While India is catapulting towards becoming a developed nation , the Indian society steeped in its cultural and traditional weave is grounded and aware. Yet it lacks solidarity while viewing certain pressing issues. Some people are unaware of the ills of society while others look away and do not give much thought to the empowerment of the mind of the collective, to give rise to freedom for all.

Discrimination is a harsh term and all agree that it mustn’t be met out. Even then in our own unconscious way, we discriminate against one another at various levels in our daily lives. Isn’t it true? We discriminate against one another on economic, social and even physical disparity but somehow the harshest kind of discrimination is based on gender. It needn’t be sexual but it nonetheless causes harassment and trauma to the individual. It is undoubtedly our limiting beliefs that lead to such forms of discrimination.

BROKEN WINGS:

The world over women have less access to education and then catapulted with female foeticide and infanticide the situation becomes more critical for the girl child who is viewed often in the poor families as a liability. This is proven by the number of dowry deaths that still occur in certain remote villages of India.

Another facet to this crisis is inequality in employment opportunities and rights wherein only six countries in the world are entitled the same rights to both genders. So a long way is still to go to achieve complete gender equality laws.

Women are also deprived of easy access to legal protection because of lack of awareness and proper guidance with support. Hence they become victims of domestic and economic violence. Many women in the world do not have authority on their own bodies and coupled with neglecting themselves where due to familial responsibilities self-care becomes secondary. Such women generally become dependent on their partners financially thus losing the freedom to earn live with dignity.

Gender inequality is closely linked with racism and how people of colour are viewed by all. Even so advertisements earlier made people more conscious of this kind of racism. However, recently media has turned around to sensitize the issue of racism and gender discrimination to positively impact the society in order to channelize positivity and growth within its structure.

Societal mindsets augment discrimination at the core. A girl for example grows up naturally to love the pink colour, play with dolls and doll houses and is generally averse to playing outdoor sports. If otherwise she is viewed as a ‘tom-boy’. While the reverse is true for boys also. They grow up observing their room and toys all in various shades of blue!

Yet one more form of discrimination is based on disability where it is viewed that the specially-abled children are unfortunately seen as a curse to society. They are therefore usually abandoned by their parents and caregivers or are simply ‘cast away’.

EMPOWERING THE SELF AND SOCIETY:

The vices of society are grave and yet this poison can be converted into medicine once we think of solutions for uplifting ourselves and the others around us. We would grow emotionally and spiritually only when we empathize with ourselves, our situations and others as well. This empathy must emanate from self-love and compassion for others respecting the dignity of life and all human beings.

Coupled with it must be the resilience to accept and meet challenges head-on to overcome them. We must break down these walls of discrimination and crumble them to bits to see the complete dawn of hope and equality, on the other side.

EMPATHY SPEAKS:

STOP PLAYING WITH EGO FOR EGO KILLS. 

"Ego according to Cullen Hightower is our silent partner – too often with a controlling interest. Hence “ No one has learned the meaning of life until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow men.” - Beran Wolfe

Therefore it's supreme for an individual to treat others with empathy and beginning with which all else will follow. People with similar interests positively impacting the globe must then collaborate and form communities to do away with societal vices.

COLLECTIVE SOLIDARITY AND RESPONSIBILITY:

Stemming from the previous point is the view that we must keep solidarity and must strengthen the bonds between people of different cultural, economic, social background, genders, countries and so on, in order that we may truly call ourselves “ The World”.

We must try and negate any form of negativity lying within the fabric of society from our lives, the sooner, the better.

People have recently exhibited excellent examples of unity to curb corruption and discrimination through peaceful marches, protests and petitions, in favour of better laws for a better tomorrow.

OUSTING GENDER ROLES TO GIVE WAY TO A BALANCED SOCIETY :

Women are acquainted and meant for household and domestic chores. Even if they are their families, society's world overview such chores to be better understood and accomplished by women. This kind of unconscious societal bias on the female gender stems from the cultural background of the community. In some, it is deep-seated and will take centuries to change the form of prejudice.

AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL:

Nonetheless, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. We observe change as the only constant. The way to move forward is to thereby struggle to oust this monster out of our lives to better our existence, freeing it from negativity thus bringing in the rays of hope for a brighter tomorrow!

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