Image: TheHindu

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. When M S Dhoni loses or wins a match, it makes a front page headline. Every missed or scored ton by Sachin Tendulkar makes a sizzling story for cricket fans. Every clash with Pakistan is made to look like a clash of the century.  And every victory evokes loud celebrations across the country. However, this popularity is restricted to men’s cricket. Women’s cricket is far from evoking any emotions – even if it’s nothing less than a World Cup and that too being played on the home ground.

Indian women cricketers may not be getting the same support that their male counterparts enjoy, however they are all set to kick off Women’s World Cup 2013 event today. India team will be clashing with West Indies in Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium. Other teams in the tournament include Australia, Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and New Zealand.

The Indian women’s cricket team is being led by Mithali Raj, world number 1 batswoman. The team also includes former captain Jhulan Goswami whose experience will count tremendously.  Other key players on the Indian side include Amita Sharma, Harmanpreet, Gouhar Sultana, Nirannjana Nagarajan, and Sulakshana Naik (wicket-keeper). The team also includes former captain Jhulan Goswami.

Indian team is in Group A that includes West Indies, England, and Sri Lanka, while Group B features

Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, and Pakistan.

The favorites continue to be Australian team that has won the World Cup five times. England team who won the last world cup will be doing everything to retain the title.

The big question is whether the event will draw viewers, for a change? Will sports fans, in India and other participating countries, support women’s cricket?

It’s not just in India but elsewhere too, women’s cricket is not as popular. And what would be a better opportunity than a World Cup to promote the game and the players?

While men cricketers are larger than life icons, dominating all print, TV, and air space, women cricketers are like alien personalities who may be brilliant but no one knows or cares to know them. They don’t feature in any endorsements. You don’t see them offering a product or service, through billboards on the roadsides. You won’t find them on the ramps or in fun events with other celebrities. They are the true sports personalities who are focused on their game. They are the ones who need everyone’s support – let’s not keep it all for their male counterparts. Let’s know women cricketers, watch them play, and celebrate with them in their victories.

With or without the crowds, a cricketing fight is about to begin for the World Cup 2013. And there is nothing gentlemanly about it.

Image: Guardian

Women in US have been long fighting in the battle zones however their involvement has been somewhat restricted.

Defense secretary Leon Panetta has now decided to lift the ban on women serving in combat. As women have already been serving almost unrestricted in Navy and Air Force, the latest announcement will expand their involvement in Army and Marine Corps, which so far have been dominated by men.

While many question the move, female veterans and activists have welcomed the announcement. The groundbreaking step will open up women’s entry into elite commando jobs, special operation forces such as Navy SEALS and the Army’s Delta Force.

Gender equality cannot be achieved without giving women an equal opportunity in all areas including combat jobs. Countries like New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Israel and Sweden already allow women to serve in all army positions. Others like India are still far behind – India for example didn’t even allow women as permanent officers in military until recently. They were recruited as Short-Service Commissioned (SSC) officers for 5 years. The petition to allow women in combat has been pending with government for many years. Even today, on the occasion of National Girl Child Day, and in light of Pentagon’s announcement, Indian Defense Minister made it clear that government has no plan to open up combat to women.

United States of America has been gradually making the way for women into combat. As per Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, Sen. Carl Leven, the announcement to allow women in combat is a reflection of the realities of 21st century military operations. This follows President Barack Obama’s emphatic push for equal rights for all men and women during his inaugural speech on Monday.

The 1994 Pentagon policy prohibited women from being in combat units below the brigade level. But the war in Iraq and Afghanistan broadened women’s role. While they couldn’t be fighting on frontlines, they were there to provide medical aid, air support, and intelligence input to their units. These recent realities and the ongoing lawsuits, which challenged Pentagon’s ban on women serving in combat, forced military leaders to rethink the policy and they submitted their recommendation to Defense Secretary last week. A formal announcement, by Defense Secretary, is expected today.

There were many reasons why the combat was a closed door for women. Many believed that women don’t have the strength and stamina to go through rigorous training required for various kinds of military operations. There was also a fear that many Americans might not be able to handle the news of many women soldiers being killed in combat. Some worried about the impact of women’s presence on the morale and the unity of troops. Some even believed that most women themselves wouldn’t want to be part of dangerous jobs. But veteran Jon Soltz puts it in perspective – “when you’re looking for the best of the best you cast a wide net. There are women who can meet these standards, and they have a right to compete.”

