What's the need for Indian women to align with women's rights movements across the world? Civil rights activist Binalakshmi Nepram shared her perspective on this matter with IBNLive readers.
Q. What's the need for Indian women to align with women's rights movements across the world? Asked by: Anuj
A. The issue of violence against women in India is also similar to issues happening to women in many parts of the world. One in three women on this planet will be raped and beaten in her lifetime and this also related to women in India. Hence there is a need for women in India to align with women across the world to bring collective change as we can learn from each other's stories, each other's pain and each other's collective courage.
Q. Can a mass movement put an end to violence against women? Asked by: Heena
A. A mass movement and mass awareness in every sphere of our lives - at home, office, school, colleges, governance is the need of the hour to put an end to violence against women in our country.Women across India whether from Manipur to Kashmir, from Delhi to Kanyakumari need to connect now along with women from across world. The awakening came in the dark night of 16 December 2012 and need to go on till concrete change beckons!
Q. Given, that women's movement have been raising their voice for years, how do you think OBR can be the voice with a difference and what change are you expecting. Asked by: Pragya
A. The One Billion Rising Campaign is one colour in a rainbow of efforts that women in India and around the world are making to "Rise" to end all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls. We have worked before this and we will continue to work beyond OBR. The "Rising" on 14 February is one amazing coming together and we are in it to make it happen from such a far flung area like Manipur too.It is one strong collective moment for change!
Q. Domestic violence against women is the main problem in India...I know cases where even senior IAS Officer beats his wife...What progress we Indian women have made in tackling or handling wife beating issue. Asked by: Mekala Srikanth
A. Domestic violence is a huge disease of our society in India and its a real shame hence women across India whether its a farmer's household in Barmer district or an IAS officer in Bangalore feels that they should resort to "beating" their wives into submission. The Govt of India thus brought into force "the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005" from October 26, 2006.
Q. Don't you see women's emancipation as part of a larger political-economic change like the kind Marx had envisioned? Or are all these liberation movements post-structural cocoons? Asked by: Mallika Sen
A. Women's emancipation goes beyond any "isms"! Its a basic right that women are demanding to be treated like equal citizens whether its in India or anywhere around the globe.
Q. There have been many women's rights movements across the world. Why this hype over this one? Asked by: Pramilla
A. My father always use to tell me as I was growing up in Manipur,"The flower will bloom when time comes for it to bloom". True women's movement in India is more than 40 years old. I have met senior women activists in Delhi to ask them the same question,"Why the hype over the 16 December gangrape in Delhi while rape happens in India every 22 minutes?" Like the time to "bloom" which my father said,many things converged this time. I see 4 points (1)Brutality of gangrape shocked and pained us deeply (2) Media played an imp role to highlight the issue (3) the movement was spontaneous and not political and finally most imp (4)Women in India have been fed up with the way they have been treated and the ignition happened this December 2012.
Q. Will the voices reach the policy drafters, lawkeepers and decision makers? Asked by: Sneha
A. Citizens have to work towards making government of India and across the world accountable for crimes against women. Our voices will definitely reach policy makers,lawkeepers and decision makers. It will depend of our collective will, collective consistent follow-up to bring much needed change ! Protests in Jantar Mantar forms just 10 % of our work, 90 per cent work remains in how we do follow up to effect changes and its gonna be hardwork every single day. Please join us in this effort!
Q. What the world expects from the One Billion Rising movement? Asked by: Priya
A. The One Billion Rising Movement will shake the world! Imagine the power and energy that will emanate when 1 Billion Women in over 180 countries "Rises" to "Dance, Strike, Rise" against century old ways in which women are treated. It's a beautiful, touching, courageous tribute to all women and girls who could not live to see an equal world. It is also a tribute to coming generation of women and girl child to promise them much needed change!
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