Today’s world has seen digital revolution, advancement of technology, human knowledge, advancement of medicine, treatment and many more. But has it really changed the way we wished it would?
As we said before, the world has been changed. But most of the people of this world are not yet ready to change their perception. Though the world been changed and been developed in every field, it did not achieve gender equity. Gender discrimination is still a major issue in almost every country of the world.
In Bangladesh, gender discrimination is salient everywhere. From birth to death, a woman is left out in cold. When a girl is born to a family, the family members remain dissatisfied. Her close relatives like her grandparents, her father’s sisters seem to be very displeased. The mother who gives birth to a girl, is made to think that she has made a great mistake and everyone treats her like a criminal. Everyone blames her for committing such a mistake (!). After a few days, most of the mothers start to believe that yes! She has made a mistake giving birth to a daughter. This custom has been practiced from years. This is so blasphemous!
After a girl’s birth, the typical families start to discriminate her with the other boys of the family. Even a mother discriminates between her son and daughter. The son is given the best foods, clothes, education, medication while the girl remains bereaved of all these things. When the daughter and the son both want the same portion of a fish or other foods, the mother often tries to give it to her son. Most of the parents spend much money to educate their sons rather than to educate their daughters because they think their sons to be their asset. The son is always given the larger portion of fish, meat, fruits etc. while the daughter remains deprived of all these things. This practice remains the same even after marriage. After marriage, a son-in-law becomes the hero of a family, he is given foods, clothes and other things more than his requirement but at the same time, a daughter-in-law does not even get anything according to her need.
Every child should be given equal care. But in a country like Bangladesh, it’s quite impossible still now. In most families, the boys have been given extra privilege from years. They are the apple of their parents’ eyes. If a daughter and a son of same parents want something from them, they try to fulfill the son’s wish and persuade the daughter saying that she will be given something better next time. But the reality is that “next time” never comes.
This is a petty example of the outlook of the family members towards a girl. Now let’s have a look on the outlook of our society-
Our society is male-dominated. Everywhere we can see the overlordship of the men in our society. They think that they are bestowed with supreme mightiness. So they are the head of our society. The world is now developed and enhanced by the effort of both men and women, but most of the men of a country like Bangladesh still think that women are born to take care of their family, they are the machine of giving birth to children and so they should be confined to the four walls. In the villages, if a girl wants higher education, people disallow her and in most cases, get them to be married. They cannot even think that these girls also can do many things for the family by being properly educated. They still cannot think anything out getting the girls to be married.
Sexual harassment, raping of women has been very common today. In such cases, people of our society blame that girl or woman. They always think that, whatever happens, happens for women. Women themselves are guilty for whatever happens to them. Men do not do anything wrong for themselves, when women provoke them, they make mistakes (!). They use the word “mistake” because they think that men cannot commit sins. But what will they say when we come to know that an aged man rapes a nine month’s baby girl? Is she able to provoke men? I know they will remain silent now.
When a girl makes brilliant result in board examination, the people of our society exclaims that, even being a girl, she has done it! I question them, why do they think so? Anyone can succeed by hard work, so why to wonder? Why to discriminate here? Every person (including women) deserves to have his/her basic human rights and dignity with due respect and protection. But we can see the ultimate disrespect of women. They are being sexually harassed everyday in every field like in buses, in book fairs, in shopping malls, in their respective work places, in educational institutions and in many other places.
Recently we have been shocked to see women being harassed on “Pahela Boishakh”, a traditional festival of the Bengalis on the 14th of April, 2015, in Dhaka University premises. The day carries great importance for the Bengalis because it is related to their custom and culture but some black sheep had disfigured it. Our morality has been sinful today. What a shame! Every channel had telecast it live that time. The image of Bangladesh had been demolished in front of the world!
Discrimination is noteworthy in the workplaces too. Women workers are often paid less than the men workers though they give the same effort. It’s very unfortunate. It must be stopped. Women should be given quality health care, education, freedom from early marriage and pregnancy, quality food and all of the basic human needs. The government should ensure them safe paid work, road safety, healthy environment in educational institutions, in their respective work places. Women can do anything if they get a better environment. They are able to show their talent, merit, ability, efficiency, skill and virtues if they can get proper background. A country can be fully developed by the successful coexistence of men and women. This is the precondition of a well-developed society. To make the world more beautiful, it is very much important. I dream of that day…
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