afghan Mujahideen, a term for one engaged in Jihad (literally, ‘struggle’), was coined by their spokeswoman, <strong>Fatima Gailani</strong>, a living embodiment of empowerment. Fatima Gailani obtained her BA and MA degree in Persian Literature and Sufism and another MA in Islamic Studies. Intelligent and articulate, the Afghan aristocrat played a vital role in drawing the world's attention to the events taking place in her country. She attended the Bonne Conference on Afghanistan. After her return to Afghanistan, she was chosen as a delegate to the Emergency Loya Jirga – Grand Council and appointed as a constitution drafting and ratifying commissioner. Following her decorated political career, she joined the Afghan Red Crescent to follow her passion, making a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable in her country and around the world. Today, Fatima Gailani is the head of the Gulf Cooperation Council Cluster on behalf of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent and is a leading Afghan humanitarian. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
<img alt="Fatima" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="37c655e0-565b-4354-9317-668bd37b2b11" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Fatima%20Gailani.jpg" /></p>

<p><em><strong>Picture Courtesy: Mariam Wardak&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p>I find the below passage a fitting choice for the circumstances of Afghan women today:&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and though&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><em>We are not now that strength which in old days&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><em>Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><em>One equal temper of heroic hearts,&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><em>Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><em>To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.&nbsp;</em></p>

<p>This passage demonstrates the past holds no bearing on the future. The women of Afghanistan are strong in will and determination, and shall push past historic barriers to redefine what it means to be an Afghan woman. These four women are strong examples of female empowerment, as they seek to improve and strengthen women in every society. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)</em></p>


On February 20, WION held its first ever Global Summit, “Unleashing the Power of South Asia” in Dubai, UAE. At the event, influencers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Maldives, UAE, USA and India, came together to provide suggestions to improve regional relations.

On February 20, WION held its first ever Global Summit, “Unleashing the Power of South Asia” in Dubai, UAE. At the event, influencers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Maldives, UAE, USA and India, came together to provide suggestions to improve regional relations. As a guest speaker, I was fortunate to speak about ‘Women in South Asia: Are we caught between Tradition and Modernity?’ Afghanistan plays a significant role in the success or failure of women in South Asia, so I focused on Afghan women. I began my speech with a historical story that has resonated with me since childhood: The July 1879 Second Afghan Anglo War. British forces of the 66th regiment, equipped with modern machinery, encountered Afghan troops under the command of Ghazi Ayub Khan at Maiwand region of Qandahar province. As the fighting intensified, the Afghans were at the bottom of Maiwand mountain holding on to their swords, as the British came down the mountain on high morale assured by their modern weaponry advantage. As the British advanced to the Afghan position, several Afghan fighters were killed and many others were injured. At that moment, Commander Ayub Khan didn’t know what course of action to take. Amongst the ranks of the Afghans were many women - to help the wounded. Malalai, a daughter of a shepherd from a local tribe, watched as her father and her fiancé battled on. As the situation dramatically worsened when the Afghan flag bearer was killed, Malalai appeared on the battlefield, removing her veil, shouting "Young love, if you do not fall in the battle of Maiwand, someone is saving you as a symbol of shame." This battle cry gave the Afghan warriors new resolve and their efforts redoubled. Her leadership drove the Afghans to victory. Malalai of Maiwand is a legendary icon of bravery. There are many Malalai amongst us in the modern era, ready to be recognised. In my speech, I highlighted important Afghan women in countering violent extremism and tech, noting that women are in a constant process of modernisation. Afghan women have become change agents in Afghanistan, modernising what it means to be an Afghan woman while maintaining Afghan traditions. We believe that educating and strengthening a female translates to building the family unit. That is why, in honour of Women’s month, I wanted to shed light on a few influential Afghan women who deserve recognition. These four Afghan female figures have influenced not only Afghan women but women all over the world. Mariam Atash is a member of the International Association of Women; US-Afghan Women’s Council; American Women for International Understanding; Virginia and California State Bar Association, entrepreneur, mother and a mentor. She is passionate and outspoken about women’s empowerment. From writing to advocating on major news stations, radio stations and speaking events, she wants to help identify paths to better the lives of women and ultimately improve society as a whole. Picture Courtesy - Mariam Wardak The second is a television artist, Munaza Shaheed. Munaza is becoming a household name in South Asia with her strong and confident Pashto literacy skills. Munaza’s most indelible contribution to broadcasting has to be her interviews that bring attention to the new issues and people, particularly stories of women. Picture Courtesy: Mariam Wardak Sana Safi is an Afghan broadcast journalist, currently working for the BBC World Service. Sana’s impact as a presenter for BBC Pashto’s TV show made local, regional and international news. Aside from her journalistic skills, she is known for her fictional writing, mainly short stories. Sana provides phenomenal commentary on her Twitter platform, where she constantly encourages, highlights and motivates women from all communities, races and ethnicities. Sana is a global role model. Picture Courtesy: Mariam Wardak After the Soviet invasion, the strong stories of Afghan women were rarely told as the focus turned to war. The rise of the Afghan Mujahideen, a term for one engaged in Jihad (literally, ‘struggle’), was coined by their spokeswoman, Fatima Gailani, a living embodiment of empowerment. Fatima Gailani obtained her BA and MA degree in Persian Literature and Sufism and another MA in Islamic Studies. Intelligent and articulate, the Afghan aristocrat played a vital role in drawing the world's attention to the events taking place in her country. She attended the Bonne Conference on Afghanistan. After her return to Afghanistan, she was chosen as a delegate to the Emergency Loya Jirga – Grand Council and appointed as a constitution drafting and ratifying commissioner. Following her decorated political career, she joined the Afghan Red Crescent to follow her passion, making a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable in her country and around the world. Today, Fatima Gailani is the head of the Gulf Cooperation Council Cluster on behalf of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent and is a leading Afghan humanitarian. Picture Courtesy: Mariam Wardak I find the below passage a fitting choice for the circumstances of Afghan women today: Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and though We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. This passage demonstrates the past holds no bearing on the future. The women of Afghanistan are strong in will and determination, and shall push past historic barriers to redefine what it means to be an Afghan woman. These four women are strong examples of female empowerment, as they seek to improve and strengthen women in every society. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Here's how Afghan women are trying to empower others in society

<p>“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” noted French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir famously, in her classic book, The Second Sex (1949).</p>

<p>The world is celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8 with great pomp and show. Yet, 70 years after Simone’s pithy observations, things have not changed much. It is not merely gender equality, but something beyond that is needed to negate the thoughts expressed by the great French philosopher.</p>

<p>In the case of a woman, her birth itself is less than welcome. The love for a son is overwhelming because it is he who takes care of his parents and it is the son who will perform the last rights. Daughter is a <em>paraya</em><em> </em><em>dhan</em> (stranger’s property), whose wedding would make the family poorer and smaller.</p>

<p>Considering the fall in sex ratio, laws have been enacted and progressive policies of the central government, like “Beti Bachao Beti Padao” (save the daughter, educate the daughter) have been introduced.</p>

<p>Still, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund, up to five crore girls and women are ‘missing’ from India’s population because of termination of the female foetus and high mortality of the girl child due to lack of adequate care.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Data collected by the Office of Registrar General of India from the Civil Registration System (CRS), reveals that in 2016, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan had the worst sex ratio at birth (SRB) of 806. Tamil Nadu, which had sex ratio of 935 in 2007, came down to 840 compared to the all India figure of 877. Karnataka has an SRB of 983, which has declined by 108 marks in comparison with the survey conducted in 2007 when it stood at 1,004.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite the rise in literacy, the sex ratio has not improved, says the first phase of the National Family Health Survey — 2015-16 (NFHS 4). As a matter of fact, the sex ratio in many states has significantly decreased despite a corresponding rise in the literacy rate.</p>

<p>It begs the question: Is the supposed disadvantage of a girl child an actual disadvantage, or is it based on societal perceptions?&nbsp;</p>

<p>Perception about women is not just a matter of chance. It has been deliberately built up because of their patriarchal status — &nbsp;how she has to dress, what to study, where to study and whom to marry — are all decided by men.So the biological condition of women, per se, is not a handicap. It is her strength and a special feature. Her unique feminine features, her sex organs, menstruation, pregnancy and her menopause are not just important but are the epicentre of the entire family system.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Still, the accepted reality is that these features are a burden. A menstruating woman is not supposed to participate in routine and religious affairs, as she is considered impure. Menstruation is used as a tool to make women feel inferior about herself and her body.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, it is the perception that counts. If we feel bad about a thing, it becomes a bad thing; if we feel good about it, it becomes a good thing.</p>

<p>Despite the handicaps, some women have started recognising their true potential, questioning the rules laid down for them by society. They are breaking barriers and have earned a respectable position in society. Indian women are excelling in every field of life, profession or business. Progress is taking place, but it is slow. At some points, the gaps are big and visible.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite the rise in literacy levels, the number of working women is on the decline. As per the World Economic Forum survey on gender gap index (2017), India is ranked 108 out of 144. In the gender inequality index — UNDP (2017), India stands at the 127th position out of 183.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the National Family Health Survey — 2015-16, working women have declined from 36 per cent in 2005-06 to 24 per cent in 2015-16. &nbsp;</p>

<p>There are more figures. Niti Aayog-SDG India Index - 2018, puts women labour force participation rate at 32 per cent of the total labour force. Women in leadership roles has been pegged at 8.7 per cent in state legislative assemblies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a 2015 study by think tank McKinsey Global Institute, currently, women contribute a mere 17 per cent to India’s GDP, well below the global average of 37 per cent. If women participated in the economy at par with men, India could increase its GDP by up to 60 per cent or $2.9 trillion by 2025. &nbsp;</p>

<p>On International Women’s Day, there is a pressing need for gender-focused structural reforms to increase women’s contribution to productivity and growth.</p>

<p>Improved advancement practices alone can pitch talented women into leadership and managerial roles. There is a need to travel beyond gender equality; empowering of half of the potential workforce has significant growth benefits that go beyond gender equality. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Empowering women can become a reality only when running a family is not her exclusive and sole responsibility. In order to make families, societies and countries prosperous, both men and women will have to share the responsibility jointly. This alone will ensure better participation of women in work.</p>

<p><em>(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-quite-clearly-the-second-sex-2727363">original article)</a></em></p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)</em></p>


“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” noted French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir famously, in her classic book, The Second Sex (1949). The world is celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8 with great pomp and show.

“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” noted French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir famously, in her classic book, The Second Sex (1949). The world is celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8 with great pomp and show. Yet, 70 years after Simone’s pithy observations, things have not changed much. It is not merely gender equality, but something beyond that is needed to negate the thoughts expressed by the great French philosopher. In the case of a woman, her birth itself is less than welcome. The love for a son is overwhelming because it is he who takes care of his parents and it is the son who will perform the last rights. Daughter is a paraya dhan (stranger’s property), whose wedding would make the family poorer and smaller. Considering the fall in sex ratio, laws have been enacted and progressive policies of the central government, like “Beti Bachao Beti Padao” (save the daughter, educate the daughter) have been introduced. Still, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund, up to five crore girls and women are ‘missing’ from India’s population because of termination of the female foetus and high mortality of the girl child due to lack of adequate care. Data collected by the Office of Registrar General of India from the Civil Registration System (CRS), reveals that in 2016, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan had the worst sex ratio at birth (SRB) of 806. Tamil Nadu, which had sex ratio of 935 in 2007, came down to 840 compared to the all India figure of 877. Karnataka has an SRB of 983, which has declined by 108 marks in comparison with the survey conducted in 2007 when it stood at 1,004. Despite the rise in literacy, the sex ratio has not improved, says the first phase of the National Family Health Survey — 2015-16 (NFHS 4). As a matter of fact, the sex ratio in many states has significantly decreased despite a corresponding rise in the literacy rate. It begs the question: Is the supposed disadvantage of a girl child an actual disadvantage, or is it based on societal perceptions? Perception about women is not just a matter of chance. It has been deliberately built up because of their patriarchal status — how she has to dress, what to study, where to study and whom to marry — are all decided by men.So the biological condition of women, per se, is not a handicap. It is her strength and a special feature. Her unique feminine features, her sex organs, menstruation, pregnancy and her menopause are not just important but are the epicentre of the entire family system. Still, the accepted reality is that these features are a burden. A menstruating woman is not supposed to participate in routine and religious affairs, as she is considered impure. Menstruation is used as a tool to make women feel inferior about herself and her body. So, it is the perception that counts. If we feel bad about a thing, it becomes a bad thing; if we feel good about it, it becomes a good thing. Despite the handicaps, some women have started recognising their true potential, questioning the rules laid down for them by society. They are breaking barriers and have earned a respectable position in society. Indian women are excelling in every field of life, profession or business. Progress is taking place, but it is slow. At some points, the gaps are big and visible. Despite the rise in literacy levels, the number of working women is on the decline. As per the World Economic Forum survey on gender gap index (2017), India is ranked 108 out of 144. In the gender inequality index — UNDP (2017), India stands at the 127th position out of 183. According to the National Family Health Survey — 2015-16, working women have declined from 36 per cent in 2005-06 to 24 per cent in 2015-16. There are more figures. Niti Aayog-SDG India Index - 2018, puts women labour force participation rate at 32 per cent of the total labour force. Women in leadership roles has been pegged at 8.7 per cent in state legislative assemblies. According to a 2015 study by think tank McKinsey Global Institute, currently, women contribute a mere 17 per cent to India’s GDP, well below the global average of 37 per cent. If women participated in the economy at par with men, India could increase its GDP by up to 60 per cent or $2.9 trillion by 2025. On International Women’s Day, there is a pressing need for gender-focused structural reforms to increase women’s contribution to productivity and growth. Improved advancement practices alone can pitch talented women into leadership and managerial roles. There is a need to travel beyond gender equality; empowering of half of the potential workforce has significant growth benefits that go beyond gender equality. Empowering women can become a reality only when running a family is not her exclusive and sole responsibility. In order to make families, societies and countries prosperous, both men and women will have to share the responsibility jointly. This alone will ensure better participation of women in work. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Quite clearly the second sex: Running a family should not be sole responsibility of women

<p>In her modified-SUV, Sangeetha Sridhar has already traversed 26 states, four Union territories and covered 41000 kilometres across India in the last 181 days. But, it’s not just another trip to explore the vastness of our country. In a conversation with WION, during her stopover in Chennai Sangeetha Sridhar shared her experiences.</p>

<p>Sridhar is on a 'Swachhagraha'&nbsp;or the ‘Clean Indian trail’, a mission to spread the message of cleanliness and to conduct surprise checks on public toilets via experiential audit and share the results with the UN Sustainable Development Board. During stopovers at different cities and villages, she delivers motivational speeches at schools and colleges on a range of topics from women empowerment to social service.</p>

<p>Sangeetha Sridhar grew up in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and later moved to the Middle-East where she has been working in the field of e-governance for over 25 years. An adventure-lover from a young age, Sridhar was inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and her own father’s wishes to see her serve her homeland. Recalling the journey that she kickstarted from Mumbai on August 12, 2018, she said, "I picked this year (2018) as it marks the Sheikh Zayed’s 100th anniversary and Bapuji’s 150th anniversary, so I began a humble journey just like the Satyagraha".&nbsp;</p>

<p>During her journey, Sridhar conducted the audits at public toilets that dotted highways, rural areas and also crowded tourist spots. Her observations were logged on a mobile application, while she expected to cover around 100 toilets across the country, she has now audited over 220.</p>

<p>"Ninety-nine per cent of the time I always found a toilet when I needed one. In my observation the traditional Indian toilets are cleaner as they can be better maintained than the western ones,"&nbsp;she said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>''In rural areas families have shown pride in owning a personal toilet, just like one would brag about a TV or sofa" she added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For resting at night, Sridhar uses the bed which has been fitted onto the last two-rows of her SUV. When the weather turns too harsh, she depends on the kindness of people who offer her a room in their homes. Reminiscing about the warmth and love she experiences from people she never knew before, she says "in rural and semi-urban areas hospitality was outstanding, but sometimes the city-folks were apprehensive about a stranger who asked for a parking lot".&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Sangeetha Sridhar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0b7a8c70-f52b-4b01-846d-5b494d888431" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2821%29.jpg" /></p>

<p><img alt="Sangeetha Sridhar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8e8f604-c82b-4371-8245-b0e804ce60d3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2822%29.jpg" /></p>

<p>She also fondly recalls instances when she cooked South Indian dishes while being hosted by a family in the North-east region.</p>

<p>While crisscrossing the length and breadth of India, she says that her husband and son were of constant support and motivation.</p>

<p>"During the course of my trip, my son completed his higher studies in the US and started working, whereas my husband (who is in Oman) tracked my progress via the phone App and suggested places to visit". To ensure that she stays fit and alert to undertake the arduous drive, she consumed only one cooked meal a day and relied upon locally available fruits, tender coconut water for refreshments.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Currently, on the last leg of her journey, which could last another 50 days she says that "Having travelled abroad a lot, I can say that my own beautiful Bharat is much much more beautiful than any other place that I have seen abroad".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Proudly showcasing a Khukri, Bow and arrow which Sridhar received as gifts from the tribes in North-east India, she shares her philosophy of Clean India “any of the Swachh Bharat campaigns won’t succeed without individuals attitude change. We are responsible for any waste that we generate. Organic waste is wealth and composting it is important. A Clean India is our right and responsibility”.</p>

<p>Note: The TATA Hexa SUV she drives is sponsored by TATA Motors. She has been bearing the fuel expenses on her own.&nbsp;</p>


In her modified-SUV, Sangeetha Sridhar has already traversed 26 states, four Union territories and covered 41000 kilometres across India in the last 181 days. But, it’s not just another trip to explore the vastness of our country.

