International Women’s Day: More needs to be done to empower women in rural areas

Women are still not allowed to work freely or given equal opportunities like men in rural areas

There have been changes for women in the professional front, as women can be seen working as astronauts, heading various companies among others, but women still think that more needs to be explored and they need better working opportunities. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, celebrated on Friday, March 8, students of city colleges express their views on women empowerment.

International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 every year. (HT PHOTO)

“It is good that women can be seen in many sectors, right from the IT sector to entrepreneurship. According to my personal experience, the mentality of the society is still male-dominated and that needs to change,” said Roopali Bhawre, a first-year Bachelor of Arts (BA) student from Nowrosjee Wadia College of Arts. Another student of first year BA, Prabha from the same college said, “Every woman has her own story to tell, as she struggles right from childhood. We are in a time and age where women have become astronauts, head of various companies, but at the same time, there are increasing incidents of female foeticide, which needs attention. Meanwhile, there are many women in our country who can be an inspiration, and one of them is our defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and she inspires young girls like me.”

While Harshada Pagare, a final year student of IT engineering from Modern College of Engineering, said, “We look forward to celebrating Women’s Day, as we believe that it will bring some positive change in the lives of women. In the last few years positive changes have been seen in our country in terms of women empowerment, as initiatives like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ are been taken up by the government. Whereas, in rural areas, women are still not allowed to work freely or given equal opportunities like men.”

Gautami Kamble, a second year Bachelor of Arts (BA) student from Fergusson College, said, “When we celebrate Women’s Day, it is a trend that successful women are felicitated, but today there is a need to help those women who are facing problems like harassment from husband or in-laws, women begging on the city streets or orphan girls who need a helping hand to achieve their goals.”