In November 2012, US opened up to allow women to serve on submarines.  In February, 2012, US lifted the ban on women for about 14,000 combat roles. Still women constitute only 14.5 percent of US military. The latest announcement of lifting the ban would open up thousands of new job opportunities for women in US.

“We are thrilled to hear Secretary Panetta’s announcement today recognizing that qualified women will have the same chance to distinguish themselves in combat as their brothers-in-arms, which they actually already have been doing with valor and distinction,” Ariela Migdal, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, said in statement to AFP. “But we welcome this statement with cautious optimism, as we hope that it will be implemented fairly and quickly so that servicewomen can receive the same recognition for their service as their male counterparts.”

This is truly empowering news for all women – the lifting of ban gives American women an equal chance to succeed in military – and amplifies the demands for gender equality in other fields and other parts of the world.

Women in India, for example, still cannot have an entry into combat roles. In 1992, India threw open the doors for women entry as regular officers in engineering, education, aviation, medical, logistics, and law cadres. But their involvement is highly restricted. They are not even allowed as fighter pilots in Indian Air Force.

The Indian parliament was informed that there has been an increase of 67% in recruitment of women officers in army, navy, and air force in last 3 years. But there is no plan or proposal to induct women in combat roles, or to have a special drive to recruit rural women into armed forces. The unrestricted entry of women in combat roles in US may force countries like India to revisit their policies.

“Women serving in the Indian armed forces is an evolving process. Till 1992, women were never recruited. Now we get permanently absorbed into some of the streams of service. We have come far ahead since the time we started out. I am sure time will come when we will do combat roles too. But it is still a little far away,” a serving woman officer in the rank of an Indian army captain told IANS.

For more analysis read CNN story: Former Troops Say Time Has Come for Women in Combat Units

Image: google

Rapes and gangrapes are continuing to make headlines in India proving that short lived protests, occasional candle light vigils, or temporary measures won’t curtail sexual violence against women in this country. Those who want to see a real change – an India that is safe for women – need to keep the pressure on.

Recent incidents indicate that absolutely no place is safe for girls and women in India. Whether it is a bus stand, a school, a police station, or a hospital – whether it’s Delhi, the capital of India, Chandigarh, the best planned city of India, Goa, a tourist destination, or some remote village or tribal region – women aren’t out of harm’s way anywhere.

In Delhi alone, about 50 new rape cases have been registered since the brutal gangrape and murder of 23 year old Jyoti. The massive protests that followed that incident seem to have at least emboldened women to come forward and register cases of sexual violence in India more openly.

In a society where rape is considered to be a social stigma most women don’t even report the incidents fearing that they would be looked down upon. Often families also advise girls to keep their mouth shut for they know that their daughters will be raped all over again in police stations and in courts through vulgar questions. Also it’s not uncommon in India that a victim is seen as “available for all” by many in the police stations and communities and therefore subjected to more sexual assaults and harassment.

[Read: Rape Can Do Anything But Steal The Honor]

Recently, two teenage girls self immolated themselves after being raped. It was the feeling of “shame” that drove them to ending their lives. Actually, their country should be shamed for not being able to protect them, the society should be shamed for making them feel that way, and those who committed the crime should be shamed and sentenced.

Just two days ago, a tribal woman was raped in a district hospital in Mayurbhanj, Odisha. Those who preach that women shouldn’t step out of home alone should note that this lady wasn’t alone. Her husband was accompanying her when 6 men started teasing her. When her husband objected, he was beaten and tied to a tree. And men raped her repeatedly stopping only when she started bleeding profusely.

Last week, a young lady was on her way to Mohali for a job interview. She was looking forward to start her career. Her excitement turned into horror when two men pulled her into their car. She was standing at the Chandigarh bus stand in broad day light when the duo approached her, at the pretext of seeking direction. She was driven all the way to Bhatinda, 250KM away from Chandigarh, raped repeatedly for 2 days, and then abandoned on a road side. She continues to battle for her life in a hospital in Bhatinda.