In her modified-SUV, Sangeetha Sridhar has already traversed 26 states, four Union territories and covered 41000 kilometres across India in the last 181 days. But, it’s not just another trip to explore the vastness of our country. In a conversation with WION, during her stopover in Chennai Sangeetha Sridhar shared her experiences. Sridhar is on a 'Swachhagraha' or the ‘Clean Indian trail’, a mission to spread the message of cleanliness and to conduct surprise checks on public toilets via experiential audit and share the results with the UN Sustainable Development Board. During stopovers at different cities and villages, she delivers motivational speeches at schools and colleges on a range of topics from women empowerment to social service. Sangeetha Sridhar grew up in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu and later moved to the Middle-East where she has been working in the field of e-governance for over 25 years. An adventure-lover from a young age, Sridhar was inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and her own father’s wishes to see her serve her homeland. Recalling the journey that she kickstarted from Mumbai on August 12, 2018, she said, "I picked this year (2018) as it marks the Sheikh Zayed’s 100th anniversary and Bapuji’s 150th anniversary, so I began a humble journey just like the Satyagraha". During her journey, Sridhar conducted the audits at public toilets that dotted highways, rural areas and also crowded tourist spots. Her observations were logged on a mobile application, while she expected to cover around 100 toilets across the country, she has now audited over 220. "Ninety-nine per cent of the time I always found a toilet when I needed one. In my observation the traditional Indian toilets are cleaner as they can be better maintained than the western ones," she said. ''In rural areas families have shown pride in owning a personal toilet, just like one would brag about a TV or sofa" she added. For resting at night, Sridhar uses the bed which has been fitted onto the last two-rows of her SUV. When the weather turns too harsh, she depends on the kindness of people who offer her a room in their homes. Reminiscing about the warmth and love she experiences from people she never knew before, she says "in rural and semi-urban areas hospitality was outstanding, but sometimes the city-folks were apprehensive about a stranger who asked for a parking lot". She also fondly recalls instances when she cooked South Indian dishes while being hosted by a family in the North-east region. While crisscrossing the length and breadth of India, she says that her husband and son were of constant support and motivation. "During the course of my trip, my son completed his higher studies in the US and started working, whereas my husband (who is in Oman) tracked my progress via the phone App and suggested places to visit". To ensure that she stays fit and alert to undertake the arduous drive, she consumed only one cooked meal a day and relied upon locally available fruits, tender coconut water for refreshments. Currently, on the last leg of her journey, which could last another 50 days she says that "Having travelled abroad a lot, I can say that my own beautiful Bharat is much much more beautiful than any other place that I have seen abroad". Proudly showcasing a Khukri, Bow and arrow which Sridhar received as gifts from the tribes in North-east India, she shares her philosophy of Clean India “any of the Swachh Bharat campaigns won’t succeed without individuals attitude change. We are responsible for any waste that we generate. Organic waste is wealth and composting it is important. A Clean India is our right and responsibility”. Note: The TATA Hexa SUV she drives is sponsored by TATA Motors. She has been bearing the fuel expenses on her own.

Chennai's Sangeetha Sridhar spreads message of cleanliness and women empowerment

<p>Kangana Ranaut, a firm believer of women power, says that people need to stop suppressing them. The actress who is bringing Rani Laxmibai's story to the big screen with 'Manikarnika', says her female co-stars are crucial to the biopic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For Kangana, it is the courageous streak of the freedom fighter that resonated with her and made her choose the film.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Growing up, I was considered a child hero, absolutely sensitive and obedient but when I felt I needed to break free I just took off. No one from the family was allowed to speak to me but my mother would hide and call me and softly ask what did you eat? No other questions" recalled Kangana.&nbsp;</p>

<p><br />
"In those days, I realised love and God is the ultimate truth and both are the woman. Since then I have become a firm believer of women power which can empower us. We don`t need to empower them, they are powerful, and they are the very reason why humanity and human race exists. How can we empower them? We just don`t need to suppress them, that`s all...we need to recognise their subtle, sophisticated and superior strength and respect that. Rani Laxmibai was a firm believer of women and their power and she utilised it to the fullest."</p>

<p>With the film, Kangana wants to pay a worthy homage to Rani Laxmibai, and so she is glad that it is shaping up the way she had envisioned a" with women taking centre-stage."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Considering the film celebrates the fighting spirit, Kangana said it was crucial to rope in female actors who would do justice to the fierce characters etched out for them.</p>

<p>"In the film, Rani Laxmibai`s army is her strength. It was full of women who had an irrepressible spirit and a flair for fighting. We have Ankita Lokhande, Mishti and many more actresses forming the army. We will reveal each character through the promotions," added Kangana, who is putting finishing touches to January 25, 2019, release.</p>

<p>While Lokhande plays Jhalkaribai -- the warrior queen`s advisor and trusted aide, Mishti will be seen as a young warrior in the infantry. They were trained in horse riding and sword fighting for the roles.</p>


Kangana Ranaut, a firm believer of women power, says that people need to stop suppressing them. The actress who is bringing Rani Laxmibai's story to the big screen with 'Manikarnika', says her female co-stars are crucial to the biopic.

Kangana Ranaut, a firm believer of women power, says that people need to stop suppressing them. The actress who is bringing Rani Laxmibai's story to the big screen with 'Manikarnika', says her female co-stars are crucial to the biopic. For Kangana, it is the courageous streak of the freedom fighter that resonated with her and made her choose the film. "Growing up, I was considered a child hero, absolutely sensitive and obedient but when I felt I needed to break free I just took off. No one from the family was allowed to speak to me but my mother would hide and call me and softly ask what did you eat? No other questions" recalled Kangana. "In those days, I realised love and God is the ultimate truth and both are the woman. Since then I have become a firm believer of women power which can empower us. We don`t need to empower them, they are powerful, and they are the very reason why humanity and human race exists. How can we empower them? We just don`t need to suppress them, that`s all...we need to recognise their subtle, sophisticated and superior strength and respect that. Rani Laxmibai was a firm believer of women and their power and she utilised it to the fullest." With the film, Kangana wants to pay a worthy homage to Rani Laxmibai, and so she is glad that it is shaping up the way she had envisioned a" with women taking centre-stage." Considering the film celebrates the fighting spirit, Kangana said it was crucial to rope in female actors who would do justice to the fierce characters etched out for them. "In the film, Rani Laxmibai`s army is her strength. It was full of women who had an irrepressible spirit and a flair for fighting. We have Ankita Lokhande, Mishti and many more actresses forming the army. We will reveal each character through the promotions," added Kangana, who is putting finishing touches to January 25, 2019, release. While Lokhande plays Jhalkaribai -- the warrior queen`s advisor and trusted aide, Mishti will be seen as a young warrior in the infantry. They were trained in horse riding and sword fighting for the roles.

Kangana Ranaut: No need to empower women, just don't supress them

<p>President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday expressed concern over the low participation of women in higher science, saying the country is not adequately harnessing their scientific potential and it is a collective responsibility to overcome this social and systemic challenge.</p>

<p>He noted that of the 3,446 scientists working at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, a premier national research and development organisation, only 632 or 18.3 per cent are women.</p>

<p>"In a week when women scientists have won Nobel prizes for physics and for chemistry, this is a telling statistic. It is a reminder of the scientific potential of our daughters that we are not adequately harnessing. This is both a social and systemic challenge but it is our collective responsibility to overcome it," the President said.</p>

<p>He was speaking at the inauguration of the fourth India International Science Festival (IISF) here.</p>

<p>The President said that science is done best when it is a collaborative venture, with resources including funding resources and facilities being shared.</p>

<p>This is the era of partnerships between research centres and universities. He urged the scientific community to mentor and open its doors to budding researchers and students in universities.</p>

<p>The President said that the role of science and scientific innovation in national developmental agenda is expanding day by day.</p>

<p>Mentioning the patent applications by Indian start-ups, Kovind said, "In 2017, patent applications by Indian start-ups rose to 909. This was a 15-fold increase from the number in 2016, when it was just 61."&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2018, India's R&amp;D investments will amount to an appreciable USD 83.27 billion. The government has announced the Prime Ministers Research</p>

<p>Fellowship Scheme. It will promote development through innovation and has a budget of Rs 1,650 crore for seven years beginning 2018-19, he noted.&nbsp;<br />
"These are exciting times for science in India. The resources are now available. It is for our talent pool to respond," he said.</p>

<p>The President also informed that "between 2012 and 2017, 649 Indian scientists have returned from abroad to pursue research opportunities at home. In the previous five years, only 243 scientists had come back."</p>

<p>He said that budding researchers and students look to senior scientists for guidance, support and access to laboratories and equipment. With such generosity of spirit and of intellect, Indian science will carry much greater weight. And it will move closer to building a best-in-class ecosystem.</p>

<p>Kovind said that science has always been a part of Indian culture.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Centuries ago, our ancestors were uncovering the secrets of mathematics and the concept of the zero.&nbsp;They were applying the lessons of science in fields as far apart as medicine and metallurgy. From the Green Revolution to our space programme to the creation of a thriving biotech and pharmaceutical industry, science has driven our post -1947 modernisation," the President said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the first quarter of the 21st century, in the age of robotics and precision manufacture, of bioinformatics and gene editing, of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Artificial Intelligence, it is time for a quantum jump, he noted.</p>

<p>The President said the country cannot make that jump "without converting science into a mass movement and without promoting tinkering and innovation as an everyday activity in our labs, our universities and even our schools".&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Jugaad, cut- paste experiments and frugal innovation have their role. Even so, if we are to transform India into a middle-income economy and an advanced industrial power, we need to upgrade the engines of knowledge creation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Science and technology are not a mere add-on. Their cross-cutting nature and role in every field and in all our flagship programmes and developmental efforts have to be appreciated," he said.</p>

<p>The President also termed IISF as the 'Kumbh' of Science.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"UP has been famous for Kumbh, and it will be now known for Science Kumbh as well," he said.</p>

<p>Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Science minister Harshvardhan also spoke on the occasion. Students from various schools and colleges participated in the event.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday expressed concern over the low participation of women in higher science, saying the country is not adequately harnessing their scientific potential and it is a collective responsibility to overcome this social and systemic challenge.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday expressed concern over the low participation of women in higher science, saying the country is not adequately harnessing their scientific potential and it is a collective responsibility to overcome this social and systemic challenge. He noted that of the 3,446 scientists working at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, a premier national research and development organisation, only 632 or 18.3 per cent are women. "In a week when women scientists have won Nobel prizes for physics and for chemistry, this is a telling statistic. It is a reminder of the scientific potential of our daughters that we are not adequately harnessing. This is both a social and systemic challenge but it is our collective responsibility to overcome it," the President said. He was speaking at the inauguration of the fourth India International Science Festival (IISF) here. The President said that science is done best when it is a collaborative venture, with resources including funding resources and facilities being shared. This is the era of partnerships between research centres and universities. He urged the scientific community to mentor and open its doors to budding researchers and students in universities. The President said that the role of science and scientific innovation in national developmental agenda is expanding day by day. Mentioning the patent applications by Indian start-ups, Kovind said, "In 2017, patent applications by Indian start-ups rose to 909. This was a 15-fold increase from the number in 2016, when it was just 61." In 2018, India's R&D investments will amount to an appreciable USD 83.27 billion. The government has announced the Prime Ministers Research Fellowship Scheme. It will promote development through innovation and has a budget of Rs 1,650 crore for seven years beginning 2018-19, he noted. "These are exciting times for science in India. The resources are now available. It is for our talent pool to respond," he said. The President also informed that "between 2012 and 2017, 649 Indian scientists have returned from abroad to pursue research opportunities at home. In the previous five years, only 243 scientists had come back." He said that budding researchers and students look to senior scientists for guidance, support and access to laboratories and equipment. With such generosity of spirit and of intellect, Indian science will carry much greater weight. And it will move closer to building a best-in-class ecosystem. Kovind said that science has always been a part of Indian culture. "Centuries ago, our ancestors were uncovering the secrets of mathematics and the concept of the zero. They were applying the lessons of science in fields as far apart as medicine and metallurgy. From the Green Revolution to our space programme to the creation of a thriving biotech and pharmaceutical industry, science has driven our post -1947 modernisation," the President said. In the first quarter of the 21st century, in the age of robotics and precision manufacture, of bioinformatics and gene editing, of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Artificial Intelligence, it is time for a quantum jump, he noted. The President said the country cannot make that jump "without converting science into a mass movement and without promoting tinkering and innovation as an everyday activity in our labs, our universities and even our schools". "Jugaad, cut- paste experiments and frugal innovation have their role. Even so, if we are to transform India into a middle-income economy and an advanced industrial power, we need to upgrade the engines of knowledge creation. "Science and technology are not a mere add-on. Their cross-cutting nature and role in every field and in all our flagship programmes and developmental efforts have to be appreciated," he said. The President also termed IISF as the 'Kumbh' of Science. "UP has been famous for Kumbh, and it will be now known for Science Kumbh as well," he said. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Science minister Harshvardhan also spoke on the occasion. Students from various schools and colleges participated in the event.

India not adequately harnessing potential of women in science: President Kovind

<p>Female foreign ministers meeting for the first summit of its kind vowed Saturday to bring a "women's perspective" to foreign policy.</p>

<p>The two-day meeting bringing together more than half of the world's top women diplomats in Montreal, which began Friday, focused on topics such as conflict prevention, democratic growth and eliminating gender-based violence.</p>

<p>"This meeting represented a historic occasion," said Canada's top diplomat Chrystia Freeland.</p>

<p>"This is not about creating a pink ghetto. This is quite to the contrary. This is about highlighting the importance and the role and the rights of women and girls in the world.</p>

<p>"It's about talking about the ways women in leadership positions can be particularly engaged in championing those rights."</p>

<p>The ministers will share their takeaways from the talks during meetings taking place as part of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.</p>

<p>The diplomatic chiefs from 17 countries promised to meet regularly -- albeit informally -- within the next year.</p>

<p>"We planted a seed that will grow into I believe a plant with beautiful flowers," said European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini, who co-led the meeting with Freeland.</p>

<p>In addition to Freeland and Mogherini, the conference brought together ministers from Andorra, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia, Norway, Panama, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, South Africa and Sweden.</p>

<p>At the end of the summit, a dozen of the participants symbolically placed flowers on headstones erected in a Montreal park to commemorate 14 women killed in 1989 at the Ecole Polytechnique engineering school.</p>

<p>The killer, who targeted women in what was classified as a hate crime, wounded 14 others.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Female foreign ministers meeting for the first summit of its kind vowed Saturday to bring a "women's perspective" to foreign policy. The two-day meeting bringing together more than half of the world's top women diplomats in Montreal, which began Friday, focused on topics such as conflict prevention, democratic growth and eliminating gender-based violence.

Female foreign ministers meeting for the first summit of its kind vowed Saturday to bring a "women's perspective" to foreign policy. The two-day meeting bringing together more than half of the world's top women diplomats in Montreal, which began Friday, focused on topics such as conflict prevention, democratic growth and eliminating gender-based violence. "This meeting represented a historic occasion," said Canada's top diplomat Chrystia Freeland. "This is not about creating a pink ghetto. This is quite to the contrary. This is about highlighting the importance and the role and the rights of women and girls in the world. "It's about talking about the ways women in leadership positions can be particularly engaged in championing those rights." The ministers will share their takeaways from the talks during meetings taking place as part of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week. The diplomatic chiefs from 17 countries promised to meet regularly -- albeit informally -- within the next year. "We planted a seed that will grow into I believe a plant with beautiful flowers," said European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini, who co-led the meeting with Freeland. In addition to Freeland and Mogherini, the conference brought together ministers from Andorra, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia, Norway, Panama, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, South Africa and Sweden. At the end of the summit, a dozen of the participants symbolically placed flowers on headstones erected in a Montreal park to commemorate 14 women killed in 1989 at the Ecole Polytechnique engineering school. The killer, who targeted women in what was classified as a hate crime, wounded 14 others.

