March 24th, 2015
We all know violence against women is getting all the more rampant and violent in nature. Look back at the news articles of past one month; the incidents reported is spine chilling. Remember the incident where a teacher, reasoning not completing homework, pulled out hair of a 7-year-old girl! Just think if that little girl were yours – how would you feel? How do we feel when we hear that a father/grandfather who is epitome of love and compassion for a child rapes his daughter/grand daughter?! How can we express emotions? If a girl is studying with hope and enthusiasm for future is suddenly attacked with acid by a random frivolous boy then how do we feel, how should we feel?
Today in this inaugural programme of International Working Women’s Day, I would like to begin by commemorating pioneer leaders of women movement Sahan Pradhan, Sadhana Adhikari, Mangaladevi and Sneha Lata and so on.
I salute all the living senior woman leaders and unfortunately those who have departed, I would like to pay tribute to them on behalf of GEFONT and it’s members.
I would also like to commemorate those undocumented women activists who took part in the first ever organised labour movement in 1947 to those women activists of all Nepali working class movement; who had actively involved but always were forgotten in the pages of history.
I express solidarity with the girls; victims of recent acid attack and wish them speedy recovery. I loathe perpetrators of such inhuman violence and express solidarity with victim women of all age.
I would like to begin my address by referring to a particular episode of a popular Indian TV talk show, “Satya meba jayate”. The host was Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and the guest Kamala Bhasin, International campaigner for Gender Equality!
Kamala asks Aamir- “Aamir, what is opposite of Patriarchy?”
Aamir quickly answers- Matriarchy! “Wrong”, she says- ‘you get zero point for this. Everybody makes this mistake. We do not want to overthrow patriarchy to establish matriarchy. Matriarchy is as wrongful.’
Everyone in the show is quiet with anticipation.
Aamir asks- ‘what is the correct answer then?
‘Equality! Opposite of patriarchy is not matriarchy but equality!’ she replies.
Instead of engaging in futile debate of how many men and how many women participated in a programme, while celebrating the international working women’s day we should try to understand the difference between patriarchy, matriarchy and equality. We need to understand we are not upholders of any sort of domination but equality.
“I can compete with anyone based on capacity, I can’t on the basis of gender.”
I had read the comment of a Chinese woman on “Capacity and Gender Equality” published in International New York Times. Like she said when we talk about equality we are not saying to make women like men or men like women. If anyone is then we are again making a mistake. Equality refers to equal behaviour not similar physical outlook.
Therefore, now in GEFONT we are talking about the Theme prepared by International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) for Gender Equality Campaign – “Count Us In”.
This is the crux of “Count Us In”. Are our daughters/sisters counted? Facts indicate otherwise. Lets look at corporate world, where is equal participation of women? Women usually small and medium scale business, in an average around 30% is either owned or managed. At global level, women presence is only 19% in corporate board. If we look at big companies of the world, women CEO are only about 5% or less. If we look at data of any country specific the situation is similar- according to data of 2014 women presence in corporate board in Norway is 35.5%, France- 29.7% UK – 22.8%, Australia – 19.2% Germany – 18.5%, EU – 17.8%. Our two neighbours, China has 9.6% and India has 9.5%. Developed country Japan has even more disheartening situation, women presence is only about 3.1% of corporate board.
This means we are facing the same challenge in world of work since decades.
Famous Trade Union leader of our time and former President of Brazil Lula da Silva once said- “I will never tire from repeating my commitment to ensuring that every Brazilian can have breakfast, lunch, and super every day.” He was so committed to launch his popular dream- “Zero Hunger” and was successful to free about 40 million Brazilian from hunger in his 8 years term.
Learning from Lula can we express commitment for gender equality?
Recently, ILO General Director, founder General Secretary of ITUC, Guy Ryder addressing a program asked,
“Are Working Women better of today than 20 years ago?” Everyone in hall answered -“Yes!”
He again asked, “Has progress met our expectation?” And everyone answered “No!”
He, then said- We can not accept that current rates of change, it may take more than 70 years for women to achieve equal pay status with men.
What can we learn from this?
While saying “Count Us In” we can also say “it is being counted”. Question is- “if women are counted, if they are taken seriously then why can’t we feel the result?” Therefore, this question is for me and everyone present here today. Especially for those who are always calculating! “How are we calculating? What is our goal and timeframe to reach the target? Women are counted – why can’t we achieve results!”