In yet another horrific incident, last week, a 7 year girl child was inhumanely raped in her school toilet in Goa. School authorities instead of promptly reporting the incident to police, cleaned up the toilet, washed child’s blood soaked clothes, and only then approached police – after all the evidence was erased. Police is yet to trace the suspect. What has compounded the agony for the family is irresponsible and insensitivity displayed by the school authorities. An official from the school allegedly told girl’s father, “Your child doesn’t seem to be suffering that much”. Basically, school authorities are trying to safeguard their own reputation rather than doing everything to first help the affected child and then take steps to ensure this doesn’t happen to any other child in the school.

While the change in systems or in mindsets is far from taking root, cries for justice and open debates on sexual violence and women rights have given women some hope. A hope that if we continue to demand a change incessantly, it shall come. If we continue to push, solutions will emerge. Doesn’t matter how rotten the system is, how sick the mindsets are, how vulnerable women are today, if voices for women’s rights are cohesive and strong a change will come.

Image: NDTV

“The day I start working, I will ensure that my father can rest at home. He has always toiled for my welfare.”  Those were the words of Prema Jayakumar when she got the news that she has topped the All India Chartered Accountant exam.

Prema’s father has been driving an auto-rickshaw for the past 20 years to support his family of four. A single 300 sq. feet room is all that they have for living, studying, or sleeping. That too in a community in Malad where neighbors live almost on top of you – sparing no room for privacy or quietude required to prepare for highly competitive exams such as CA.

“Neighbors have been very kind. They maintained calm to ensure we weren’t disturbed,” says 22 year old Dhanraj, Prema’s brother, who also cleared the CA exam, bringing double the joys for the family. Dhanraj credits his success to his older sister. It was their very first shot at the exam and they both cleared with flying colors. “We always studied together. My sister has been my guiding force,” proud Dhanraj adds.

This is not the first time Prema has topped some exam. She has been a star all along in academics. She ranked 2nd in Mumbai University, in B Com third year exams. At school level too she excelled in studies, earning regular scholarship that came handy in paying school fees.

Her brother also worked in Call Center whenever there was a need for extra money but they never compromised on their studies. Once they started doing articleship, money wasn’t really a problem.

“Despite my father being an auto-rickshaw driver, he ensured that I was never deprived of education because of lack of money. I also earned scholarships at various levels. Today, I want to thank them all for their support and motivation. It is now my dream to give back to my parents all that they have given me,” Prema told India Today.

Ever since the news broke on Monday, Prema has turned into a celebrity in Malad. Many cannot clear CA exam even after multiple attempts but Prema and her brother cracked it in their very first attempt and not only that, beating all odds, Prema topped the exam in the whole country. That is an inspiration to all.

“We were never pressurized by our parents to study. However, we knew that education is our only means to change the lives we have lived. Now that my brother and I have reached this stage, we would like to make most of it and give our parents a good life. They have always done a lot for us in whatever circumstances we lived,” Prema added while speaking to India Today.

It’s an incredible story of hard work and determination. Yet another example that given equal opportunity, girls can shine too.

Prem Lata was in her mid thirties when she lost her husband to Kargil Conflict that raged between India and Pakistan in 1999. With him she lost her joys, only support and her only source of income. She would have also lost her desire to live if she didn’t have the smiles of two daughters with her – Neha, a 5 year old and Chanda (nickname), a 3 year old.

Daughters gave Prem Lata strength, a reason to live, and also a hope for better tomorrow. Prem Lata was broken but she knew that she had the responsibility to provide for her young daughters. And she knew she didn’t have anyone else that she could depend upon for help.

Prem Lata lived in a small village in Hamirpur district of Himachal Pradesh – a place that offered a view of mighty Himalayas, a wide window to nature, and an army of nice and supportive neighbors. But it lacked the most important thing that Prem Lata needed – an economic opportunity – a job that she could take up to support her daughters, herself, and her old parents in law.

She was young and beautiful. Many suggested that she should remarry. But Prem Lata knew what she wanted. In spite of not having enough money, in spite of not being educated enough herself, Prem Lata made her daughters’ education her sole mission in life.