Women foreign ministers promise fresh perspective in first summit of its kind 

<p>Years back, Shah Rukh Khan made it a norm in every film of his to have his female-co-stars name featured before his in the opening sequence of the film. In Bollywood, the common parlance is to feature the male actor's name in the title sequence followed by the female protagonist's name. But things seem to be changing as Varun Dhawan, following the footsteps of SRK, had the names of his female co-stars appear before his name in the opening credit sequence of his latest film<em> October.&nbsp;</em><br />
His name not only takes the billing after Banita Sandhu but appears after Gitanjali Rao's name — the actress who plays Banita’s mother in the film.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The actor said that it just 'felt right'to do so. "It is just something I felt was right. Banita plays Shiuli, the character around whom the film revolves. And, Gitanjali as her mother deserves just as much prominence. They are the stars of the film. The other stars of <em>October</em> are screenwriter Juhi Chaturvedi and director Shoojit Sircar. If I had my way I’d have placed my name after theirs, too, in the credits. They’re the real stars of October," Varun was quoted as saying to a leading daily.<br />
<br />
The actor though states this is not merely a token gesture. "I do respond to all that is happening in the country, especially atrocities against women and children, which are intolerable to me and should be for any conscientious Indian. I speak out about issues on Twitter. But, I don’t think that’s enough. I do other things to express my solidarity with the campaign to protect women and children. But, I don’t like to talk about these things.” &nbsp;<br />
<br />
The actor, recently, along with a lot of other Bollywood stars, demanded strict punishment for the perpetrators behind the spine-chilling rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;</p>


Dhawan's name appears after Banita Sandhu's and Gitanjali Rao's names in the opening credits of 'October'

Years back, Shah Rukh Khan made it a norm in every film of his to have his female-co-stars name featured before his in the opening sequence of the film. In Bollywood, the common parlance is to feature the male actor's name in the title sequence followed by the female protagonist's name. But things seem to be changing as Varun Dhawan, following the footsteps of SRK, had the names of his female co-stars appear before his name in the opening credit sequence of his latest film October. His name not only takes the billing after Banita Sandhu but appears after Gitanjali Rao's name — the actress who plays Banita’s mother in the film. The actor said that it just 'felt right'to do so. "It is just something I felt was right. Banita plays Shiuli, the character around whom the film revolves. And, Gitanjali as her mother deserves just as much prominence. They are the stars of the film. The other stars of October are screenwriter Juhi Chaturvedi and director Shoojit Sircar. If I had my way I’d have placed my name after theirs, too, in the credits. They’re the real stars of October," Varun was quoted as saying to a leading daily. The actor though states this is not merely a token gesture. "I do respond to all that is happening in the country, especially atrocities against women and children, which are intolerable to me and should be for any conscientious Indian. I speak out about issues on Twitter. But, I don’t think that’s enough. I do other things to express my solidarity with the campaign to protect women and children. But, I don’t like to talk about these things.” The actor, recently, along with a lot of other Bollywood stars, demanded strict punishment for the perpetrators behind the spine-chilling rape and murder of an 8-year-old girl in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir.

Varun Dhawan follows SRK's example, introduces 'October' ladies before himself

<p>The proceedings in the two Houses of Parliament were disrupted for the fourth straight day today, but both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were united in promising to strive for women&#39;s rights on the International Women&#39;s Day.</p>

<p>As members in the Upper House sought an early passage of the Women&#39;s Reservation Bill to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and the state assemblies, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan extended greetings to the people on the occasion and exhorted the women to move forward with renewed vigour and confidence.</p>

<p>Soon after it assembled for the day, the Rajya Sabha held an hour-long discussion on women&#39;s issues in which members, cutting across party lines, voiced concern over the growing incidents of crimes against women, and made a strong case for early passage of the women&#39;s quota bill.</p>

<p>It was a rare occasion in the Upper House, which has been experiencing a washout of its proceedings due to protests over various issues since Monday, as members put their political affiliations behind to speak unitedly on the women&#39;s cause.</p>

<p>But as soon as this debate was over, members of some opposition parties, the TDP and others, trooped into the Well, carrying placards and raising slogans protesting over various issues like the banking scam and the Cauvery river water dispute.</p>

<p>This provoked Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to make some angry remarks, which could not be heard in the din and then adjourning the House till 2 PM.</p>

<p>Earlier, the scenario was completely different as the House assembled at 11 AM and Naidu said the International Women&#39;s Day was being observed all over the world to celebrate the achievements of women as well as to renew the commitment to empowering them and ending gender biases.</p>

<p>&quot;With women constituting about 50 per cent of our population, social, economic and political empowerment of women, including providing reservation in Parliament and state legislatures, has to be accorded top priority for the country to achieve rapid progress,&quot; Naidu said.</p>

<p>He stressed the need to renew focus on gender equality and women&#39;s safety, besides efforts to educate and empower them.</p>

<p>After his remarks, women MPs from different parties began discussion on the issue and pressed for early passage of the women&#39;s quota bill. The bill has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha and is pending approval of the Lok Sabha.</p>

<p>Veteran Congress leader Ambika Soni said a resolution should be passed by the House to support the legislation providing reservation to women in Parliament and assemblies.</p>

<p>The leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed concern over rising incidents of sexual assault against the girl child. &quot;The government, together with the opposition, should create an atmosphere to ensure the safety of women,&quot; he said and agreed with the others on the early passage of the bill.</p>

<p>External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj said she favoured women&#39;s quota and continued to support it. Although women have excelled in many fields and entered areas so far dominated by men but were still &quot;continued to face injustice, which is shameful&quot;, she said and called for a mass movement to usher in a change of the mindset of the people towards women.</p>

<p>Naidu also agreed to a suggestion by some members to have a woman member in the panel for Vice Chairman panel.</p>

<p>However, the amiable atmosphere in the House was short- lived as slogan-shouting members from the opposition Congress as well some from the AIADMK trooped into the Well. Amid disruptions, the House could not take up the Question Hour and the Chairman adjourned the proceedings till 1400 hours.</p>

<p>When the House reassembled, Minister of State for Finance Pon Radhakrishnan tabled the supplementary demands for grants for 2017-18.</p>

<p>Almost immediately thereafter, opposition members again stormed the Well raising slogans and displaying placards.</p>

<p>While the TDP was demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, the AIADMK sought immediate setting up of Cauvery River Management Board. The Congress and Trinamool Congress members were demanding a discussion on the banking scam and a response from the Prime Minister on it.</p>

<p>Amid the din, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Cong) wanted to raise a point of order but the members continued to raise slogans in the Well. The pandemonium led Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, who was in the Chair at that time, to adjourn the House for the day.</p>

<p>The Lok Sabha too failed to transact any legislative business for the fourth consecutive day, as members from several opposition parties, including NDA ally TDP, AIADMK and TMC, continued their protests on various issues.</p>

<p>However when the House met for the day and before the disruptions began, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan extended greetings on the International Women&#39;s Day and said women&#39;s empowerment was the need of the hour as well as a big challenge.</p>

<p>She emphasised the need to work together for the all-round development of women for a positive change. &quot;If you consider man and woman as two wings of humanity, their empowerment is absolutely necessary for it to fly high,&quot; she said and also recited a few lines she has penned on women&#39;s empowerment.</p>

<p>Mahajan said, &quot;If we all work for the all round development of women for a positive change, then I am sure that India will shine on the global stage.&quot;</p>

<p>But soon after she ended her speech, members of the TDP, AIADMK, TRS and TMC trooped into the Well, with many holding placards and raising slogans.</p>

<p>Amid the din, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Supplementary Demands for Grants seeking Parliament nod for additional cash spending of Rs 85,315 crore.</p>

<p>Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar urged the Speaker to continue with the listed business and said,&nbsp; &quot;We are ready to discuss irregularities in the banking sector.&quot;</p>

<p>He also said that a debate under Rule 193, which does not entail voting, was listed on today&#39;s agenda on the alleged systemic irregularities in the banking sector over the years and its impact on Indian economy.</p>

<p>However, as the noisy protests continued, Mahajan adjourned the proceedings first till noon and thereafter for the entire day.</p>

<p>TDP leader and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju was not present in the House even though it was the question day of his ministry. However, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha was present.</p>

<p>Disappointed over the Centre not granting special status to Andhra Pradesh, the TDP had late last night announced that the party&#39;s two ministers - Raju and YS Chowdary - would resign from the central government.&nbsp;</p>


Proceedings were disrupted, but both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were united in promising to strive for women's rights on the International Women's Day

The proceedings in the two Houses of Parliament were disrupted for the fourth straight day today, but both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were united in promising to strive for women's rights on the International Women's Day. As members in the Upper House sought an early passage of the Women's Reservation Bill to provide 33 per cent reservation to women in Parliament and the state assemblies, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan extended greetings to the people on the occasion and exhorted the women to move forward with renewed vigour and confidence. Soon after it assembled for the day, the Rajya Sabha held an hour-long discussion on women's issues in which members, cutting across party lines, voiced concern over the growing incidents of crimes against women, and made a strong case for early passage of the women's quota bill. It was a rare occasion in the Upper House, which has been experiencing a washout of its proceedings due to protests over various issues since Monday, as members put their political affiliations behind to speak unitedly on the women's cause. But as soon as this debate was over, members of some opposition parties, the TDP and others, trooped into the Well, carrying placards and raising slogans protesting over various issues like the banking scam and the Cauvery river water dispute. This provoked Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to make some angry remarks, which could not be heard in the din and then adjourning the House till 2 PM. Earlier, the scenario was completely different as the House assembled at 11 AM and Naidu said the International Women's Day was being observed all over the world to celebrate the achievements of women as well as to renew the commitment to empowering them and ending gender biases. "With women constituting about 50 per cent of our population, social, economic and political empowerment of women, including providing reservation in Parliament and state legislatures, has to be accorded top priority for the country to achieve rapid progress," Naidu said. He stressed the need to renew focus on gender equality and women's safety, besides efforts to educate and empower them. After his remarks, women MPs from different parties began discussion on the issue and pressed for early passage of the women's quota bill. The bill has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha and is pending approval of the Lok Sabha. Veteran Congress leader Ambika Soni said a resolution should be passed by the House to support the legislation providing reservation to women in Parliament and assemblies. The leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed concern over rising incidents of sexual assault against the girl child. "The government, together with the opposition, should create an atmosphere to ensure the safety of women," he said and agreed with the others on the early passage of the bill. External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj said she favoured women's quota and continued to support it. Although women have excelled in many fields and entered areas so far dominated by men but were still "continued to face injustice, which is shameful", she said and called for a mass movement to usher in a change of the mindset of the people towards women. Naidu also agreed to a suggestion by some members to have a woman member in the panel for Vice Chairman panel. However, the amiable atmosphere in the House was short- lived as slogan-shouting members from the opposition Congress as well some from the AIADMK trooped into the Well. Amid disruptions, the House could not take up the Question Hour and the Chairman adjourned the proceedings till 1400 hours. When the House reassembled, Minister of State for Finance Pon Radhakrishnan tabled the supplementary demands for grants for 2017-18. Almost immediately thereafter, opposition members again stormed the Well raising slogans and displaying placards. While the TDP was demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, the AIADMK sought immediate setting up of Cauvery River Management Board. The Congress and Trinamool Congress members were demanding a discussion on the banking scam and a response from the Prime Minister on it. Amid the din, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Trinamool Cong) wanted to raise a point of order but the members continued to raise slogans in the Well. The pandemonium led Deputy Chairman P J Kurien, who was in the Chair at that time, to adjourn the House for the day. The Lok Sabha too failed to transact any legislative business for the fourth consecutive day, as members from several opposition parties, including NDA ally TDP, AIADMK and TMC, continued their protests on various issues. However when the House met for the day and before the disruptions began, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan extended greetings on the International Women's Day and said women's empowerment was the need of the hour as well as a big challenge. She emphasised the need to work together for the all-round development of women for a positive change. "If you consider man and woman as two wings of humanity, their empowerment is absolutely necessary for it to fly high," she said and also recited a few lines she has penned on women's empowerment. Mahajan said, "If we all work for the all round development of women for a positive change, then I am sure that India will shine on the global stage." But soon after she ended her speech, members of the TDP, AIADMK, TRS and TMC trooped into the Well, with many holding placards and raising slogans. Amid the din, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Supplementary Demands for Grants seeking Parliament nod for additional cash spending of Rs 85,315 crore. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar urged the Speaker to continue with the listed business and said, "We are ready to discuss irregularities in the banking sector." He also said that a debate under Rule 193, which does not entail voting, was listed on today's agenda on the alleged systemic irregularities in the banking sector over the years and its impact on Indian economy. However, as the noisy protests continued, Mahajan adjourned the proceedings first till noon and thereafter for the entire day. TDP leader and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju was not present in the House even though it was the question day of his ministry. However, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha was present. Disappointed over the Centre not granting special status to Andhra Pradesh, the TDP had late last night announced that the party's two ministers - Raju and YS Chowdary - would resign from the central government.

Parliament proceedings disrupted for fourth day

<p>Google Doodle celebrated International Women&#39;s Day with 12 different powerful doodles compiled in one main doodle on Thursday.</p>

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<p>The doodle is featuring doodles made by twelve artists from twelve different countries.</p>

<p>The search engine had asked artists to contribute and illustrate the reflections of their own personal experiences as women.</p>

<p>The brief that was given to the artists was &#39;growth&#39;.</p>

<p>Reportedly the illustrators who made these colourful comics are from Japan, England, Brazil, Thailand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, America, India, Germany, Mexico, Pakistan, and Italy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Each doodle tells a&nbsp;story of a moment, an event or a person that made an impact on their life the most, and portrays the different generation&nbsp;of women at various times in their life.</p>

<p>Stories related to a moment of becoming a mother to narrating the experience of&nbsp;coming&nbsp;out&nbsp;as a&nbsp;transgender woman.</p>


Google had asked artists to contribute and illustrate the reflections of their own personal experiences as women

Google Doodle celebrated International Women's Day with 12 different powerful doodles compiled in one main doodle on Thursday. × The doodle is featuring doodles made by twelve artists from twelve different countries. The search engine had asked artists to contribute and illustrate the reflections of their own personal experiences as women. The brief that was given to the artists was 'growth'. Reportedly the illustrators who made these colourful comics are from Japan, England, Brazil, Thailand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, America, India, Germany, Mexico, Pakistan, and Italy. Each doodle tells a story of a moment, an event or a person that made an impact on their life the most, and portrays the different generation of women at various times in their life. Stories related to a moment of becoming a mother to narrating the experience of coming out as a transgender woman.

