Role of Women in Nation Building
“There is no chance for the welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is impossible for a bird to fly on only one wing.”
-Swami Vivekenand
When our country men were struggling and fighting to achieve the freedom, the women folk also fought shoulders to shoulders and whole heartedly supported the national leader revolutionaries and freedom fighters. At the time of India’s struggle for freedom, the position of women took an amazing turn. After India became independent it was felt by most of the national leaders including Nehru, Gandhi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, that emancipation of women is a must and also realised that so long as the condition of women were not improved, and granted equal status with men, India could not develop. The role of women in the national independence of India cannot be undermined. Sarojini Naidu, Mira Ben, Suchita Kirpalani, Vijay Laxmi Pandit. Aruna Asaf Ali, all played very crucial and enthusiastic role in the national movement for attaining freedom. “Women is the builders and moulder of a nation’s destiny, though delicate and soft as lily, she has a heart, stronger and bolder than that of a man, she is the supreme inspiration for man’s onward march.”
Women constitute approximately 40% population of a nation. If she is provided the task for the development of the country. She can make a wonder. She is the most dedicated, more hard working, more sincere more devoted to the cause. Many social evils such as dowry, illiteracy among the females, killing of girl child in the womb, ignoring the hygienic values, polio etc. can well be solved by the active involvement of the women.
Many women have themselves turned out to be dynamic, vibrant, sincere, and perfect in many spheres. Sm t. Indira Gandhi, Sirimao Bhanderanaike, Chandrika Kumaratunga, Goldamir, Margaret Thatcher, Vijaya Laxmi Pandit, Supercop Kiran Bedi have proved themselves in all manner better than their male counterpart. The myth that certain fields were only meant for men has been proved wrong by women. Modern women in the present age occupy top rank and got immense success in all fields such as politics, police, administration, medicine, services, etc. Mother Teresa, P.T. Usha, Mrs Mohsina Kidwai,Mrs. Subuh laxmi, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, the great environmentalist and social activist Medha Patekar and Promilla Kathan, Mrs. Kiran Bedi, Kaplana Chawla, Mrs Sonia Gandhi have attained much reputation in their respective fields.
Today women take over all kinds of offices for instance Managers, T.V. and Radio, Newspapers (readers), Pilots, Ministers, Anchors, Musicians, Clerks etc. There are veteran MPs and Ministers in the Centre and the State, Ms. Mayawati, Ms. Jayalalitha, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, Ms. Mamta Bannerjee, Mrs. Rabri Devi, Uma Bharati have proved to be a astute politicians.
The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments Act passed in 1992, lay upon the women of our country more responsibilities in accelerating the progress of the country. These amendments envisage 33% reservation for women in the Panchayat Raj. Women elected to Panchayat and Municipal councils, owing to the reservation, have started asserting themselves. Now, the women in local governments are taking part in the basic issues as water, health facilities, family planning, polio eradication, more seriously, more sincerely. Now they can play better role in the development of their area of operation whether village or municipality, which in turn will lead to the overall development of the state and the country as a whole.
Women are more dedicated and devoted to their duties and have much patience and politeness than man by nature. There is no doubt that women had played very fundamental role in the national building, but the man is still not in favour of providing them the given due powers. The illustration is that the women’s reservation bill for 30% reservation in State Assemblies and Parliament has not been made the act so far. The bill was introduced several times since 1996 but could not turn into an act.
The empowerment of women by itself cannot place women on equal footing with men, the need of hour is the alteration of social attitudes towards women. Many social evils, like dowry, illiteracy among women, infanticide of female child, elimination of girls foetus, are needed to be fully rooted out. The crime against women as in eve-teasing, rape is to be dealt with strongest hand though several measures but half hearted are being taken by the government in this direction, yet a change of social attitude and honesty, on the part of politicians, is must to make the women participate in the nation building at grass root level. It is rightly said by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, ” Our women have a very great part to play in the progress of our country as the mental and physical contact of women with life is much more lasting and comprehensive than that of men.”