It didn’t matter to her that certain sections of the society, that she lived in, constantly reminded her that she was a widow – an unlucky one who could cast her ominous shadow on those who came close to her. Her parents in law also passed away soon leaving her alone with young daughters but she wasn’t one to give up the fight.

Her husband, an Indian army jawan, laid his life while protecting his motherland and government pension took many months to come about. Finally, when it did, Prem Lata realized that it wouldn’t be sufficient to send her two daughters to a good school. She tried getting a government job to make up for the gap but not having minimum required education became a hindrance.

Prem Lata was ready to compromise on everything except for Neha and Chanda’s education – she got them admitted in the region’s best school.

She worked in the fields – sold produce – to support the family. And she continues to do so.

Today, Neha is in the most critical years of her education – going to be in 12thsoon. In 10th, Neha ranked among the top 10 students in the state. Aspiring to be a doctor, she continues to do exceptionally well in academics.

Neha’s dedication to studies won her more support along the way. Her school teachers not only provided her constant encouragement but also contributed some towards her fee out of their own pockets.

Her younger sister, Chanda, doesn’t need to look far for inspiration. She’s closely following her big sister’s footsteps.

The two sisters have grown up into lovely young ladies. They don’t have too many memories of their father however, they both are very proud of him. They are strong, confident, and full of dreams. Above all, they are aware of all that their mother has been going through to support them.

Prem Lata is a proud mom who can’t wait to see her daughters in college and then pursue their dream careers.

Her eyes still reflect her immense loss. But on her face you only see one thing – a resolve of a mother to give her daughters everything that she can – a promise to not allow circumstances beat her down – a resilient pledge to secure her daughters’ future.

When the dream so deep, and effort so resolute, no challenge is challenging enough!

Let’s salute Prem Lata for fighting all odds to get Neha and Chanda educated. Let’s also salute all those who helped and supported, and continue to do so, in Prem Lata and her daughers’ journey into a better tomorrow!

Wishing Neha and Chanda a glorious future!

Also Read: Prema, Daughter of an Auto-Rikshaw Driver, Tops All India CA Exam

Image: Manushi.org

In a society where every 22 minutes a woman is raped, and where survivors are made to live a life of isolation and dishonor, only a Sohaila Abdulali can teach the true meaning of rape. Rape is anything but izzat lootna (stealing the honor), she explains.

“Rape is horrible. But it is not horrible for all the reasons that have been drilled into the heads of Indian women. It is horrible because you are violated, you are scared, someone else takes control of your body and hurts you in the most intimate way. It is not horrible because you lose your “virtue.” It is not horrible because your father and your brother are dishonored. I reject the notion that my virtue is located in my vagina, just as I reject the notion that men’s brains are in their genitals,” she punched all myths. (Source: The New York Times)

Sohaila was gang-raped by 4 men, in Mumbai, when she was hardly 17. But like a warrior, she fought. When denied justice, she unleashed the pain, anger, and above all the power within into a fiery essay.  “I Fought For My Life …And Won!” she wrote. Through her words, she not only fought for herself but for the whole womankind.

Society would have liked her to feel ashamed and her family dishonored but Sohaila, and her family, refused to oblige.

“Being raped was terrible beyond words, but I think being alive is more important. When a woman is denied the right to feel this, there is something very wrong in our value system,” Sohaila added.

Today, 32 years after the incident, Sohaila is a successful woman who’s living her dream in US along with her husband and daughter. She is an author, freelance editor, public speaker, teacher, and a voice for all women.

In a recent article for The New York Times Sohaila stresses, “I WAS WOUNDED; MY HONOR WASN’T.”

Her latest article and the original essay are a must read for all women and girls on this planet. It’s the kind of knowledge and power they all need to survive and excel in this world where many treat women as merely sex objects.

Thanks Sohaila! We salute you!

Aamir Khan, the Bollywood superstar, is helping an NGO build a shelter in Ahmedanagar for wronged women and abandoned girls.

The 8 acre facility will offer accommodation for abandoned girls and women, medical care for mistreated pregnant or ailing women, and schooling for young girls. It will even provide security to girls threatened for marrying outside their cast and community.

Through his reality show Satyamev Jayate, Aamir Khan exposed widespread violence against women in India, particularly highlighting female feticide and dowry deaths. The actor activist is taking his fight forward showing by example that we all can make a difference at our levels.