Watch: Google celebrates International Women's Day with twelve doodles

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Every year on February 28, India celebrates with much fanfare the National Science Day. On this day, under the government&#39;s initiative, the nation collectively recollect past scientific achievements while taking the resolve to open many more and diverse scientific institutions to carry the exploratory journey of the country forward. Historically speaking, on February 28, 1928,&nbsp;Indian scientist CV Raman, who brought the first Nobel Prize in science for India, discovered his most famous contribution to the world of science, namely the Raman effect.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Though&nbsp;Chandrashekhara Venkata Raman has a global reputation as a premier physicist, his treatment of women scientists in his laboratory has been the&nbsp;subject of much feminist criticism. Historian Abha Sur of Massachusetts Institute of Technology has pointed out in her book, The Dispersed Radiance, that an Indian biochemist, Kamala Sohonie, was denied entry into the prestigious&nbsp;<em>Indian Institute of Science</em>&nbsp;during the 1930s by Nobel Prize winner&nbsp;<em>C. V. Raman</em>&nbsp;solely on the grounds that she was a woman and that she would be a distraction in the laboratory. Although Sohonie finally confronted Raman and ensured her entry into the institute, she notes that within classrooms, casual discussion and debate with male colleagues was largely forbidden, and women were socially isolated.</p>

<p>Well into the twenty-first century, many of the women scientists working in the Indian institutions feel that they need to be additionally aggressive to make their mark in the field.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In fact, reviewing the position of women in Indian science reminds me of a popular story of Birbal. Birbal was the famed jester of Emperor Akbar&rsquo;s court in the sixteenth century. To prove to the Mughal emperor that a fire lit way down or far-off actually cannot impact an object, he went about cooking khichdi at the top of a tall tree when the stove was lit at the base of the plant. The khichdi was never cooked even though the fire was kept lit for the entire time. The moral of the story is: the anticipated outcome is contingent upon the optimal interaction of factors and not by their mere physical presence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is exactly the professional conundrum that women aspiring to do science in India are facing. Societal reasons and infrastructural apathy to the requirements of women employees are largely keeping the latter from reaching the pinnacle of professional success. Today, as India celebrates the National Science Day, the country, as a whole, needs to remember that it can boast as much as it wants about the quality of scientific achievement, huge manpower and whole array of research institutions but at the end of the day, the question remains whether India&rsquo;s scientific establishment is largely exclusionary in nature.</p>

<p>That the &ldquo;Laboratory State&rdquo; is violent and exclusionary in character has been theoretically argued by scholars such as Shiv Visvanathan in the past. More recently, <a href="http://www.iusstf.org/cms/newsimages/file/women-in-science/womeninscience.pdf">Dr. Lakshmi Lingam</a> of Tata Institute of Social Sciences pointed out to a sad lack of work-life balance in research institutes, particularly those run by private companies. Reportedly, women suffer sexual harassment while working long hours in the laboratories. Also, generally, science in India has continued to be an elitist project. The &ldquo;rational experts&rdquo; of Nehru&rsquo;s modern India continue to come from urban areas, upper and middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds, more Hindus than Muslims.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>The &ldquo;rational experts&rdquo; of Nehru&rsquo;s modern India continue to come from urban areas, upper and middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds, more Hindus than Muslims</h5>
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<p>The barriers are real even if not always intended. Citing few big names of women scientists at the top, such as the likes of Charusita Chakravarty, Ashima Chatterjee and Janaki Amman to argue that true talents prosper without external assistance and in spite of all obstacles tantamount to bolstering the discrimination by doing nothing to bring about the necessary changes in the status quo. &nbsp;</p>

<p>While the names mentioned above are sources of inspiration and testimony against a gendered perception of scientific abilities, they are not representative examples of millions of women out there who have kept away from a life of research, scientific teaching, and professional life of a scientist, owing to a whole array of ground-level challenges.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So while funding is good, institutions are being built, and India churns out an ever increasing number of PhDs, the number of women faculty in major research institutions of the country and the universities is still 10 per cent or less, while being distributed among different disciplines in no specific pattern.</p>

<p>Women&rsquo;s share of prestigious national awards or membership in the national academic bodies is also low. For instance, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, the topmost scientific award given to scientists below the age of 45 in India, has been given to 461 scientists, among the awardees only 15 are women. Of the approximately 40 Infosys awards, as few as 6 have gone to women so far.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Although the biological and medical sciences have slightly higher numbers, it is still not commensurate with the much higher fraction of women, greater than 50 per cent at times, among students studying these subjects. These figures are intriguing, particularly because a majority of the science and mathematics teachers in Indian schools and colleges are women.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Scholars studying this ominous trend have, thus, concluded that though there are significant number of women science students as well as teachers, the percentage of women faculty and student in science and engineering decreases with the perceived status of institution, such as in the IITs as well as with increasing positions of authority within the academic hierarchy. The data shows that women directors of science institutes are rare. As heads of university departments and research institutes, they are not uncommon, but the fraction rarely exceeds <a href="http://www.ias.ac.in/public/Resources/Initiatives/Women_in_Science/AASSA_India.pdf">15 per cent</a> overall.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Evidence suggests that the most significant drop in the leaky pipeline occurs after a woman&nbsp;achieves the doctoral degree and not before.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One of the greatest challenges India faces today is, attracting women to a career in science in India and in retaining the trained scientific woman personnel by ensuring a better career-family balance. We have to do away with archaic and paternalistic assumptions that family is solely the responsibility of women. Fighting the battle at the ideational level should accompany sweeping infrastructural changes. These two go hand-in-hand; while institutions need to hire more women, they need to come up with a setup that facilitates the employment of women too. Without infrastructural support, promises remain rhetoric and we all fail to walk the walk.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Creating awareness in society needs to begin at early stages in a girl&rsquo;s life. Evidence shows that the drop in female enrolment between primary and secondary education, and between secondary and tertiary education is steep for mainly societal reasons. To cite a more specific example as to how patriarchal attitude continues to shape a woman&rsquo;s professional life, the IITs have a fiercely competitive admission process, requiring one to spend money and time to prepare for these examinations; the average parents tend not spend that much amount for a daughter. The correlation is evident if we look at IITs as case studies: as per the first joint seat allocation process in 18 IITs, 9,974 students were allotted seats of which only <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/Number-of-girls-admitted-to-IITs-up-marginally/articleshow/48549819.cms">900 </a>are girls.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Numerically speaking, the percentage of girls admitted to IITs have gone up between 2014-2015 from 8 to 9 per cent. According to Pradipta Banerji, director, IIT-Roorkee, however, a change in the mindset is needed if we want more girls in the campuses; arguably, parents are hesitant to stand young girls to study far away from home.&nbsp;</p>

<p>My reading is, coupled with a fear for distant places which are presumed to be unsafe, there is the additional reluctance stemming from concerns about additional expenditure accrued through boarding and food.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Science is not as objective as we assume it to be; it is fraught with values and biases of&nbsp;the practitioners which they carry &nbsp;to the labs, classrooms and policy-making bodies</h5>
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<p>The extent to which patriarchal values can be an impediment to the growth of women&rsquo;s participation in professional life is made clear from a survey done by <a href="https://www.grantthornton.global/globalassets/1.-member-firms/global/insights/ibr-charts/ibr2015_wib_report_final.pdf">Grant Thornton</a> on the follow-up to Women&rsquo;s Day, 2015. In a startling revelation, the report found out that along with India, Japan sits at the bottom of the list, showing only 8 per cent of senior roles in the nation is held by women. In spite of being technologically developed and economically far more advanced than India, Japan shows the similar patriarchal trend as does India and, unquestionably, the societal values reflect back on the lack of powerful position that women hold in these two countries in the business echelon.</p>

<p>While speaking for gender equality, we must remember that women will not function like men. Willingly or not, women do make professional sacrifices to take care of family members, particularly children. Denying this reality in the name of gender parity will force women into further professional limbo. Without any further ado, women urgently need day care facilities to be set up in the offices. Additionally, both private and government offices need to facilitate shared parental leave. In the academia and in private corporations, there is the urgent need to overcome the stigma associated with men who share childhood care.</p>

<p>Science is not as objective as we assume it to be; it is fraught with values and biases of&nbsp;the practitioners which they carry to the labs, classrooms and policy-making bodies. To make it more equitably disposed of as a discipline, it is crucial to act on fostering and supporting support for lesser represented groups. The Indian government has taken cognisance of the lack of gender parity in science, technology and engineering disciplines, but like any other bureaucratic endeavour, concrete steps are yet been taken to facilitate the requisite changes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Till then, we talk the talk but refuse to walk in the shoes of a woman professional.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


On National Science Day, the question remains whether India’s scientific establishment is largely exclusionary in nature

Every year on February 28, India celebrates with much fanfare the National Science Day. On this day, under the government's initiative, the nation collectively recollect past scientific achievements while taking the resolve to open many more and diverse scientific institutions to carry the exploratory journey of the country forward. Historically speaking, on February 28, 1928, Indian scientist CV Raman, who brought the first Nobel Prize in science for India, discovered his most famous contribution to the world of science, namely the Raman effect. Though Chandrashekhara Venkata Raman has a global reputation as a premier physicist, his treatment of women scientists in his laboratory has been the subject of much feminist criticism. Historian Abha Sur of Massachusetts Institute of Technology has pointed out in her book, The Dispersed Radiance, that an Indian biochemist, Kamala Sohonie, was denied entry into the prestigious Indian Institute of Science during the 1930s by Nobel Prize winner C. V. Raman solely on the grounds that she was a woman and that she would be a distraction in the laboratory. Although Sohonie finally confronted Raman and ensured her entry into the institute, she notes that within classrooms, casual discussion and debate with male colleagues was largely forbidden, and women were socially isolated. Well into the twenty-first century, many of the women scientists working in the Indian institutions feel that they need to be additionally aggressive to make their mark in the field. In fact, reviewing the position of women in Indian science reminds me of a popular story of Birbal. Birbal was the famed jester of Emperor Akbar’s court in the sixteenth century. To prove to the Mughal emperor that a fire lit way down or far-off actually cannot impact an object, he went about cooking khichdi at the top of a tall tree when the stove was lit at the base of the plant. The khichdi was never cooked even though the fire was kept lit for the entire time. The moral of the story is: the anticipated outcome is contingent upon the optimal interaction of factors and not by their mere physical presence. This is exactly the professional conundrum that women aspiring to do science in India are facing. Societal reasons and infrastructural apathy to the requirements of women employees are largely keeping the latter from reaching the pinnacle of professional success. Today, as India celebrates the National Science Day, the country, as a whole, needs to remember that it can boast as much as it wants about the quality of scientific achievement, huge manpower and whole array of research institutions but at the end of the day, the question remains whether India’s scientific establishment is largely exclusionary in nature. That the “Laboratory State” is violent and exclusionary in character has been theoretically argued by scholars such as Shiv Visvanathan in the past. More recently, Dr. Lakshmi Lingam of Tata Institute of Social Sciences pointed out to a sad lack of work-life balance in research institutes, particularly those run by private companies. Reportedly, women suffer sexual harassment while working long hours in the laboratories. Also, generally, science in India has continued to be an elitist project. The “rational experts” of Nehru’s modern India continue to come from urban areas, upper and middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds, more Hindus than Muslims. The “rational experts” of Nehru’s modern India continue to come from urban areas, upper and middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds, more Hindus than Muslims × The barriers are real even if not always intended. Citing few big names of women scientists at the top, such as the likes of Charusita Chakravarty, Ashima Chatterjee and Janaki Amman to argue that true talents prosper without external assistance and in spite of all obstacles tantamount to bolstering the discrimination by doing nothing to bring about the necessary changes in the status quo. While the names mentioned above are sources of inspiration and testimony against a gendered perception of scientific abilities, they are not representative examples of millions of women out there who have kept away from a life of research, scientific teaching, and professional life of a scientist, owing to a whole array of ground-level challenges. So while funding is good, institutions are being built, and India churns out an ever increasing number of PhDs, the number of women faculty in major research institutions of the country and the universities is still 10 per cent or less, while being distributed among different disciplines in no specific pattern. Women’s share of prestigious national awards or membership in the national academic bodies is also low. For instance, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award, the topmost scientific award given to scientists below the age of 45 in India, has been given to 461 scientists, among the awardees only 15 are women. Of the approximately 40 Infosys awards, as few as 6 have gone to women so far. Although the biological and medical sciences have slightly higher numbers, it is still not commensurate with the much higher fraction of women, greater than 50 per cent at times, among students studying these subjects. These figures are intriguing, particularly because a majority of the science and mathematics teachers in Indian schools and colleges are women. The most significant drop in the leaky pipeline occurs after a woman achieves the doctoral degree and not before × Scholars studying this ominous trend have, thus, concluded that though there are significant number of women science students as well as teachers, the percentage of women faculty and student in science and engineering decreases with the perceived status of institution, such as in the IITs as well as with increasing positions of authority within the academic hierarchy. The data shows that women directors of science institutes are rare. As heads of university departments and research institutes, they are not uncommon, but the fraction rarely exceeds 15 per cent overall. Evidence suggests that the most significant drop in the leaky pipeline occurs after a woman achieves the doctoral degree and not before. One of the greatest challenges India faces today is, attracting women to a career in science in India and in retaining the trained scientific woman personnel by ensuring a better career-family balance. We have to do away with archaic and paternalistic assumptions that family is solely the responsibility of women. Fighting the battle at the ideational level should accompany sweeping infrastructural changes. These two go hand-in-hand; while institutions need to hire more women, they need to come up with a setup that facilitates the employment of women too. Without infrastructural support, promises remain rhetoric and we all fail to walk the walk. Creating awareness in society needs to begin at early stages in a girl’s life. Evidence shows that the drop in female enrolment between primary and secondary education, and between secondary and tertiary education is steep for mainly societal reasons. To cite a more specific example as to how patriarchal attitude continues to shape a woman’s professional life, the IITs have a fiercely competitive admission process, requiring one to spend money and time to prepare for these examinations; the average parents tend not spend that much amount for a daughter. The correlation is evident if we look at IITs as case studies: as per the first joint seat allocation process in 18 IITs, 9,974 students were allotted seats of which only 900 are girls. Numerically speaking, the percentage of girls admitted to IITs have gone up between 2014-2015 from 8 to 9 per cent. According to Pradipta Banerji, director, IIT-Roorkee, however, a change in the mindset is needed if we want more girls in the campuses; arguably, parents are hesitant to stand young girls to study far away from home. My reading is, coupled with a fear for distant places which are presumed to be unsafe, there is the additional reluctance stemming from concerns about additional expenditure accrued through boarding and food. Science is not as objective as we assume it to be; it is fraught with values and biases of the practitioners which they carry to the labs, classrooms and policy-making bodies × The extent to which patriarchal values can be an impediment to the growth of women’s participation in professional life is made clear from a survey done by Grant Thornton on the follow-up to Women’s Day, 2015. In a startling revelation, the report found out that along with India, Japan sits at the bottom of the list, showing only 8 per cent of senior roles in the nation is held by women. In spite of being technologically developed and economically far more advanced than India, Japan shows the similar patriarchal trend as does India and, unquestionably, the societal values reflect back on the lack of powerful position that women hold in these two countries in the business echelon. While speaking for gender equality, we must remember that women will not function like men. Willingly or not, women do make professional sacrifices to take care of family members, particularly children. Denying this reality in the name of gender parity will force women into further professional limbo. Without any further ado, women urgently need day care facilities to be set up in the offices. Additionally, both private and government offices need to facilitate shared parental leave. In the academia and in private corporations, there is the urgent need to overcome the stigma associated with men who share childhood care. Science is not as objective as we assume it to be; it is fraught with values and biases of the practitioners which they carry to the labs, classrooms and policy-making bodies. To make it more equitably disposed of as a discipline, it is crucial to act on fostering and supporting support for lesser represented groups. The Indian government has taken cognisance of the lack of gender parity in science, technology and engineering disciplines, but like any other bureaucratic endeavour, concrete steps are yet been taken to facilitate the requisite changes. Till then, we talk the talk but refuse to walk in the shoes of a woman professional. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Is there gender equality in Indian science?

<p>All seems to be going too well for HBO&#39;s hit TV series &quot;Big Little Lies&quot; as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/the-post-trailer-meryl-streep-and-tom-hanks-team-up-for-steven-spielbergs-new-drama-23732" target="_blank">&quot;The Post&quot;</a> actress Meryl Streep announces to join the second season of the much-awarded series.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/69th-emmy-awards-the-handmaids-tale-big-little-lies-are-big-winners-of-the-night-20321" target="_blank">Also Read:&nbsp;69th Emmy Awards: &#39;The Handmaid&#39;s Tale&#39; &amp; &#39;Big Little Lies&#39; are big winners of the night</a></strong></em></p>

<p>Joining the already celebrated cast of the TV series,&nbsp;Streep&nbsp;will play Mary Louise Wright, the mother of Perry Wright (Alexander Skarsgard).&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Welcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MerylStreep?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MerylStreep</a> to our tribe of fierce <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BigLittleLies?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BigLittleLies</a> women. <a href="https://t.co/zFoLH7eBwF">pic.twitter.com/zFoLH7eBwF</a></p>
&mdash; HBO (@HBO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HBO/status/956276618548404224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Mary Louise Wright is described as a woman who is concerned for the well-being of her grandchildren following her son Perry&#39;s death. She arrives in the city of Monterey searching for answers to a lot of these unanswered questions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>What was earlier announced to be a limited-series is now a full-fledged show with HBO announcing after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-hbo-defends-big-little-lies-golden-globes-entry-in-limited-series-calls-criticism-baseless-and-undeserved-26701" target="_blank">Golden Globes 2018 run that &quot;Big Little Lies&quot;</a> will return for a second season with most of the main cast returning from season one.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon will again executive produce in addition to starring.</p>

<p><em><strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-shape-of-water-big-little-lies-handmaids-tale-big-winners-at-critics-choice-awards-29292" target="_blank">Also Read:&nbsp;&#39;Shape of Water,&#39; &#39;Big Little Lies,&#39; &#39;Handmaid&#39;s Tale&#39; big winners at Critics&#39; Choice Awards</a></strong></em></p>

<p>The first season was based on the novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, while season two is based partially on a new story by the author.</p>

<p>Andrea Arnold will direct all seven episodes of the new season.</p>

<p>&quot;Big Little Lies&quot; premiered on HBO in early 2017 and went on to win eight Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe for mini-series and several acting-related categories, Screen Actors Guild Award for acting and others.&nbsp;</p>


'Big Little Lies' was one of the most awarded TV series of 2017 -- bagging Golden Globes, Emmy, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Critics' Choice Awards in the year

All seems to be going too well for HBO's hit TV series "Big Little Lies" as "The Post" actress Meryl Streep announces to join the second season of the much-awarded series. Also Read: 69th Emmy Awards: 'The Handmaid's Tale' & 'Big Little Lies' are big winners of the night Joining the already celebrated cast of the TV series, Streep will play Mary Louise Wright, the mother of Perry Wright (Alexander Skarsgard). Welcoming #MerylStreep to our tribe of fierce #BigLittleLies women. pic.twitter.com/zFoLH7eBwF — HBO (@HBO) January 24, 2018 × Mary Louise Wright is described as a woman who is concerned for the well-being of her grandchildren following her son Perry's death. She arrives in the city of Monterey searching for answers to a lot of these unanswered questions. What was earlier announced to be a limited-series is now a full-fledged show with HBO announcing after Golden Globes 2018 run that "Big Little Lies" will return for a second season with most of the main cast returning from season one. Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon will again executive produce in addition to starring. Also Read: 'Shape of Water,' 'Big Little Lies,' 'Handmaid's Tale' big winners at Critics' Choice Awards The first season was based on the novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty, while season two is based partially on a new story by the author. Andrea Arnold will direct all seven episodes of the new season. "Big Little Lies" premiered on HBO in early 2017 and went on to win eight Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe for mini-series and several acting-related categories, Screen Actors Guild Award for acting and others.

