From time immemorial, women have been an active
participant in the economic, political and social activities of civilizations.
World richest and oldest civilization of Indus valley witnessed their active
and prominent roles. Women played their responsibilities with integrity and
honesty no matter which part of the world they belong to and what role-whether
as mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, wife-they were given. Women are the
harbinger of progress. Status of women of a nation gives the assessment of the
progress of nation. Treatment to women is real developmental indicator.
Women and progress indicators:
There has been wide debate about the concept of
progress or development and its nature. Whatever it is, inevitability of it is
recognized. Still, various indicators such as GDP, HDI etc. of development have
evolved that measure its different aspect. Therefore, also, I would first assess
the women role in terms of these indicators.
GDP is most widely used indicators throughout the
world that measures progress in terms of increase in the production measured by
monetary value. Women, that constitute almost half of the population of
country, should be significant contributor the production. Women today are
involved in large sphere of economic activities. Comparing with the ancient
world, in contemporary age they are doctor, engineer, lawyer, and public
servants and so on. However, in developing countries, they are still to involve
significantly in nations economy. While in developing countries even their
visible economic contribution is many a time not taken into account, developed
country provide them with enough economic liberty.If the economic activities
are expanded to constitute the domestic work they are involved in, they may
overtake the masculine GDP. Thus, there is a need to explore their potential by
giving them rights and responsibilities they deserve. If they will grow, nation will grow.
Of course, when women constitute half of
population of a nation, they are central to progress.
Take the case of Human Development Index-supposed
to be most holistic indicator of well being and thus progress of nation. It
measure development in terms of literacy level,calculated by gross enrollment
ratio; health, calculated by life expectancy, and national income. It is said that if a women is literate,
she will make whole family literate. Education starts from home, and
home is what women make it. The family education given to child builds the
foundations on which he further develops. His basic approach towards the
surrounding problems, evaluation of the object around him and assessment of
many basic things start from home. Values imbued during childhood helps him to
become a noble citizen. It has been rightly put,” you educate a man; you only
educate a man. You educate a women; you educate generation.”
Health of women is health of nation. Health of infant depends on the health of
women during maturation and incubation period. Malnutrition of an infant is the
cause of improper feed to women during pregnancy. Growth of child till teenage
does depend on the level of education and health of women. A young and healthy
human will not only reduce the burden the expenditure on health by a nation,
but will participate in nation building with more efficiency and energy.
Nation income in nothing but equal to gross domestic
production of country.
Now, evaluation the women contribution other than
in terms of indicators, their importance in relation to politics and state has
rightly been understood contemporary. It is said that “In politics, if you
want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask women”. So in
society. “A woman is the full circle,
Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform the society”.
India is good example where social role can be very well understood.
Indian example
India is
prominent example where women are filled with sense of duties towards the
society. The Indian value system, which constitutes the country’s
culturally-devised social security system, is the result of the
carefully-nurtured continuum of Indian womanhood. Though, their rights has been
neglected compared to Western women, they have uplifted the Indian society with
themselves remaining burdened with sense of duty and responsibilities. In
western world where women are very conscious towards their rights, family and
social traditional responsibilities like old age care, childhood care and
education, and many social duties has been falling over state and burdening it.
Thus, to build
a nation, building womanhood is necessary. Women rights are largely still unrecognized
in the world esp. developing world. Treatment of a nation
to its women is the treatment to nation, to society, to every individual. It is
rightly put, “When women laugh, nation
laugh; when she weeps, nation weeps”.
In the word of B.R Ambedkar,’’
I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women
have achieved.”
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