Many girls are killed or abandoned by their own families, many are kidnapped and pushed to flesh trade, many are killed in the name of honor, many are burnt alive for dowry, many are throttled for not bearing children, and many remain locked in their homes living a life of suffocation and oppression.

(READ: Save Girl Child – India and China Killing Her)

These are the evils that won’t disappear from the society overnight. But thanks to Aamir Khan for giving hope, and for showing the path!

Image: pbase

Sometimes she would come and ring my door bell, say an endearing “Good Morning”, wait around for a candy, and then leave with a tiny-tooth smile. Her eyes were large and expressive.  She was a pretty little girl having dark complexion and full cheeks. In the mornings, she looked fresh and ready to spread smile. Her hair short and nicely combed to the sides. She sported a black kohl dot on her forehead, over the left eye. But by evening, she looked like an abandoned child – roaming around the compound barefoot, hair fanned in all directions and dust all over her face, hands, feet, and clothes.

Ask her, “Aapka naam kaya hai (What’s your name?)” and she would promptly and proudly reply, “Preeti.” If you probe her further, “School nahin jaate ho (Don’t you go to school?)”, she would suddenly feel shy and respond with a low toned “nah (no)” and avoid any further questions.

She lived behind my residence at the time, in a house that was built for demolition – one of those temporary structures you see in India that lot owners erect just to show the occupation of the land on papers. Preeti lived in that old makeshift house along with three other family members – her parents and a younger sister. Her father, a lean thirty something man, was apparently hired as a caretaker of the property.

I often spotted Preeti on my way to office – playing in the compound with her younger sister who must have been around three years old. Preeti herself was somewhere between 5 and 6. Her mother who was heavily pregnant could be seen brooming the floor or simply idling around. But she kept an eye on the sisters and prompted them to say “good morning” as I passed by.

One Sunday morning, Preeti rang my door bell to wish me “Good Morning” and to get a candy in award.  I told her that she would get the candy only if she went to school. But she refused to budge. Pointing towards her younger sister, who was sitting below the steps, she said, “chotee ke liye de do (give for my younger sister). When I still didn’t oblige, she left in disappointment – looking back at least thrice hoping that I might change my mind. I really felt like giving her something but chose not to for I had also realized that my “always giving on her asking” was encouraging a wrong habit in her and in her mother as well.

Her mother, who was a stay home mom, had started sending Preeti asking for small things like drinking water, pickle, rice, food container, etc. She would sometimes even come to use my phone to give a call to her dad who had started doing odd jobs, apart from being a caretaker of the property.

That Sunday, Preeti returned with a new hope. I opened the door as she rang the bell.

“Chocolate,” she said and started scratching the door with eyes down.

“First school. School kab ja rahe ho (When are you going to school)?” I asked.

“Papa ne bola, pahle Babu school jayega (Papa said that first Babu will go to school),” she said.

“Kaun Babu (Babu, who)?” I asked wondering who she was referring to.

“Babu,” she repeated giving me a look that she was telling something obvious.

When I still appeared puzzled, she voluntarily added, “Mummy ke pet main Babu hai (Mummy has a Babu in her stomach).”

I couldn’t help laughing loudly. I had heard kids (as taught by elders in the family) in India announcing, “Mummy ke pet main bhaiya (brother) hai.” This was the first time I was hearing a baby boy being referred as “Babu”.

Babu or Baabu is a Hindi word for Mr. in English. It’s commonly used to refer to male public servants. Later I learnt that in a few northern states in India, baby boys are called as Babus and baby girls – well, just girls!

“Babu” is a term that British Raj gave to India, and one that continues to rule the psychs of many wannable employees and their families. During British Raj, people serving in government positions were called Babus. It refers to someone well educated and in a position of authority. Babus also earned well, and enjoyed many government provided special benefits, so were highly respected in the society. Even today, being in some government job is the ultimate goal of life for many.

“Wow! Born officers,” I thought.

Preeti couldn’t understand why I had laughed. “Hai (It’s there),” she reiterated thinking that I was not believing her.

“Aapko kaise pata (How do you know)?” I asked the unnecessary question. It was unnecessary because there were only two possibilities – either it was a wishful prediction or her parents had got a illegal sex determining ultrasound done. And both were beyond the comprehension of a 5-6 year old.