'The Post' actress Meryl Streep to star in 'Big Little Lies' season 2

<p>Just a couple-films old, Taapsee Pannu is sure about not getting typecast in Bollywood.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her sole motive behind choosing a frivolous, light-hearted comedy like <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/judwaa-2-movie-review-varun-dhawans-double-trouble-act-is-the-perfect-tribute-to-salman-khans-original-20839" target="_blank">&quot;Judwaa 2&quot;</a> with Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez after doing serious cinema in &quot;Pink&quot; with Amitabh Bachchan was because she did not want to be stereotyped.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><em><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/on-national-girl-child-day-taapsee-pannu-richa-chadha-bat-for-self-defence-and-gender-equality-30654" target="_blank">Also Read:&nbsp;On National Girl Child Day, Taapsee Pannu, Richa Chadha bat for </a></em></strong><strong><em><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/on-national-girl-child-day-taapsee-pannu-richa-chadha-bat-for-self-defence-and-gender-equality-30654" target="_blank">self-defence</a></em></strong><strong><em><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/on-national-girl-child-day-taapsee-pannu-richa-chadha-bat-for-self-defence-and-gender-equality-30654" target="_blank"> and gender equality</a></em></strong></p>

<p>Speaking to a leading daily she said, &quot;This industry is quick to stereotype. People had started talking about how I was primarily being part of women-centric movies. I didn&#39;t want to be labelled as part of a <em>mahila</em><em> morcha</em>. I would want to have the option of singing and dancing as well.&quot;</p>

<p>She added, &quot;With Judwaa 2, I captured the kind of market that I could have never penetrated into on another occasion. There is an entire audience that doesn&#39;t understand the theme of Pink. That is the base that I have to capture.&quot;</p>

<p>She explained that being part of the entertainment industry, it is important for her as an actress to attract more viewers to her movies and said, &quot;By being part of films like Judwaa 2, I can ensure that I garner more fans, who&#39;d then want to watch me in other powerful films. I need to be bankable for those movies to reach the right audience too.&quot;</p>

<p>Taapsee will next be seen in romantic-comedy <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/revealed-taapsee-pannu-and-saqib-saleem-to-play-the-lead-in-dil-juunglee-29834" target="_blank">&quot;Dil Junglee&quot;</a>&nbsp;opposite Saqib Saleem. The film will hit the theatres on February 16.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


In 'Pink', Taapsee played the role of a sexual abuse victim who fights for her dignity in court while 'Judwaa 2' was a light- hearteded comedy

Just a couple-films old, Taapsee Pannu is sure about not getting typecast in Bollywood. Her sole motive behind choosing a frivolous, light-hearted comedy like "Judwaa 2" with Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez after doing serious cinema in "Pink" with Amitabh Bachchan was because she did not want to be stereotyped. Also Read: On National Girl Child Day, Taapsee Pannu, Richa Chadha bat for self-defence and gender equality Speaking to a leading daily she said, "This industry is quick to stereotype. People had started talking about how I was primarily being part of women-centric movies. I didn't want to be labelled as part of a mahila morcha. I would want to have the option of singing and dancing as well." She added, "With Judwaa 2, I captured the kind of market that I could have never penetrated into on another occasion. There is an entire audience that doesn't understand the theme of Pink. That is the base that I have to capture." She explained that being part of the entertainment industry, it is important for her as an actress to attract more viewers to her movies and said, "By being part of films like Judwaa 2, I can ensure that I garner more fans, who'd then want to watch me in other powerful films. I need to be bankable for those movies to reach the right audience too." Taapsee will next be seen in romantic-comedy "Dil Junglee" opposite Saqib Saleem. The film will hit the theatres on February 16.

Taapsee Pannu did 'Judwaa 2' post 'Pink' as she didn't want to be part of mahila morcha

<p>Critics` Choice awards turned out to be a memorable night for women of Hollywood.Most of the winners at the star-studded event were shows and movies that were women-centric.</p>

<p>Shows like `Big Little Lies` won four awards, while `The Handmaid`s Tale` took home three trophies.<br />
<br />
Last year`s blockbuster movie and the first female-led superhero movie `Wonder Woman` won the Best Action Movie and the star of the movie Gal Gadot went on to win the prestigious #SeeHer award, which honours actresses for challenging female stereotypes on screen and off.<br />
<br />
Gadot also shared about the box office success that women enjoyed but also noted that there is still a long way to go. She also expressed support for the current movement of people speaking out against harassment in Hollywood and beyond.&quot;I want to share this award with all the women and men who stand for what`s right, standing for those who can`t stand or speak for themselves,&quot; she said. &quot;And I promise, my commitment to all of you is that I will never be silenced. And we will continue to band together to make strides uniting for equality,&quot; shared Gadot.<br />
<br />
The HBO hit-TV series `Big Little Lies` which focuses on a trio of wealthy young women in Monterey, California and how their lives get shattered when a murder takes place in their idyllic town, unravelling a can of worms, was named the Best Limited Series.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, two of the driving forces of the show Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern won the acting awards for the critically acclaimed series.Nicole Kidman, who won the trophy for `Best Actress in a Limited Series` at the event, paid tribute to her co-stars and explained, &quot;Every actor in this room knows you are only as good as the other actors you work with.&quot;Guillermo Del Toro`s cold war fantasy `The Shape of Water` was victorious in 4 categories, including Best Picture and Best Director win for Del Toro.<br />
<br />
While accepting the Best Picture award, he could not help but mention the contribution of women that made the movie possible, including Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer.Even in the comedy category, the shows that told stories about women were a force to reckon with.Rachel Brosnahan won best actress in a comedy for her performance in hit-series `The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel`.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
While accepting her award Brosnahan noted that even though women aren`t wearing black like most did at the Golden Globe Awards earlier in the week, she said the fight to eradicate sexual harassment continues.But the biggest admiration came from Del Toro, who closed the show Del Toro closed the show by shouting that he has always believed in the equality of women.<br />
<br />
&quot;Let me tell you one thing, if you don`t do that, you don`t know what you`re missing,&quot; he noted.As expected, #MeToo movement and #TimesUp movement at Critics` Choice awards was big at the event and host Olivia Munn took a different approach to address the matter by raising a `sarcastic toast` to the `good men` of Hollywood.&nbsp;</p>


Critics` Choice awards turned out to be a memorable night for women of Hollywood.

Critics` Choice awards turned out to be a memorable night for women of Hollywood.Most of the winners at the star-studded event were shows and movies that were women-centric. Shows like `Big Little Lies` won four awards, while `The Handmaid`s Tale` took home three trophies. Last year`s blockbuster movie and the first female-led superhero movie `Wonder Woman` won the Best Action Movie and the star of the movie Gal Gadot went on to win the prestigious #SeeHer award, which honours actresses for challenging female stereotypes on screen and off. Gadot also shared about the box office success that women enjoyed but also noted that there is still a long way to go. She also expressed support for the current movement of people speaking out against harassment in Hollywood and beyond."I want to share this award with all the women and men who stand for what`s right, standing for those who can`t stand or speak for themselves," she said. "And I promise, my commitment to all of you is that I will never be silenced. And we will continue to band together to make strides uniting for equality," shared Gadot. The HBO hit-TV series `Big Little Lies` which focuses on a trio of wealthy young women in Monterey, California and how their lives get shattered when a murder takes place in their idyllic town, unravelling a can of worms, was named the Best Limited Series. Meanwhile, two of the driving forces of the show Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern won the acting awards for the critically acclaimed series.Nicole Kidman, who won the trophy for `Best Actress in a Limited Series` at the event, paid tribute to her co-stars and explained, "Every actor in this room knows you are only as good as the other actors you work with."Guillermo Del Toro`s cold war fantasy `The Shape of Water` was victorious in 4 categories, including Best Picture and Best Director win for Del Toro. While accepting the Best Picture award, he could not help but mention the contribution of women that made the movie possible, including Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer.Even in the comedy category, the shows that told stories about women were a force to reckon with.Rachel Brosnahan won best actress in a comedy for her performance in hit-series `The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel`. While accepting her award Brosnahan noted that even though women aren`t wearing black like most did at the Golden Globe Awards earlier in the week, she said the fight to eradicate sexual harassment continues.But the biggest admiration came from Del Toro, who closed the show Del Toro closed the show by shouting that he has always believed in the equality of women. "Let me tell you one thing, if you don`t do that, you don`t know what you`re missing," he noted.As expected, #MeToo movement and #TimesUp movement at Critics` Choice awards was big at the event and host Olivia Munn took a different approach to address the matter by raising a `sarcastic toast` to the `good men` of Hollywood.

Critics Choice Awards 2018: Women rule this year's ceremony

<p>Well before the United Nations decided to dedicate several days of the year celebrating one or the other women issues, China had taken special initiatives to ameliorate the condition of women in that country. The latest among these measures is the passage of an anti-domestic violence law in December 2015.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The new legislation signifies one of the novel state initiatives to address gender inequality in the domestic sphere. It is mainly the government-run women&rsquo;s organisation like All-China Women&rsquo;s Federation (ACWF) along with other women&rsquo;s networks which created positive legal awareness about women&rsquo;s rights and, thus,&nbsp;sensitised the Chinese government to formulate laws regarding these issues.</p>

<p>The government in China has managed the social conflict by adopting various social transformative measures from time to time. Immediately after the revolution in early the 1950s, China has formulated the first marriage law which addresses women&rsquo;s equal right to choose life partners. Another important step towards gender equality was the land reform law which ensured women&rsquo;s equal right to property, especially in terms of land entitlement.</p>

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<h5>The Chinese public policies on women have been quite empowering in the sense that women&rsquo;s participation in the economic production was ensured through different mechanisms.</h5>
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<p>So, the government and the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) sought to address gender equality by granting rights to women in personal spheres and also in public spheres. Over the years, the government has also amended these laws on marriage and property to bring new complexities in the different social milieu and, thus, address women&rsquo;s rights pertaining to the right to get a divorce, share in the property and the maintenance rights.</p>

<p>The Chinese public policies on women have been quite empowering in the sense that women&rsquo;s participation in the economic production was ensured through different mechanisms. Mao Zedong, the Chairman of the CPC for almost half a decade coined the phrase &lsquo;Women hold up half the sky&rsquo; to project women as good workers and capable labouring hands. The phrases like &lsquo;Iron Girls&rsquo; and &lsquo;What Men can do Women can do too&rsquo; really captured the equality rhetoric of that era.</p>

<p>Women participated equally in heavy work and also outside the home which is otherwise known as men&rsquo;s domains. In the Chinese official rhetoric, the women were portrayed as role models to be followed by others. Millions of women came out of their home and took active participation in state-run economic and social construction projects.</p>

<p>Moreover, women in China from its imperial past has proved to be most successful whether it is Empress Dowarger CiXi who holds a great political authority in imperial era or Madame Song Qing Liang who made a great contribution in the new People&rsquo;s Republic to female actress Gongli Known for films like Red Sorghum and Raise the Red Lantern, has won awards from the Berlin International Film Festival to Cannes. She was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2000.</p>

<p>Now, women in China have also made a remarkable achievement in the lesser-known women&rsquo;s spheres. It ranges from Guo Jianmei, first public interest lawyer in China, Hu Shuli, the editor-in-chief of Caixin media group and made her name as an investigative journalist. Women are able to enter the domains which were usually dominated by men.</p>

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<h5>Women in China now are leading the economic spheres and women really control the assets and most of the successful entrepreneurs are women in China.</h5>
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<p>Women at a very young age of 30-40 years are able to make a breakthrough in sectors, such as finance, banking and real estate. Soho China CEO Zhang Xin, the real estate developer has transformed Beijing&rsquo;s skyline and Liu Qing, CEO Didi Kuaidi, online taxi services in Shanghai, also made a mark in online shopping commerce platforms.</p>

<p>Women in China now are leading the economic spheres and women really control the assets and most of the successful entrepreneurs are women in China. Women entrepreneurs are moving away from industries traditionally associated with women, such as garments and beauty products and venturing into sectors usually dominated by men, such as digital products and furniture.</p>

<p>Women command greater visibility in all the spheres of China&rsquo;s economy as well as social life. For a visitor who first time travels to China especially from India the public portrayal of confident and successful women images are quite an astonishing phenomenon. Being an immigration officer to taxi drivers, from bank to hotel managers, laoban (Boss) is a common everyday vocabulary used to depict Chinese women&rsquo;s lives.</p>

<p>In China, women are no longer the &lsquo;iron girls&rsquo; of the socialist era, but they have become wealthier compared to women in any part of the world. These women&rsquo;s images have often been displayed by the state-run media channels as &lsquo;capable women&rsquo; who have really carved out space for themselves.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).</em></p>


Women in China now are leading the economic spheres and they have become wealthier compared to women in any part of the world

Well before the United Nations decided to dedicate several days of the year celebrating one or the other women issues, China had taken special initiatives to ameliorate the condition of women in that country. The latest among these measures is the passage of an anti-domestic violence law in December 2015. The new legislation signifies one of the novel state initiatives to address gender inequality in the domestic sphere. It is mainly the government-run women’s organisation like All-China Women’s Federation (ACWF) along with other women’s networks which created positive legal awareness about women’s rights and, thus, sensitised the Chinese government to formulate laws regarding these issues. The government in China has managed the social conflict by adopting various social transformative measures from time to time. Immediately after the revolution in early the 1950s, China has formulated the first marriage law which addresses women’s equal right to choose life partners. Another important step towards gender equality was the land reform law which ensured women’s equal right to property, especially in terms of land entitlement. The Chinese public policies on women have been quite empowering in the sense that women’s participation in the economic production was ensured through different mechanisms. × So, the government and the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) sought to address gender equality by granting rights to women in personal spheres and also in public spheres. Over the years, the government has also amended these laws on marriage and property to bring new complexities in the different social milieu and, thus, address women’s rights pertaining to the right to get a divorce, share in the property and the maintenance rights. The Chinese public policies on women have been quite empowering in the sense that women’s participation in the economic production was ensured through different mechanisms. Mao Zedong, the Chairman of the CPC for almost half a decade coined the phrase ‘Women hold up half the sky’ to project women as good workers and capable labouring hands. The phrases like ‘Iron Girls’ and ‘What Men can do Women can do too’ really captured the equality rhetoric of that era. Women participated equally in heavy work and also outside the home which is otherwise known as men’s domains. In the Chinese official rhetoric, the women were portrayed as role models to be followed by others. Millions of women came out of their home and took active participation in state-run economic and social construction projects. Moreover, women in China from its imperial past has proved to be most successful whether it is Empress Dowarger CiXi who holds a great political authority in imperial era or Madame Song Qing Liang who made a great contribution in the new People’s Republic to female actress Gongli Known for films like Red Sorghum and Raise the Red Lantern, has won awards from the Berlin International Film Festival to Cannes. She was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2000. Now, women in China have also made a remarkable achievement in the lesser-known women’s spheres. It ranges from Guo Jianmei, first public interest lawyer in China, Hu Shuli, the editor-in-chief of Caixin media group and made her name as an investigative journalist. Women are able to enter the domains which were usually dominated by men. Women in China now are leading the economic spheres and women really control the assets and most of the successful entrepreneurs are women in China. × Women at a very young age of 30-40 years are able to make a breakthrough in sectors, such as finance, banking and real estate. Soho China CEO Zhang Xin, the real estate developer has transformed Beijing’s skyline and Liu Qing, CEO Didi Kuaidi, online taxi services in Shanghai, also made a mark in online shopping commerce platforms. Women in China now are leading the economic spheres and women really control the assets and most of the successful entrepreneurs are women in China. Women entrepreneurs are moving away from industries traditionally associated with women, such as garments and beauty products and venturing into sectors usually dominated by men, such as digital products and furniture. Women command greater visibility in all the spheres of China’s economy as well as social life. For a visitor who first time travels to China especially from India the public portrayal of confident and successful women images are quite an astonishing phenomenon. Being an immigration officer to taxi drivers, from bank to hotel managers, laoban (Boss) is a common everyday vocabulary used to depict Chinese women’s lives. In China, women are no longer the ‘iron girls’ of the socialist era, but they have become wealthier compared to women in any part of the world. These women’s images have often been displayed by the state-run media channels as ‘capable women’ who have really carved out space for themselves. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Women in China are wealthier than others

