International Women Day

Yesterday (March 8, 2006) women around the world were remembered. United Nations made the day dedicated for women. Why only women? Why there’s no special day for men?

One would argue that because women since time immemorial have always been oppressed by men; regarded as the second creatures on the planet earth; as the weaker side of the society and hence, needs some kind of ‘help’ from (who else?) the so called ‘enlightened’ men to uplift their status.

Well, last week I was at the same car with a postgrad student of Delhi University along with other students who’re working on the same project conducted by an MNC company.

We talked on various light topics. During the chit-chat, she said that she prefers to go to campus by subway instead of by bus. I ask her why? Isn’t it nice to go by bus, as women have special place reserved for them? Just for your info, even the female passengers are much less than men, they got the same number of seats on the left side of the bus reserved for them. Men can sit on the female seats, but they have to give the reserved seats to women whenever they come inside the bus.

Surprisingly, she, named Nithin, got serious. She’s disagree with that kind of poor-women-help-them policy. By doing that, men actually just treat women like a handicapped persons who need help. She agree that women need to be independent, to be self-financed and to be less dependent financially and socially on men, but that should be through a more logical and dignified way: better education and skills.

Well, I couldn’t agree more with Nithin on this issue.