But Preeti’s education plan, crafted by her parents, was now clear to me – she would get to go to school once her brother arrives, grows up to being a 4-5 yr old, and starts going to school. And of course, it will depend upon the financial state of the family i.e. whether or not they have spare money to spend on Preeti’s  studies. By that time, Preeti would be 11 – close to a marriageable age. Remember, 28% of the girls in India are married off much before they hit 20.

Preeti’s father was a nice guy – it’s just that his financial state was really bad and he didn’t seem to be trying hard enough to find a better job. When he was told about a school, in the neighborhood, that offers completely free education up to 10th standard he agreed, when persuaded a little, to get Preeti enrolled. The Trust run school not only provides students free books, notebooks, uniform, and lunch but also gives them some cash money as an annual stipend. Its mission is to provide equal education opportunity to kids from lower income families. It was hardly at 5 minutes walk from where Preeti lived. Unfortunately, it was middle of the year so school authorities had no choice but to ask Preeti to wait for a few months for the new sessions to start.

Preeti was provided some books and a home tutor in the mean time so that her year is not fully lost. And she was getting her well deserved candies.

A few days after that, another girl arrived in Preeti’s family that was expecting a boy, the Babu. While her parents did not appear shell shocked outwardly, internally they were devastated. Delhi NCR, the national capital region of India that gives hopes to millions, had not helped them much. They were living in a crumbling house, at the mercy of their land owner. The couple had come alone to the city and now they had three young daughters to take care of. Just one person doing multiple small jobs was not bringing much. They decided to move back to their village – at least they had a small house and a piece of land that they could call their own there – they thought.

One day, Preeti did not come to wish me Good Morning. The family had left the place, for good, I learnt. She was gone – just like that. Gone without saying goodbyes, without collecting her new set of books, without learning to count, and without mastering to write her pretty name.

Gone – without even learning how to spell “Good Morning”!

In April 2010, India became one of the 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child, aged between 6-14 years, under the Right to Education (RTE) act. But ensuring that no child is held back continues to be a challenge for those responsible for enforcing the act.

India is considered to be the land of countless Gods and Goddesses – a place where majority fervently worships, among others, Lakshmi – the Goddess of wealth, Saraswati – the Goddess of education, and Durga – the Goddess of power. Yet the irony is that the country does not do enough to provide a level playing field for its women. World’s largest democracy has been paying a blind eye to the gaping gender gaps – to the skewed sex ratio – to unequal education and employment opportunities – and to the overall well being that just doesn’t reach enough women.

As per Global Gender Gap Report for 2012, India ranks 105 out of 135 countries – almost at the bottom. If you take Political Empowerment of women out of the picture, India’s ranking would dip down to 126 i.e. literally to the bottom – in the closer company of its neighbors Nepal and Pakistan.

Global Gender Gap Index ranks countries on the basis of gender based gaps in four areas – 1) Economic Participation, 2) Educational Attainment, 3) Health and Survival, and 4) Political Empowerment.

The index was introduced by World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2006 to identify gender disparities and the opportunities created by reducing them. It has been tracking the progress of various countries towards closing the prevailing gender gaps, and India’s record has been dismal.

Top 5 ranks go to Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Ireland. UK ranks 18, US 22, Australia 25, Brazil 62, and China 69.

India ranks high, at number 17, in Political Empowerment primarily because it has had some women head of the state in last 50 years. Not many countries can boast of having had a woman Prime Minister and a woman President – India has had both in Indira Gandhi and Pratibha Patil respectively. And the country continues to have a galaxy of women leaders at state and national level – Sonia Gandhi (Congress President, UPA Chairperson, NAC Chairperson), Sushma Swaraj (Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha), Miera Kumar (Speaker of Lok Sabha), Shiela Dikshit (Chief Minister of Delhi), Mamata Banerjee (Chief Minister of West Bengal), Jayalalithaa Jayaram(Chief Minister of Tamilnadu), Mayawati (Formed Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Head of BSP), Vasundhara Raje (Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Leader of Opposition of State Assembly of Rajasthaan), and Uma Bharti (Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh) to name a few.

