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International Women’s Day: How men can make life better for women in our society
HT speaks to women in Pune who work in competitive industries where they have had to prove their worth with creativity and sheer guts. These women tell us what men can do to make life better for the women around them- be it in the family or at the workplace
International Women’s Day is celebrated all over the world on March 8. The day is an ode to women and celebrates womanhood globally. The 2020 theme for the day by the United Nations is ‘I’m Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights’. Today and every day, every man can contribute to gender justice. On this occasion, HT speaks to women in Pune who work in competitive industries where they have had to prove their worth with creativity and sheer guts. These women tell us what men can do to make life better for the women around them- be it in the family or at the workplace. Read on and be inspired!
Empower women to make independent decisions
Renu Sharma, divisional railway manager (DRM), Pune, Central Railways
In order to raise the status and respect for women in society, it is important to educate the men in society, says Renu Sharma, the first woman divisional railway manager (DRM) in the Central Railways.
Hailing from Lucknow, Sharma took charge of Pune railway division in November 2019. Both her parents work in the labour ministry. She is a pass out of the Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) batch of 1990. She completed her Masters in Organic Chemistry. Her husband is the chief environment engineer at the Uttar Pradesh pollution control board.
Sharma noted that Pune railway division is the only division in the country where the DRM and ADRM (additional divisional regional manager) are women and both are doing a lot of field work.
The number of women staff is increasing day by day in her division. There are tough job categories like gang women, loco pilots, security personnel and women are doing these tough duties. “In the electric department also we are getting more and more women to work in such tough positions,” said Sharma.
“What happens is, even if we are literate and highly placed, even then we look up to our husband or father for their consent. It is only after their consent that we spend a high amount of money or take a major decision regarding our children. We look up to our husbands for their decision,” said Sharma.
“Women are doing better nowadays and we are equal to men in all fields. So, we need to empower the women in becoming mentally strong; their emotional strength and most important, independence of decision making.”
Parents should worry as to why their boys don’t come home early
Vidya Yeravdekar, pro chancellor, Symbiosis International (deemed) University
Donning the hat of being the driving force behind the most sought after education institute--Symbiosis International (deemed) University, is no mean job. There is no doubt about the all-pervading role of Vidya Yeravdekar, the daughter of president of Symbiosis Society, SB Mujumdar, in helping build the vast educational conglomerate that Symbiosis now is.
It is very important for men to change their mindset and include women in decision making; not just at their workplaces but also at home, said Vidya Yeravdekar, pro chancellor, Symbiosis International (deemed) University (SIU). According to her, it’s also important that men should realise that women are equal and they should be given equal opportunities.
Daughter of SB Mujumdar, founder of Symbiosis, Vidya is currently heading several institutions of the SIU as the pro chancellor. She is also the principal director of Symbiosis Society, which includes schools, the College of Arts and Commerce and other institutions under the SIU.
“Being a woman I am heading a university and I very well know the challenges that specifically an Indian woman faces. There is a great divide between the urban and rural Indian woman by way of statistics and representation in various forums. However, we are now seeing a lot of women coming in the forefront whether it is in educational institutes, representation in various boards in corporate sector or even in the defence sector.
We at Symbiosis have excellent leadership from women- it’s not just me but also at various other top positions. Apart from this, our student statistics shows that 55 per cent of girl students are carrying out leadership responsibilities. Therefore, we enjoy this kind of environment and we celebrate it on March 8,” said Dr Vidya.
“More importantly, we have started a medical college for women from this year to empower women doctors to become healthcare professionals,” she said.
The Symbiosis pro chancellor noted that as repeatedly and aptly pointed out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of worrying about why their girls are not coming home early, parents should worry why their boys don’t come home early. She said as a part of women’s empowerment, it’s important to educate the boys and men to empower their wives, sisters and other women in the family.
A women’s opinion matters, give her the freedom
Yamini Joshi, Pune divisional controller, MSRTC, Pune division
“Men should give equal chance to women around them to represent their voice and their existence in the society,” says Yamini Joshi, the first woman divisional controller at the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC).
Joshi hails from Pandharpur. She took charge of Pune division in April 2018 and played a major role in the transport planning during the Nashik Kumbh Mela in 2014. She has worked in all the three top positions of the MSRTC such as depot manager, divisional transport manager and now as divisional controller.
“Pune is the largest MSRTC division in the state and all types of buses run through this division. Passengers rely on MSTRC buses running from Pune division,” said Joshi.
The highly accomplished mass transportation expert noted that generally what happens in Indian society is that it is the elderly men in the family who tell the girl or woman in the family to abide by their views.
It is the men who mostly take the decision with regards to education, career choices or even choosing her life partner; they don’t take the opinion of the woman.
“A woman should be given the freedom to choose what she likes to do and what she wants to do in life. Only then can women enter different fields and achieve success,” said Joshi.
Muslim women are changing with time
Shahla Bootwala, principal, Abeda Inamdar Senior College
Shahla Bootwala is the principal of Abeda Inamdar Senior College and is a vocal crusader of educational empowerment for Muslim women in the country. She is a doctorate from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and has been mentoring several Muslim girls in achieving excellence in academics and research at Azam campus.
She says that Muslim women are changing with time due to support of their fathers and husbands. “Muslim men need to contribute to household chores. This is changing, but at a snail’s pace, when compared to other communities. Today, women are going outside to work, but they need a helping hand at home too.
“Today, girls in the Muslim community are getting married at an early age, but what is surprising is that the husbands are coming forward and enrolling their wives for higher education, which is a welcome change. This is the kind of support we need and this is because Islam actually propagates early marriage. I am happy to see that the husbands are supporting their wives,” she said.
“Earlier, Muslim women did not find a place in the employment sector, and now they are contributing to the society. This is due to liberal and secular education which has brought about a complete transformation in their lives. Azam campus has proved to be a boon to the Muslim society as the women in the community have excelled in all fields, contributing to national development,” she added.