<p>In 1992, the enactment of the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments by the Government provided for one-third representation of women at the village, district and block levels. This was a huge success and acted as a catalyst for transformative social change at the grassroots.</p>

<p>Thereafter, the women&rsquo;s reservation bill was first tabled in the Lok Sabha in 1996 which proposed to similarly reserve one-third seats in the national parliament and state assemblies for women. The reserved constituencies were to be chosen by a draw of lots and each constituency was to be reserved for women representatives once during every three general elections (15 years). There is also a provision for sub-reservation of one-third seats for SC and ST candidates within this quota.</p>

<p>The bill has had a long and turbulent history spanning two decades. Notable initial concerns related to the form of the bill (reservation of sub-categories) and the reluctance of elected representatives to relinquish power in a constituency which they had carefully nurtured, in case it came under the &lsquo;reserved&rsquo; category that term.</p>

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<h5>Large numbers of women go out to vote nowadays yet their own chances to be allotted tickets are quite low.</h5>
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<p>After thorough scrutiny and adjustments by parliamentary committees, the bill has been tabled more than once, but its passage has been repeatedly stalled. Shamefully, it was even torn up in parliament on one occasion. An underlying patriarchal bias which does not deem women as deserving or competent, combined with a reluctance of current representatives to share power with women has prevented it from seeing the light of day. Despite setbacks, the women&rsquo;s movement kept the pressure alive by organising public rallies, including a trans-India train journey to generate awareness for the bill. Their persistent efforts led to the bill being passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010. The bill now awaits tabling and passage in the Lok Sabha. Thereafter, it also needs ratification in at least half the state legislatures.</p>

<p>Almost all political leaders have expressed their verbal support for the bill. Its introduction is keenly awaited. The bill is very important, symbolically and practically. Foremost, it is a testimony to the sheer grit and perseverance of Indian women. The women&rsquo;s movement supporting this bill has been rock steady in its determination over a span of twenty long years to leave a richer legacy for women in the coming generations. Activists have faced several hurdles. Some of these stem from the very name itself.</p>

<p>&lsquo;Reservation&rsquo; is a misnomer as the bill is a fair attempt to have adequate parliamentary representation for fifty percent of the population in the country. In the absence of transparent or merit-based allocation of tickets by political parties, the bill seeks constitutional guarantees to ensure allotment of one-third tickets to women; they have to win the election to obtain the seat. Many self-respecting women have had to suffer the ignominy of being seen to be asking for favours when they are actually staking a claim to what is rightfully theirs in a democracy. With vision and foresight, these women advocate that increasing the number of women legislators would help many more gender issues to be highlighted and be resolved faster.</p>

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<h5>Women&#39;s Reservation Bill will put India in the forefront of the global movement towards achieving gender equality.</h5>
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<p>This bill, if passed, will put India in the forefront of the global movement towards achieving gender equality. What a refreshing change for a country which has had a dismal track record in areas like maternal mortality, gender equality indices, women&rsquo;s empowerment and so on! Despite making a name for itself in scientific, literary and other fields, the gender-related inequities and prevalence of social evils have always dragged down the image of the country.<br />
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link! India, though a signatory to gender rights treaties such as Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), has so far not held itself to the requisite international standards.</p>

<p>The advocacy surrounding this bill has brought about tremendous social change and awareness over the years among women. It has encouraged women to explore leadership avenues with greater interest and is pulling them out of the ingrained mindset that &lsquo;a woman&rsquo;s place is only in her home&#39; thus helping them realise their full potential. Women now feel confident about serving their country at the highest levels of decision-making.</p>

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<p>The need for the passage of this bill has also drawn civil society groups into the ambit of women&rsquo;s issues, a trend of collaborative partnerships that had begun with Jyoti&rsquo;s horrific gang rape in 2012. Today an all India national alliance for the passage of the women&rsquo;s reservation bill exists which started out with seven NGO&rsquo;s as &lsquo;founding mothers&rsquo; and now has hundreds of NGO&rsquo;s interlinked on this issue.</p>

<p>Passage of this bill would enable women to start reaping the rewards of their hard work. Currently, women perform over 70 per cent of the unpaid but critical work like producing food and nurturing families etc. but have little say in their own lives whether it be governance (a mere 11 per cent representation in the parliament), control over their own bodies and choices as well as ownership of property. Similarly, large numbers of women go out to vote nowadays yet their own chances to be allotted tickets are quite low.</p>

<p>An example of gender equality set at the highest levels would have high visibility and percolate down into the daily lives of the citizens. Social programmes run by the government would get a boost. As Swami Vivekananda put it, it would lead to &lsquo;uplift of women and awakening of the masses&rsquo;, which he deemed imperative for the country&rsquo;s progress.</p>

<p>The bill must be passed soon. This will ensure that women&rsquo;s long drawn struggle to find a place in the political sphere will gain momentum. We look forward to women forging ahead and scripting a new and more significant path for themselves and the country.</p>


With absolute majority in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, NDA government must not delay the Women's Reservation Bill

In 1992, the enactment of the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments by the Government provided for one-third representation of women at the village, district and block levels. This was a huge success and acted as a catalyst for transformative social change at the grassroots. Thereafter, the women’s reservation bill was first tabled in the Lok Sabha in 1996 which proposed to similarly reserve one-third seats in the national parliament and state assemblies for women. The reserved constituencies were to be chosen by a draw of lots and each constituency was to be reserved for women representatives once during every three general elections (15 years). There is also a provision for sub-reservation of one-third seats for SC and ST candidates within this quota. The bill has had a long and turbulent history spanning two decades. Notable initial concerns related to the form of the bill (reservation of sub-categories) and the reluctance of elected representatives to relinquish power in a constituency which they had carefully nurtured, in case it came under the ‘reserved’ category that term. Large numbers of women go out to vote nowadays yet their own chances to be allotted tickets are quite low. × After thorough scrutiny and adjustments by parliamentary committees, the bill has been tabled more than once, but its passage has been repeatedly stalled. Shamefully, it was even torn up in parliament on one occasion. An underlying patriarchal bias which does not deem women as deserving or competent, combined with a reluctance of current representatives to share power with women has prevented it from seeing the light of day. Despite setbacks, the women’s movement kept the pressure alive by organising public rallies, including a trans-India train journey to generate awareness for the bill. Their persistent efforts led to the bill being passed by the Rajya Sabha in 2010. The bill now awaits tabling and passage in the Lok Sabha. Thereafter, it also needs ratification in at least half the state legislatures. Almost all political leaders have expressed their verbal support for the bill. Its introduction is keenly awaited. The bill is very important, symbolically and practically. Foremost, it is a testimony to the sheer grit and perseverance of Indian women. The women’s movement supporting this bill has been rock steady in its determination over a span of twenty long years to leave a richer legacy for women in the coming generations. Activists have faced several hurdles. Some of these stem from the very name itself. ‘Reservation’ is a misnomer as the bill is a fair attempt to have adequate parliamentary representation for fifty percent of the population in the country. In the absence of transparent or merit-based allocation of tickets by political parties, the bill seeks constitutional guarantees to ensure allotment of one-third tickets to women; they have to win the election to obtain the seat. Many self-respecting women have had to suffer the ignominy of being seen to be asking for favours when they are actually staking a claim to what is rightfully theirs in a democracy. With vision and foresight, these women advocate that increasing the number of women legislators would help many more gender issues to be highlighted and be resolved faster. Women's Reservation Bill will put India in the forefront of the global movement towards achieving gender equality. × This bill, if passed, will put India in the forefront of the global movement towards achieving gender equality. What a refreshing change for a country which has had a dismal track record in areas like maternal mortality, gender equality indices, women’s empowerment and so on! Despite making a name for itself in scientific, literary and other fields, the gender-related inequities and prevalence of social evils have always dragged down the image of the country. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link! India, though a signatory to gender rights treaties such as Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), has so far not held itself to the requisite international standards. The advocacy surrounding this bill has brought about tremendous social change and awareness over the years among women. It has encouraged women to explore leadership avenues with greater interest and is pulling them out of the ingrained mindset that ‘a woman’s place is only in her home' thus helping them realise their full potential. Women now feel confident about serving their country at the highest levels of decision-making. With vision and foresight, these women advocate that increasing the number of women legislators would help many more gender issues to be highlighted and be resolved faster. × The need for the passage of this bill has also drawn civil society groups into the ambit of women’s issues, a trend of collaborative partnerships that had begun with Jyoti’s horrific gang rape in 2012. Today an all India national alliance for the passage of the women’s reservation bill exists which started out with seven NGO’s as ‘founding mothers’ and now has hundreds of NGO’s interlinked on this issue. Passage of this bill would enable women to start reaping the rewards of their hard work. Currently, women perform over 70 per cent of the unpaid but critical work like producing food and nurturing families etc. but have little say in their own lives whether it be governance (a mere 11 per cent representation in the parliament), control over their own bodies and choices as well as ownership of property. Similarly, large numbers of women go out to vote nowadays yet their own chances to be allotted tickets are quite low. An example of gender equality set at the highest levels would have high visibility and percolate down into the daily lives of the citizens. Social programmes run by the government would get a boost. As Swami Vivekananda put it, it would lead to ‘uplift of women and awakening of the masses’, which he deemed imperative for the country’s progress. The bill must be passed soon. This will ensure that women’s long drawn struggle to find a place in the political sphere will gain momentum. We look forward to women forging ahead and scripting a new and more significant path for themselves and the country.

Women's Reservation Bill: 21 years of dramatic journey

<p>Pakistan has a new superhero.</p>

<p>She is called Sarah, a normal teenager with a pet cat who wakes up after a coma to find she has superpowers.</p>

<p>Then, she becomes &quot;Pakistan Girl&quot;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The comic book has been written by Hassan Siddiqui.</p>

<p>AFP reported Siddiqui as saying he wrote the comic book so that young Pakistani&nbsp;girls could have a role model.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As could young Pakistani boys.&nbsp;</p>

<p>You see, the thing is Pakistan -- like a lot of South Asia -- is deeply patriarchal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And Pakistan Girl takes on corrupt cops, venal officials, and men who are bad to women.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pakistan Girl wears a green cape, the country&#39;s national colour.</p>

<p>The first series of the comic book was released in summer.</p>

<p>It depicted Pakistan Girl beating up a man beating a woman in a market, and saving a young girl taken hostage by a bribe-seeking police officer&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;There&#39;s a huge shortage of female role models and superheroes in the mainstream media here,&quot; Siddiqui told AFP.</p>

<p>&quot;We wanted to create a strong female character for the girls in Pakistan and even the young boys in Pakistan that they can look up to.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Pakistan Girl&quot; (the comic book) is written in English.</p>

<p>But Siddiqui says he will be working on an Urdu version soon. &nbsp;</p>


Pakistan Girl, aka Sarah, is meant to be a role model for young girls and boys in the deeply patriarchal country

Pakistan has a new superhero. She is called Sarah, a normal teenager with a pet cat who wakes up after a coma to find she has superpowers. Then, she becomes "Pakistan Girl". The comic book has been written by Hassan Siddiqui. AFP reported Siddiqui as saying he wrote the comic book so that young Pakistani girls could have a role model. As could young Pakistani boys. You see, the thing is Pakistan -- like a lot of South Asia -- is deeply patriarchal. And Pakistan Girl takes on corrupt cops, venal officials, and men who are bad to women. Pakistan Girl wears a green cape, the country's national colour. The first series of the comic book was released in summer. It depicted Pakistan Girl beating up a man beating a woman in a market, and saving a young girl taken hostage by a bribe-seeking police officer "There's a huge shortage of female role models and superheroes in the mainstream media here," Siddiqui told AFP. "We wanted to create a strong female character for the girls in Pakistan and even the young boys in Pakistan that they can look up to." "Pakistan Girl" (the comic book) is written in English. But Siddiqui says he will be working on an Urdu version soon.

'Pakistan Girl', country's newest superhero, takes on corrupt cops & domestic abuse

<p><strong>Raise your voice before it&rsquo;s too late&hellip;</strong></p>

<p>&ldquo;Blood had clotted in several organs due to the blood clotting in her brain&rdquo; said Maldives Police Service, about the woman who died&nbsp;in a suspected case of a domestic violence in 2015.</p>

<p>The death of Ziyadha Mohammed, the battered woman from Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Thinadhoo of southern part Maldives, is an indication of the worsening situation of violence against women in the country.</p>

<p>According to her friends and family, Ziyadha was physically and sexually abused by her husband. Her condition worsened because she kept the extent of abuse a secret.</p>

<p>Mother of three,&nbsp;she was treated at the state-run Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). Ziyadha was required&nbsp;to undergo an emergency surgery as she was bleeding from&nbsp;her brain, but doctors were unsuccessful in saving her due to her severe condition. While she was at the hospital, she never regained consciousness and passed away two weeks later, which was in late December 2015.</p>

<p>In recent times, this is a major&nbsp;fatality case&nbsp;from&nbsp;domestic violence. Though there are not many deaths recorded by domestic violence or violence against women, statistics shows that the culture of violence against women is an alarming issue in the Maldives.</p>

<p><strong>Violence against Women</strong></p>

<p>According to the study on women&rsquo;s health and life experiences&nbsp;conducted by Maldives&#39; ministry of gender and family in 2007,&nbsp;one in every three women aged between 15-49 years have experienced physical or sexual violence or both at some stage of their life.</p>

<p>Every one in five women of this age group have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse by an intimate partner. Approximately, every one in eight women in the same age group reported that they have been sexually abused before the age of 15, making them a victim of child abuse.</p>

<p>The statistics of Maldives Police Service also show&nbsp;that domestic violence has been increasing at an alarming rate. The number of domestic violence cases in 2015 has increased to 341 from 187 reported in&nbsp;2014.<strong> </strong>More than 300 cases have&nbsp;been reported in 2016 as well.</p>

<p>Police assume that the actual number of domestic violence cases, especially cases victimising women, will be higher than the police records as many go unreported in the country. &nbsp;Since police records cannot adequately shed light on the seriousness of this issue, the actual situation of the victims remains&nbsp;unknown.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Women&rsquo;s rights activists believe that female participation at policy-making level is critical to the cause of gender equality (Others)</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Challenging social norms</strong></p>

<p>This small island nation has a culture of hiding violence against women, because the society, by and large believes, that&nbsp;issues leading to violence should remain within the family to keep up their reputation in the community. The societal norms and beliefs make it difficult to combat the issue.</p>

<p>The belief that women are supposed to stay at home to look after the family while men work to provide the economic support, made educating girls less important than boys. However, over the decades, girl&rsquo;s education has improved rapidly in the country with the introduction of the&nbsp;universal primary education system that made education compulsory for all children. With this foundation, girls&#39; tertiary education has also increased over the years and is helping them to get jobs. But the ideology that women are supposed to stay at home post-marriage still exists in the society.</p>

<p>Yet, with the high living expenses in the country, especially in the capital city of Mal&eacute;&nbsp;where one-third of the country&#39;s population resides, it is very difficult to depend just on husband&rsquo;s income.&nbsp;Women are, therefore, allowed&nbsp;to work as well. However, there is only a small percentage&nbsp;of women at the management and decision-making levels, both in public and private sectors. The challenges in the areas of women&rsquo;s political, economic and social empowerment still remain.</p>

<p>A women&rsquo;s right activist said that the situation of women in the Maldives is far from good.</p>

<p>&ldquo;They say that in the Maldives, gender issue is at a level that is far better than anywhere else in Asia. But that is not the point. The point is that one in three women at some point in their life experience violence of some form: sexual, physical abuse and that is not good&rdquo; she said.</p>

<p>Women&rsquo;s rights activists believe that female participation at policy-making level is critical to the cause of gender equality. But that is not the case in the Maldives. The negligible number of female representatives in the cabinets of different administrations prove that Maldives still has a long way to go to achieve the ambitious goal of gender equality.</p>

<p>President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom&rsquo;s administration currently has only three women in the cabinet of 15 ministers. While President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik&rsquo;s administration had only 19 per cent&nbsp;women in the cabinet, President Mohamed Nasheed&rsquo;s administration had 21 per cent&nbsp;and President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom&rsquo;s last Cabinet had 22 per cent&nbsp;of female cabinet ministers. Currently, there are 85 members in the parliament and only 5 are women MPs.</p>