However, if you think beyond some privileged and/or exceptional women, a right to vote can only help so much without voter being educated.  Political empowerment will certainly make difference in the long run, however thus far it hasn’t trickled down. Today women only constitute a meager 12% of the parliament strength and hold only 11% of the ministerial berths.

Women’s Reservation Bill, that proposes reservation of 33% of seats in Parliament of India and in State Legislative Assemblies for women for 3 election cycles, has been pending in Parliament for over two decades. If passed, it will further boost India’s ranking in political sub-index.

The Global Gender Gap report adds –  “There is also some evidence from India to suggest that women in local government roles make decisions with better outcomes for communities than men when charged with budget decisions;  they also appear to be more competent representatives than men, obtaining more resources for their constituencies despite having significantly lower education and relevant labor market experience.“

India is at 123rd position when assessed on Economic Participation and Opportunity parameters. Share of women in non-agricultural wage employment is just 18%. It reflects that women are left behind in the higher end jobs that demand higher education and specialized skills. Women are even lagging in the use of internet that has opened up new avenues for skill enhancement and income generation. The country also doesn’t facilitate enough credit and finance programs to encourage women entrepreneurs – embarrassingly, only 9% of the firms in India have women ownership of some sort.

(READ: Indian Women Lagging Behind in Internet Use – Intel Report)

The report also warns, “India is the lowest ranked of the BRIC economies featured in the Index; it performs above average on the political empowerment of women but lags behind in the other three categories. The persistent health, education and economic participation gaps will be detrimental to India’s growth.”

Women’s economic participation largely depends upon their educational attainment. On the education subindex, India has made some improvements but it still stands at 121st spot as those improvements are really at the lowest level of education. While almost equal number of men and women enroll for primary education, number of women continues to shrink as the level of education and specialization increases. In other words, India is making girls literate but not helping them become employable.

Offering women a level playing field would be a key for India’s growth. By not empowering women, a country loses half of its advantage right away. In case of India, an enviable billion plus human resource pool shrinks to half, with other half virtually ignored. And world’s largest, and most populous, democracy starts to look like an unfair giant that only displays sluggish improvement towards closing the gender based gaps.

Along with promoting the value of education and making it easily accessible, India needs to address stubborn cultural issues and safety concerns that prevent women from going for higher education or pursuing their dream careers.

Incidents like recent brutal gangrape and murder of a paramedical student in Delhi and subsequent outrageous comments of Netas (political leaders) and Babas (spiritual gurus)  is a reflection of gaping gender gaps in India that must be closed.

(READ: Brutal Gangrape of a 23 year old Student in Delhi)

(READ: Indian Netas and Gurus Bash Women and Chinese Noodles)

Story of India shining, or India a rising economic power, takes a real hard beating on health arena. The country ranks 134, again out of 135, on Health and Survival index. It is only 1 point better than Azerbaijan – the last country in the chart.

The child sex ratio in India continues to be alarmingly skewed with just 914 girls to 1000 boys. Female feticide and infanticide are rampant in India. And believe it or not, only 58% of childbirths in India are attended by a health specialist – rest are left in His hands. 28% of the girls who survive get married at a tender age of 15-19 years – and marriage for most implies punctuation to education or career.

(READ: Save the Girl Child! India and China Killing Her)

One index where women do better than men is healthy life expectancy – on an average they outlive men by a year. Probably lagging behind in everything else makes them true fighters.

No country can be globally competitive without taking its women force along – without being fair to them while distributing available resources – without providing them a safe and conducive environment to learn, grow, and contribute. It would be like running a race on one leg, with other folded up, and still expecting to somehow emerge victorious.

Image: NDTV

Internet is an effective equalizer, if we allow it to be. It’s unfortunate that the developing world, India included, is not doing enough to encourage women to log on to the power of internet – to bridge the widening digital divide between men and women.

A recent report on internet usage, funded by chip giant Intel, in collaboration with US State Department and United Nations, shows that women are lagging behind men in accessing internet. The study found that women, in the developing world, are 25% less likely to access internet than men. (READ: Women in India, and other developing countries, lag in Internet use – Reuters)

Internet boldly cuts across a myriad of lines – country, culture, race, religion, education, economic status, gender, etc. – that divide the world. It enriches lives and brings the world closer by bridging the information gap, offering new opportunities, and providing new ways of connecting and communicating.