Therefore, it is not sufficient to say, “Count Us In”. We need commitment. For example UN had a theme two years ago- “A promise is a promise: Time for Action to end violence against woman!”
So has it been eliminated?
We all know violence against women is getting all the more rampant and violent in nature. Look back at the news articles of past one month; the incidents reported is spine chilling. Remember the incident where a teacher, reasoning not completing homework, pulled out hair of a 7-year-old girl! Just think if that little girl were yours – how would you feel? How do we feel when we hear that a father/grandfather who is epitome of love and compassion for a child rapes his daughter/grand daughter?! How can we express emotions? If a girl is studying with hope and enthusiasm for future is suddenly attacked with acid by a random frivolous boy then how do we feel, how should we feel?
Today I think it is appropriate for me to stress that it is late for us to fight against ugly violence marching towards us and rekindle the slowly dying empathetic society. Fact says – Generally all women are victim of violence and gender-based discrimination. Approximately 35% women – of all age group- are victim of violence against women or sexual harassment. Even if we consider just cases filed in police everyday in an average 3 women or girls are being raped. We can imagine many more limitless are supressed without filing case! And, the perpetrators of such heinous crime include fathers and grandfathers too!
It is responsibility of every man to end the series of violence committed against our mothers, sisters and daughters. Gone are the days where women were advised to grow long nails and carry chilli powder to protect themselves. Now it is turn of every man to not cross the line and stay within limits. It is responsibility of every man to chain the mayhem “machismo” promoted by patriarchy.
Commenting on male psychology Sheila Rowbotham said, “Men will often admit other women are oppressed but not you.” This is not a genuine introspection of status of women participation but just lip service to it. Why still such attitude?
I feel women need to be aide in this venture. We understand- patriarchy is not domination by man but a nature and tendency, which is manifested, by both men and women. Like in some cases women become enemy of women. Madeline Albright said “There is special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.” In order to increase women in count, as GEFONT did, we should focus on ‘equal participation not mere representation’. Women participation needs to be inclusive and proportional.
I would like to refer to Lula again. On his first day in Presidential palace, he was saying with his wife- look we have reached here. If it were somebody rich in our palace, then people would not bother what s/he did. People do not have trust on them! However, if we have made single drawback, our people who voted for us won’t leave us. They trust on us; as they trust us, we should not let down their trust.
As a group, women are historically oppressed by society; therefore their drawbacks can be overlooked. But I alert all my male colleagues; our minor mistake will also be penalised. Mind your behaviour!
Last year on March 8 UN said, Equality for Women is Progress for All. But state has even failed to implement the landmark Declaration of Parliamentary of May 30, 2006. Social Security Fund Act, which was formulated by tripartite agreement to introduce Social Security, is also not promulgated. Forge, valuation of works done by women- their work is further devaluated. Series of violence and harassment at workplace and human trafficking are as it is. The list can go on.
Who will initiate? How to begin?
First, let us prepare and commit to bear share of burden! From our end, for this, we have stressed theme of this year – Make it happen. Make it happen, question is Make what happen?
Answer is ready-
As state committed, implement 33% women representation in all the bodies. Number is strength; therefore, increase at least 5% women membership in trade union. End Gender based violence. Balance work and life. We may not bring the number of violence against women to zero but we can adopt zero tolerance on violence against women!
Make it happen
Earlier we used to say women’s right over her body, now we have slogan about her right to property and lineage. Therefore, GEFONT is on the side of women movement in the on-going debate in Constituent Assembly and Legislature Parliament regarding identification of a child in a reference of father “and” mother or father “or” mother in this context.
Here I remember a satirical remark of a sister in a newspaper – When procession begins women are pushed in front saying they are brave and face brute police force. And before police arrives, if chance comes to address in corner meetings, men would say women couldn’t climb wall in sari– let men give speech! I don’t know if this did happen then it was very wrong. Now we can’t let it happen. We have lot of brave daughters in our society, each and everyone creative- courageous. To day I salute them all. We should be helping them to progress.
I would like to end my address with the theme of UN for this year – “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture it!”
Wish you a happy International Working Women’s Day, 8 March!
Bishnu Rimal
March 8, 2015-03-19
(Key note on Inaugural session of 8 March)
Translation from original Nepali by: Ushakiran Bhandari