<p><strong>Stand against violence</strong></p>

<p>The present government says that political, economic and social empowerment of women and zero tolerance of violence against women are key pledges in their manifesto. Former Foreign Minister,&nbsp;Dhunya Maumoon said that the government is committed to addressing the root cause of violence against women by investing efforts in gender equality and empowerment.</p>

<p>According to her, Maldives has made significant progress through Sexual Abuse and Harassment Prevention Act, the Sexual Offences Act and the Domestic Violence Prevention Act which strengthen the country&#39;s&nbsp;legal framework to prevent further violence.</p>

<p>The Domestic Violence Prevention (DVP) Act was ratified in 2012, making it a turning point in the history of the nation, where any act of domestic violence is clearly and categorically identified as a criminal offense. The DVP Act identifies specific acts that are deemed acts of domestic violence and, for the first time, accords roles and responsibilities to various government and non-governmental bodies to address and combat domestic violence in the country.</p>

<p>Yet, to combat violence against women, it is necessary to stand against it and change the norms and beliefs that it is &lsquo;right&rsquo; to tolerate violence from family or husband.</p>

<p>Ministry of gender and family suggests that in order to&nbsp;combat this serious issue, everyone should make it their individual responsibility to save the victims of violence and report to the authorities before it is too late.</p>

<p>While awareness can help the victims come forward, better implementation of the legislations is also required for this fight.</p>

<p>Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) says more efforts are needed to implement anti-domestic violence acts and&nbsp;authorities need to do more work on it. HRCM also calls the authorities to provide with&nbsp;more efficient ways to help&nbsp;silent sufferers like Ziyadha, while there is still time to do so.</p>

<p>Family and friends&nbsp;want&nbsp;to bring justice to Ziyadha and they may succeed by punishing the person responsible for her death. But nothing could bring her back. If only Ziyadha spoke up and raised her voice for her rights before it was too late, she may not have&nbsp;ended her life prematurely.</p>

<p>If Maldivians retain the culture of hiding the actions of violence against women and continue the habit of tolerating these kinds of violence, this country may have to witness more tragic losses.</p>

<p>(WION)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Government data in 2007 stated that one in three women aged between 15-49 years have experienced physical or sexual violence at some point

Raise your voice before it’s too late… “Blood had clotted in several organs due to the blood clotting in her brain” said Maldives Police Service, about the woman who died in a suspected case of a domestic violence in 2015. The death of Ziyadha Mohammed, the battered woman from Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Thinadhoo of southern part Maldives, is an indication of the worsening situation of violence against women in the country. According to her friends and family, Ziyadha was physically and sexually abused by her husband. Her condition worsened because she kept the extent of abuse a secret. Mother of three, she was treated at the state-run Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). Ziyadha was required to undergo an emergency surgery as she was bleeding from her brain, but doctors were unsuccessful in saving her due to her severe condition. While she was at the hospital, she never regained consciousness and passed away two weeks later, which was in late December 2015. In recent times, this is a major fatality case from domestic violence. Though there are not many deaths recorded by domestic violence or violence against women, statistics shows that the culture of violence against women is an alarming issue in the Maldives. Violence against Women According to the study on women’s health and life experiences conducted by Maldives' ministry of gender and family in 2007, one in every three women aged between 15-49 years have experienced physical or sexual violence or both at some stage of their life. Every one in five women of this age group have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse by an intimate partner. Approximately, every one in eight women in the same age group reported that they have been sexually abused before the age of 15, making them a victim of child abuse. The statistics of Maldives Police Service also show that domestic violence has been increasing at an alarming rate. The number of domestic violence cases in 2015 has increased to 341 from 187 reported in 2014. More than 300 cases have been reported in 2016 as well. Police assume that the actual number of domestic violence cases, especially cases victimising women, will be higher than the police records as many go unreported in the country. Since police records cannot adequately shed light on the seriousness of this issue, the actual situation of the victims remains unknown. Women’s rights activists believe that female participation at policy-making level is critical to the cause of gender equality (Others) × Challenging social norms This small island nation has a culture of hiding violence against women, because the society, by and large believes, that issues leading to violence should remain within the family to keep up their reputation in the community. The societal norms and beliefs make it difficult to combat the issue. The belief that women are supposed to stay at home to look after the family while men work to provide the economic support, made educating girls less important than boys. However, over the decades, girl’s education has improved rapidly in the country with the introduction of the universal primary education system that made education compulsory for all children. With this foundation, girls' tertiary education has also increased over the years and is helping them to get jobs. But the ideology that women are supposed to stay at home post-marriage still exists in the society. Yet, with the high living expenses in the country, especially in the capital city of Malé where one-third of the country's population resides, it is very difficult to depend just on husband’s income. Women are, therefore, allowed to work as well. However, there is only a small percentage of women at the management and decision-making levels, both in public and private sectors. The challenges in the areas of women’s political, economic and social empowerment still remain. A women’s right activist said that the situation of women in the Maldives is far from good. “They say that in the Maldives, gender issue is at a level that is far better than anywhere else in Asia. But that is not the point. The point is that one in three women at some point in their life experience violence of some form: sexual, physical abuse and that is not good” she said. Women’s rights activists believe that female participation at policy-making level is critical to the cause of gender equality. But that is not the case in the Maldives. The negligible number of female representatives in the cabinets of different administrations prove that Maldives still has a long way to go to achieve the ambitious goal of gender equality. President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration currently has only three women in the cabinet of 15 ministers. While President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik’s administration had only 19 per cent women in the cabinet, President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration had 21 per cent and President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s last Cabinet had 22 per cent of female cabinet ministers. Currently, there are 85 members in the parliament and only 5 are women MPs. Stand against violence The present government says that political, economic and social empowerment of women and zero tolerance of violence against women are key pledges in their manifesto. Former Foreign Minister, Dhunya Maumoon said that the government is committed to addressing the root cause of violence against women by investing efforts in gender equality and empowerment. According to her, Maldives has made significant progress through Sexual Abuse and Harassment Prevention Act, the Sexual Offences Act and the Domestic Violence Prevention Act which strengthen the country's legal framework to prevent further violence. The Domestic Violence Prevention (DVP) Act was ratified in 2012, making it a turning point in the history of the nation, where any act of domestic violence is clearly and categorically identified as a criminal offense. The DVP Act identifies specific acts that are deemed acts of domestic violence and, for the first time, accords roles and responsibilities to various government and non-governmental bodies to address and combat domestic violence in the country. Yet, to combat violence against women, it is necessary to stand against it and change the norms and beliefs that it is ‘right’ to tolerate violence from family or husband. Ministry of gender and family suggests that in order to combat this serious issue, everyone should make it their individual responsibility to save the victims of violence and report to the authorities before it is too late. While awareness can help the victims come forward, better implementation of the legislations is also required for this fight. Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) says more efforts are needed to implement anti-domestic violence acts and authorities need to do more work on it. HRCM also calls the authorities to provide with more efficient ways to help silent sufferers like Ziyadha, while there is still time to do so. Family and friends want to bring justice to Ziyadha and they may succeed by punishing the person responsible for her death. But nothing could bring her back. If only Ziyadha spoke up and raised her voice for her rights before it was too late, she may not have ended her life prematurely. If Maldivians retain the culture of hiding the actions of violence against women and continue the habit of tolerating these kinds of violence, this country may have to witness more tragic losses. (WION)

Women's Day: Silent sufferers of domestic violence in the Maldives

<p>One look at this market in the heart of Imphal, the capital of the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur, and you would know that it&rsquo;s a one-of-a-kind place. As a shopper at Asia&rsquo;s largest all-women market, you will be greeted by colourfully-draped women in their phaneks and innaphis (traditional wear) every morning.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>This is the world&#39;s largest all-women market (Twitter)</p>
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<p>There are more than 5,000 stalls in the market that are owned and operated by women exclusively. The market called Ima Keithal, meaning &lsquo;Mother&rsquo;s Market&rsquo; has a history of 500 years. Scholars believe that the market has existed since the 16th century. Interestingly, only married women are allowed to trade and run the stalls. The tradition is passed on from one generation to the next. These women pay around ?40 per month for their shops, which deal in ethnic handlooms, handicrafts and locally produced goods. The women traders also have a union that manages the market and runs a credit system. The women can borrow money to purchase goods and pay it back to the union later.</p>

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<p>Women selling traditional wear (Twitter)</p>
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<p>Serving as a trading hub and an important meeting ground, the market prides itself on being women-friendly in more than one way. According to studies, the market&rsquo;s female-only workforce is a result of an ancient forced labour system in the region. Called Lallup-Kaba, the tradition saw men of the Meitei community being sent away to cultivate lands and fight wars. In the meanwhile, the women stayed back and worked in their paddy fields, took care of households and sold the farm produce in nearby markets. As a result, markets with women selling their home-produce grew as a concept, and thus Ima Keithal was born.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Ima Keithal, an all-women market in India (Twitter)</p>
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<p>Going back in history, these women also fought against British colonial rule. In one particular case, women of the region stood up against Nupi Lan (Women&rsquo;s War) that forced them to export large amounts of locally grown rice to British battalions in the country. Women traders of Ima Keithel came out together against this regressive move as this market was seen as a symbol for their cultural identity.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The market has an all-female workforce (Twitter)</p>
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<p>Ima Keithal&rsquo;s women play an important role in Imphal&rsquo;s local economy and has progressed from just being a market, to one that is globally recognised as a movement for liberty, equality and women&rsquo;s rights.</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Going back 500 years, the Ima Keithal market is found in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur

One look at this market in the heart of Imphal, the capital of the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur, and you would know that it’s a one-of-a-kind place. As a shopper at Asia’s largest all-women market, you will be greeted by colourfully-draped women in their phaneks and innaphis (traditional wear) every morning. This is the world's largest all-women market (Twitter) × There are more than 5,000 stalls in the market that are owned and operated by women exclusively. The market called Ima Keithal, meaning ‘Mother’s Market’ has a history of 500 years. Scholars believe that the market has existed since the 16th century. Interestingly, only married women are allowed to trade and run the stalls. The tradition is passed on from one generation to the next. These women pay around ?40 per month for their shops, which deal in ethnic handlooms, handicrafts and locally produced goods. The women traders also have a union that manages the market and runs a credit system. The women can borrow money to purchase goods and pay it back to the union later. Women selling traditional wear (Twitter) × Serving as a trading hub and an important meeting ground, the market prides itself on being women-friendly in more than one way. According to studies, the market’s female-only workforce is a result of an ancient forced labour system in the region. Called Lallup-Kaba, the tradition saw men of the Meitei community being sent away to cultivate lands and fight wars. In the meanwhile, the women stayed back and worked in their paddy fields, took care of households and sold the farm produce in nearby markets. As a result, markets with women selling their home-produce grew as a concept, and thus Ima Keithal was born. Ima Keithal, an all-women market in India (Twitter) × Going back in history, these women also fought against British colonial rule. In one particular case, women of the region stood up against Nupi Lan (Women’s War) that forced them to export large amounts of locally grown rice to British battalions in the country. Women traders of Ima Keithel came out together against this regressive move as this market was seen as a symbol for their cultural identity. The market has an all-female workforce (Twitter) × Ima Keithal’s women play an important role in Imphal’s local economy and has progressed from just being a market, to one that is globally recognised as a movement for liberty, equality and women’s rights.

World's largest all-women market you have not heard about

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Three Women Pradhans</strong></p>

<p>Recently, I had an opportunity to visit Gram Panchayats (GP) in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The purpose was to understand how Gram Panchayats are making plans. Recently, the fourteenth Finance Commission has devolved a significant amount of fund to the Gram Panchayats of the country and, therefore, there is a renewed thrust on planning at the GP level.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In course of our travels, we encountered three elected heads of GP who are women. Although, studying the impact of reservation for women was not the objective of our visit, I was curious to know how the reservation was working out in reality. I shall come to the debate and the data later, but let me tell the story first.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In one Gram Panchayat in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, I saw that a young lady, mid-twenties at the most, came and joined the discussion. She was wearing a sari and her veil covered her face. We were told that she was a master degree holder. She sat in the discussion but did not utter a word. She was surrounded by men, mostly village elders and some GP officials. I could see that she was curious but she did not speak a word.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One of the village elders, we found out, was her sasur-ji (father-in-law). He and a few others did most of the talking. Midway through the conversation, the father-in-law left for some business and the woman Pradhan immediately removed her veil. She still kept quiet, but the veil was off. Half-an-hour later the sasur-ji returned and she promptly covered herself once more.&nbsp;</p>

<p>From this GP, we moved to another GP in the same district. There the Pradhan is supposedly a woman, but she did not appear before us. It was clear that her husband, a dynamic young man and a Modi bhakt, was the real Sarpanch. He told us of the wonderful efforts their GP has taken to achieve Open Defecation Free status, the first in the district. His complaint was that in all the training that the state was giving, it was his wife who was getting the invitation and not him although he was the obvious head of the GP. We agreed that this is a big problem.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Indore district of Madhya Pradesh, we encountered a woman Pradhan who took us on (research team from Kolkata, no joke) with full confidence. She was middle-aged, she was educated and had been an LIC agent for some time. She was able to confidently answer most of our queries. After about an hour, her husband joined the conversation and it was clear that he was also an important informal player in the running of the GP. However, he was not able to dominate the process and talked more like a husband-wife team rather than like the de facto ruler.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Romantics often like to pick up stories of this woman doing this amazing act...but the general reality is that most women who are getting elected to become Pradhans are not exactly challenging patriarchy.</h5>
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<p><strong>The Report</strong></p>

<p>These three stories, in a way, reflects the present status of empowerment of women that is happening through the policy of reservation of seats in the panchayati raj. As tokenism, this looks great.&nbsp;Particularly, to the outside world, this looks like a progressive gesture, but it is doubtful whether the Indian patriarchal society is really shaken and stirred or not. Romantics often like to pick up stories of this woman doing this amazing act, that woman leaving MBA and becoming Pradhan, but the general reality is that most women who are getting elected to become Pradhans are not exactly challenging patriarchy. They are usually planted by their families to occupy the seat for five years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>How can I come to such a conclusion on the basis of three anecdotes? No, I can&rsquo;t. Fortunately, there was a large-scale study commissioned by Ministry of Panchayati Raj when Mani Shankar Aiyar was the Minister. This study was carried out by AC Nielsen and ORG Marg in 2008, under the supervision of a panel of reputed academicians. This is the only large-scale survey available which was carried out across the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>What did this <a href="http://file:///Users/madhumitasaha/Downloads/Study-on-EWRs-in-Panchayati-Raj-Institutions%20(1).pdf">report</a> say? A snapshot from the concluding chapter:</p>

<p>&bull;&nbsp; &nbsp; Women Pradhans usually have very little or no political background unlike the male Pradhans (p157). In other words, those women who are becoming Pradhans are rarely coming through a process of doing politics in the public space which usually grooms a young person to become a political leader.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&bull;&nbsp; &nbsp; Reservation of seat leads to entry into the political sphere as it allows women to contest from these seats and then become Pradhans. However, since reservation is for 5 years per seat, the overwhelming majority of women do not continue as Pradhan once the seat becomes a general seat (p.160). Only about 14 per cent got re-elected once the reservation was removed. In other words, most women are dummy candidates, planted by their families and removed once the reservation for that GP is removed after 5 years. Even if they contest, they usually lose. For most of these women, there ends their political career.&nbsp;</p>

<p>News media usually loves to highlight the glorious exceptions. NGOs love to give awards to some of the exceptional cases. But the success of a policy depends not on the exceptions but on what is happening to the majority for whom the policy is framed.&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>In other words, most women are dummy candidates, planted by their families and removed once the reservation for that GP is removed after 5 years.</h5>
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<p><strong>Policy Implications</strong></p>

<p>Does this mean that I am opposing reservation for women? No, certainly not. But we need to understand that Indian patriarchy is much stronger than what is often imagined. It can co-opt progressive legislations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There is one suggestion, that the tenure for reservation should be for 2 terms per GP rather than one. This is a good suggestion but it will not solve the problem of an influential family planting their bahu-rani (daughter-in-law) as a dummy. It is possible, however, that if there is political will, training support to women who become head of GPs can be considerably improved.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, nothing can replace education as a mean of empowerment. &nbsp; Social and political movements through which women come to power is what scares the patriarchy, not reservation.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Coda</strong></p>

<p>The large-scale study mentioned here was done in 2007-08. It is time for a repeat study to see whether the situation has changed or not. There have been studies with small sample sizes in different parts of the country, but they are not useful to understand whether the policy is working nationally or not.&nbsp;</p>


Social and political movements through which women come to power is what scares the patriarchy, not reservation