Education, formal or informal, is the biggest blessing of internet. It has thrown open virtual classrooms, training institutes, universities, and labs that operate 24×7 and accept enrollment from anyone living in any part of the world – men or women – rural or urban.

Women and underprivileged need internet more than anyone else. They must be encouraged, through various government programs, to take advantage of the technology to better their lives – to acquire new skills, to find better paying jobs, to ensure that they are counted among haves and not have-nots.

This digital divide highlighted in Intel’s report should not surprise many though. Women are denied internet access for the same old reasons that come in their way to education. Patriarchal excuse – It is expensive so will only be provided to the boys in the house. Cultural excuse – Internet is dangerous for girls, it exposes them to “inappropriate” content. In many cases, it’s just pure lack of awareness – women and girls in rural places have no idea about a thing called “internet”.

(READ: India Ranks 105 in Global Gender Gap Index. What a shame!)

Intel’s report calls upon policymakers, tech companies, and other non-government groups to take steps towards connecting more women to the internet. It suggests to spread awareness and to make internet access more affordable.

“With the powerful capabilities the Internet enables – to connect, to learn, to engage, to increase productivity, and to find opportunities – women’s lack of access is giving rise to a second digital divide, one where women and girls risk being left further and further behind,” said Melanne Verveer, ambassador for global women’s issues at the State Department.

The report goes on to claim that connecting women to internet will not only open up opportunities for them but it will also help grow the global economy, and therefore everyone has a stake in it. Once connected, they will turn to internet for things like education, shopping, and banking. Bringing 600 million more women to internet can add up to $70 billion in new market opportunities.

Indian government has been working with private players to bring low-cost Tablet PC, named Akaash Tablet, to students however the ambitious program has seen little success so far. The reality is that it cannot succeed until the issue of internet availability and affordability is addressed. A glassy piece of hardware can react to human touch but it cannot touch human back in any way until it’s connected to the internet.

Internet is a magic band that can help countries build an informed, educated, and skilled workforce. It can help build vibrant societies of tomorrow where no one is left behind.  It can eliminate the divides that plague the developing world today. But without connecting women and girls with internet only half of the potential will be realized.

Hand over the microphone to almost any Neta (Political Leader), Guru (Spiritual Teacher), or Chela (Follower) in India and they can give you a full discourse on why women and only women are responsible for all the violence against them.

If one Neta says that women shouldn’t be out of home after sunset, other adds that they shouldn’t be out in skirts and jeans during any time of the day. If one says that westernization is responsible for all things wrong with the society, other agrees adding that Chinese noodles are to be blamed as well.

If the Guru suggests that a girl can stop the rape by calling the attacker her “brother”, Neta suggests child or teenage marriage is the solution. They openly hate the modern image of Indian woman but in the same breath they will term rural women as “unattractive”.

[READ: Women Commoditization by Indian Politicians and Spiritual Leaders]

Many would like women to follow the traditions from ancient epics Ramayanaand Mahabharata era, reminding them of the consequences Sita (Lord Rama’s wife) had to face for daring to cross the line that her brother-in-law had drawn for her. For them, women’s place is “contractually” confined to the household – they should be prepared to pay for breaking that contract.

If the camera enters their own bedrooms, their ethics and moralities will look for thick covers. These are the same Netas and Gurus who often make headlines for sex scams but are never investigated. These are the same guys who brandish guns at toll plazas to avoid paying fifty rupees. They wouldn’t even mind killing women or children in the name of God or Honor. But still somehow they specialize in teaching others the way of life – the “goodness” mantras.

Let’s put Netas aside as their influence is limited – thank goodness – not many take them seriously in India.  But what’s particularly dangerous is a misguiding Guru – a self proclaimed Godman – for he holds the power to pollute millions of minds.

A Neta, almost always, eats his sexist or misogynist words back under public or high command’s pressure. But how can a Guru be ever wrong? His words are true when they are uttered, today, and ever after. There is no question of retraction as countless followers live by his words.

We can allow these guys to blame Women and Chinese Noodles for sexual violence against women but who would we blame for an imbalanced and imprudent society of tomorrow?