Three Women Pradhans Recently, I had an opportunity to visit Gram Panchayats (GP) in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The purpose was to understand how Gram Panchayats are making plans. Recently, the fourteenth Finance Commission has devolved a significant amount of fund to the Gram Panchayats of the country and, therefore, there is a renewed thrust on planning at the GP level. In course of our travels, we encountered three elected heads of GP who are women. Although, studying the impact of reservation for women was not the objective of our visit, I was curious to know how the reservation was working out in reality. I shall come to the debate and the data later, but let me tell the story first. In one Gram Panchayat in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, I saw that a young lady, mid-twenties at the most, came and joined the discussion. She was wearing a sari and her veil covered her face. We were told that she was a master degree holder. She sat in the discussion but did not utter a word. She was surrounded by men, mostly village elders and some GP officials. I could see that she was curious but she did not speak a word. One of the village elders, we found out, was her sasur-ji (father-in-law). He and a few others did most of the talking. Midway through the conversation, the father-in-law left for some business and the woman Pradhan immediately removed her veil. She still kept quiet, but the veil was off. Half-an-hour later the sasur-ji returned and she promptly covered herself once more. From this GP, we moved to another GP in the same district. There the Pradhan is supposedly a woman, but she did not appear before us. It was clear that her husband, a dynamic young man and a Modi bhakt, was the real Sarpanch. He told us of the wonderful efforts their GP has taken to achieve Open Defecation Free status, the first in the district. His complaint was that in all the training that the state was giving, it was his wife who was getting the invitation and not him although he was the obvious head of the GP. We agreed that this is a big problem. In Indore district of Madhya Pradesh, we encountered a woman Pradhan who took us on (research team from Kolkata, no joke) with full confidence. She was middle-aged, she was educated and had been an LIC agent for some time. She was able to confidently answer most of our queries. After about an hour, her husband joined the conversation and it was clear that he was also an important informal player in the running of the GP. However, he was not able to dominate the process and talked more like a husband-wife team rather than like the de facto ruler. Romantics often like to pick up stories of this woman doing this amazing act...but the general reality is that most women who are getting elected to become Pradhans are not exactly challenging patriarchy. × The Report These three stories, in a way, reflects the present status of empowerment of women that is happening through the policy of reservation of seats in the panchayati raj. As tokenism, this looks great. Particularly, to the outside world, this looks like a progressive gesture, but it is doubtful whether the Indian patriarchal society is really shaken and stirred or not. Romantics often like to pick up stories of this woman doing this amazing act, that woman leaving MBA and becoming Pradhan, but the general reality is that most women who are getting elected to become Pradhans are not exactly challenging patriarchy. They are usually planted by their families to occupy the seat for five years. How can I come to such a conclusion on the basis of three anecdotes? No, I can’t. Fortunately, there was a large-scale study commissioned by Ministry of Panchayati Raj when Mani Shankar Aiyar was the Minister. This study was carried out by AC Nielsen and ORG Marg in 2008, under the supervision of a panel of reputed academicians. This is the only large-scale survey available which was carried out across the country. What did this report say? A snapshot from the concluding chapter: • Women Pradhans usually have very little or no political background unlike the male Pradhans (p157). In other words, those women who are becoming Pradhans are rarely coming through a process of doing politics in the public space which usually grooms a young person to become a political leader. • Reservation of seat leads to entry into the political sphere as it allows women to contest from these seats and then become Pradhans. However, since reservation is for 5 years per seat, the overwhelming majority of women do not continue as Pradhan once the seat becomes a general seat (p.160). Only about 14 per cent got re-elected once the reservation was removed. In other words, most women are dummy candidates, planted by their families and removed once the reservation for that GP is removed after 5 years. Even if they contest, they usually lose. For most of these women, there ends their political career. News media usually loves to highlight the glorious exceptions. NGOs love to give awards to some of the exceptional cases. But the success of a policy depends not on the exceptions but on what is happening to the majority for whom the policy is framed. In other words, most women are dummy candidates, planted by their families and removed once the reservation for that GP is removed after 5 years. × Policy Implications Does this mean that I am opposing reservation for women? No, certainly not. But we need to understand that Indian patriarchy is much stronger than what is often imagined. It can co-opt progressive legislations. There is one suggestion, that the tenure for reservation should be for 2 terms per GP rather than one. This is a good suggestion but it will not solve the problem of an influential family planting their bahu-rani (daughter-in-law) as a dummy. It is possible, however, that if there is political will, training support to women who become head of GPs can be considerably improved. However, nothing can replace education as a mean of empowerment. Social and political movements through which women come to power is what scares the patriarchy, not reservation. Coda The large-scale study mentioned here was done in 2007-08. It is time for a repeat study to see whether the situation has changed or not. There have been studies with small sample sizes in different parts of the country, but they are not useful to understand whether the policy is working nationally or not.

Women empowerment: Does patriarchy fear reservation in Gram Panchayats?

<p>According to a&nbsp;<a href="http://unstats.un.org/unsd/gender/chapter4/chapter4.html">United Nations</a>&nbsp;study, only 50 per cent&nbsp;of women are in the workforce, compared to 77 per cent of men. The numbers in India are much lower.</p>

<p>&quot;Where are the working women? Do they&nbsp;doubt their own skills or is it the fear of affecting their families?&nbsp;Do women in India face an identity crisis?&quot; These were some questions that kept bothering Sairee Chahal, an entrepreneur&nbsp;who has been conscious about the theme of women in the workforce.</p>

<p>She doesn&#39;t just talk&nbsp;about the problems but also takes charge. In 2014, she came up with the idea for&nbsp;<em>Sheroes</em>&nbsp;- a platform that helps women with mentorship, career resources, skills development, jobs and work from home options. With her start-up, she aims to&nbsp;put a million women in the&nbsp;workforce in the next&nbsp;coming years.</p>

<h3><strong>Kazimi:</strong> You are based in India. What is the status of women employment in the nation?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee: </strong>India has some startling numbers, which are hard to ignore. We have only 17 per cent women in the&nbsp;formal GDPed workforce, only 5 per cent women in leadership and our gender ranking globally is at 113 out of 136 countries.</p>

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<p>Out of the total women population, the age group of 30-49 years constitutes the highest proportion of working women. (WION)</p>
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<h3><strong>Kazimi: </strong>Do you feel this is because of the lack of educational opportunities for women in India?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee:&nbsp;</strong>India&nbsp;has the maximum number of women graduates in the world, so there are more women who study and far less who work in the formal workforce.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3><strong>Kazimi: </strong>So where do you feel the problem lies?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee: </strong>Almost 48 per cent women drop out of work before reaching mid levels and most do not come back. The problems are of all kinds ranging from</p>

<ul>
	<li>lack of support system at homes</li>
	<li>loss of financial independence</li>
	<li>doubts about their own abilities to unavailability of opportunities</li>
	<li>battle with issues of identity and confidence.</li>
</ul>

<p>We are a complex nation; women own and run the caregiving economy &ndash; babies, eldercare, weddings, big festivals, family - the list goes on and on. In that process, a woman&rsquo;s career becomes nobody&rsquo;s business, sometimes not even hers.</p>

<h3><br />
<strong>Kazimi: </strong>So how does your initiative make a difference?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee:</strong>&nbsp;The idea is simple. We partner every woman to stay on a career path of her choice and excel at it &ndash; be it that of a first-time intern, work-at-home mom or a top corporate strategist or an entrepreneur. We are attempting to help urban women find choices that work for them, do well in the career they choose, turn entrepreneurial or make effective career comebacks. The core of our philosophy is to help women navigate career stages and find work that fits their life.</p>

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<p>Proportion of women working in rural areas is almost double that of urban areas. (WION)</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br />
<strong>Kazimi:</strong> What should be done to bridge the gender pay gap?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee:&nbsp;</strong>To reduce the gender pay gap, what could be done is - being more transparent about the pay-out for a specific role, companies should start looking at them as talent resource and not female employees and women must stop being shy to ask for what they think they deserve.</p>

<h3><br />
<strong>Kazimi: </strong>What was the initial response to your ideas?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee: </strong>Initially, it was tough convincing everyone that women&rsquo;s careers matter and that small changes can make big impact when it comes to gender diversity, remote work, entrepreneurship and women in leadership.</p>

<p><br />
Being able to create business alignment with what will be financial value plus social impact has been a challenge. When you are at an early stage of a category, you are written off easily. Or being a bootstrapped start-up with a big audacious goal is not easily acceptable.</p>

<h3><strong>Kazimi: </strong>What keeps you going in the lows?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee:&nbsp;</strong>I have&nbsp;an amazing team, a vibrant community and a goal worth chasing &ndash; giving every Indian woman a dream of the career of her choice. Very able mentors and partners also support the venture. One can either make way for fear and regret or one can be open and stay charged. We take charge.</p>

<h3><br />
<strong>Kazimi: </strong>&nbsp;How do you think the role of women in society has evolved over the years?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee:</strong>&nbsp;The role of women is changing from being nurturers and caregivers to disruptors, creators and growth hackers. While women have come a long way, they still have a long way to go. Corporates are adapting to newer forms of work engagements, being more inclusive and building up a supportive ecosystem. It will take time, but we are moving in the right direction.</p>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>The role of women is changing from being nurturers and caregivers to disruptors, creators and growth hackers</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<h3><strong>Kazimi:</strong> What impact have you been able to make with Sheroes?</h3>

<p><strong>Sairee:</strong>&nbsp;Once a priest&rsquo;s wife from a small village in the state of Bihar called asking for career help. She had studied before getting married and never worked. Now she was an empty nester, with kids settled overseas. She wanted to find herself an identity, a career and we managed to help her with an opportunity. Millions of women across the country have similar stories and they share them with us. That is why we are a community, where one comes in when you might be just curious or inclined.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://wion.azureedge.net/photos/slide_2-20170103073422.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Proportion of women working in rural areas is almost double that of urban areas. (WION)</p>
</div>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3><strong>Kazimi:</strong> What advice would you like to give to women struggling with their careers?</h3>

<p><b>Sairee:</b>&nbsp;Ask for help. Reach out. Talk. There is always somebody who will be able to show you the way.</p>

<p>(Coordinator and Editor: Devanshi Verma)</p>


Sairee from Sheroes aims to put a million women in the workforce

According to a United Nations study, only 50 per cent of women are in the workforce, compared to 77 per cent of men. The numbers in India are much lower. "Where are the working women? Do they doubt their own skills or is it the fear of affecting their families? Do women in India face an identity crisis?" These were some questions that kept bothering Sairee Chahal, an entrepreneur who has been conscious about the theme of women in the workforce. She doesn't just talk about the problems but also takes charge. In 2014, she came up with the idea for Sheroes - a platform that helps women with mentorship, career resources, skills development, jobs and work from home options. With her start-up, she aims to put a million women in the workforce in the next coming years. Kazimi: You are based in India. What is the status of women employment in the nation? Sairee: India has some startling numbers, which are hard to ignore. We have only 17 per cent women in the formal GDPed workforce, only 5 per cent women in leadership and our gender ranking globally is at 113 out of 136 countries. Out of the total women population, the age group of 30-49 years constitutes the highest proportion of working women. (WION) × Kazimi: Do you feel this is because of the lack of educational opportunities for women in India? Sairee: India has the maximum number of women graduates in the world, so there are more women who study and far less who work in the formal workforce. Kazimi: So where do you feel the problem lies? Sairee: Almost 48 per cent women drop out of work before reaching mid levels and most do not come back. The problems are of all kinds ranging from lack of support system at homes loss of financial independence doubts about their own abilities to unavailability of opportunities battle with issues of identity and confidence. We are a complex nation; women own and run the caregiving economy – babies, eldercare, weddings, big festivals, family - the list goes on and on. In that process, a woman’s career becomes nobody’s business, sometimes not even hers. Kazimi: So how does your initiative make a difference? Sairee: The idea is simple. We partner every woman to stay on a career path of her choice and excel at it – be it that of a first-time intern, work-at-home mom or a top corporate strategist or an entrepreneur. We are attempting to help urban women find choices that work for them, do well in the career they choose, turn entrepreneurial or make effective career comebacks. The core of our philosophy is to help women navigate career stages and find work that fits their life. Proportion of women working in rural areas is almost double that of urban areas. (WION) × Kazimi: What should be done to bridge the gender pay gap? Sairee: To reduce the gender pay gap, what could be done is - being more transparent about the pay-out for a specific role, companies should start looking at them as talent resource and not female employees and women must stop being shy to ask for what they think they deserve. Kazimi: What was the initial response to your ideas? Sairee: Initially, it was tough convincing everyone that women’s careers matter and that small changes can make big impact when it comes to gender diversity, remote work, entrepreneurship and women in leadership. Being able to create business alignment with what will be financial value plus social impact has been a challenge. When you are at an early stage of a category, you are written off easily. Or being a bootstrapped start-up with a big audacious goal is not easily acceptable. Kazimi: What keeps you going in the lows? Sairee: I have an amazing team, a vibrant community and a goal worth chasing – giving every Indian woman a dream of the career of her choice. Very able mentors and partners also support the venture. One can either make way for fear and regret or one can be open and stay charged. We take charge. Kazimi: How do you think the role of women in society has evolved over the years? Sairee: The role of women is changing from being nurturers and caregivers to disruptors, creators and growth hackers. While women have come a long way, they still have a long way to go. Corporates are adapting to newer forms of work engagements, being more inclusive and building up a supportive ecosystem. It will take time, but we are moving in the right direction. The role of women is changing from being nurturers and caregivers to disruptors, creators and growth hackers Kazimi: What impact have you been able to make with Sheroes? Sairee: Once a priest’s wife from a small village in the state of Bihar called asking for career help. She had studied before getting married and never worked. Now she was an empty nester, with kids settled overseas. She wanted to find herself an identity, a career and we managed to help her with an opportunity. Millions of women across the country have similar stories and they share them with us. That is why we are a community, where one comes in when you might be just curious or inclined. Proportion of women working in rural areas is almost double that of urban areas. (WION) × Kazimi: What advice would you like to give to women struggling with their careers? Sairee: Ask for help. Reach out. Talk. There is always somebody who will be able to show you the way. (Coordinator and Editor: Devanshi Verma)

Konversations: How can she go from a caregiver to a disruptor?

<p><br />
Indian actress Radhika Apte on Tuesday slammed a reporter when she was reportedly asked about the leaked nude scenes in the last release, Parched.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Sorry, your question is very ridiculous. Controversies are made by the people like you. You saw the clip, you shared with other people, so you made the controversy,&quot; &nbsp;Indian news agency, IANS, quoted her as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Parched is a Bollywood flick about four women from a remote area of western Indian state of Rajasthan that still suffers from age-old traditions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The filmmaker and the movie&#39;s actors, including Apte, have often reiterated that the movie is more than just about the nude scenes between her and co-actor Adil Hussain.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I am an artist... if I am required to do a certain job then I will do it. If you get out of your cocoon and look at the world cinema and what people are doing abroad and that is too successfully then you would have not probably asked this question,&quot; she told the media.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I am not ashamed of anything. People who are embarrassed about their own body are curious about other&#39;s body. So if you want to see a naked body tomorrow, see yourself in the mirror rather than my clip. Then only we can talk about this.&quot;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>An Indian daily,&nbsp;Deccan Chronicle, further reported that when&nbsp;the&nbsp;journalist apologised about &lsquo;hurting&rsquo; her, Radhika said, &ldquo;I feel hurt? You need to get over yourself, you&rsquo;ll get over it.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


'If you want to see a naked body tomorrow, see yourself in the mirror rather than my clip,' Apte told the reporter

Indian actress Radhika Apte on Tuesday slammed a reporter when she was reportedly asked about the leaked nude scenes in the last release, Parched. "Sorry, your question is very ridiculous. Controversies are made by the people like you. You saw the clip, you shared with other people, so you made the controversy," Indian news agency, IANS, quoted her as saying. Parched is a Bollywood flick about four women from a remote area of western Indian state of Rajasthan that still suffers from age-old traditions. The filmmaker and the movie's actors, including Apte, have often reiterated that the movie is more than just about the nude scenes between her and co-actor Adil Hussain. "I am an artist... if I am required to do a certain job then I will do it. If you get out of your cocoon and look at the world cinema and what people are doing abroad and that is too successfully then you would have not probably asked this question," she told the media. "I am not ashamed of anything. People who are embarrassed about their own body are curious about other's body. So if you want to see a naked body tomorrow, see yourself in the mirror rather than my clip. Then only we can talk about this." An Indian daily, Deccan Chronicle, further reported that when the journalist apologised about ‘hurting’ her, Radhika said, “I feel hurt? You need to get over yourself, you’ll get over it.” (WION)

Indian actress Radhika Apte slams journalist for question on 'leaked' nude scenes in Parched

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