Woman’s role in society and home has always been very limited. Generations have changed bringing dramatic changes in the social system, but not the subordinate position of women.
The doctrines, the written laws and the social customs may have been altered, but the prejudice against women has not. There were times when woman’s role in society was limited to marrying, taking care of the household and raising a family.
Education was accessible to only few women. Women with basic reading and writing skills were called as ‘Educated’. Rarest of married women in the 20th century were working and those who earned did not have many rights and privileges to own the income and use it for their own selves. Women had no property rights; they could not defend themselves in courts, could not re-marry and had no voting rights. Women in most countries were not allowed to file divorce and had to live a miserable life.
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In some countries, women were given no place in a household if their husbands died and the in-laws would often refuse to accept them in the household. Such women would return to their parental homes to spend the rest of their lives.
It was only after the Second World War in North America and in most Asian countries after their independence that the women’s position in the society began to transform slowly.
European Union also had the objective of gender equality on its fundamental objectives and it discouraged any discrimination based on gender. Multinational organizations have norms for employment opportunities to both sexes without any prejudice and encourage women employers to join to keep ratio of men and women in proportion.
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Women have excellent employment opportunities in fields of Education, Information Technology, Production Firms, Industries, Colleges, Administration, and Politics. Government encouraged women education and women colleges are also established and run for them. Some fields like teaching and administration give preference to women staff and hire more women for the purpose.
Women’s rights are an important concern worldwide, as women’s rights and entitlements benefit to the otherwise deprived or undermined women and girls in the societies. Special laws are enforced and newer legislations are brought to eliminate malpractices like dowry, rapes or molestation, exploitation at work, social out casting, sex determination leading to abortions and many such problems that surround women ever since they are born.
The historical and traditional bias that existed for men and boys is being slowly narrowed by giving property rights to women, by allowing women to file divorce in case of unhappy marriages and by allowing women to hold custody of children after divorce. The wages at work for women laborers is being brought at par with men.
Similarly for women engaged in professions and services, an additional tax waiving is given to encourage women employers to be a part of country’s workforce.
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Laws and amendments are continuously being made for the women to live a life of respect and self-dependence. Women no longer have to restrict themselves to the households and an increasing number of women are joining the mainstream.
Many women entrepreneurs reach the managerial positions and often work at higher positions like CEO or COO of the companies, banks, private firms etc. Women leaders have also grown which makes their presence felt in politics.
Discrimination against women in any field is unlawful and the constitution and the Supreme body of law consider any kind of distinction made on the basis of sex as unlawful. Women’s health is given importance and government hospitals and dispensaries offer health care facilities dedicated to pregnant women and also free vaccinations to the new born children. All these are ways to empower women and strengthen their position and help them play a vital role in social and economic progress of the nation.
If women’s rights are given their due share and they are allowed to be a part of the decision making process, they can have a strong presence felt at international level.
A woman is already capable with the potential to give birth to young ones and carry on the cycle of life. If women are given their rights and respect in the society, they can with their wisdom and care, make this earth a beautiful place to live in.
Women should also realize that they do not take undue advantage of the special treatment or the laws that are made to prevent discrimination against them and to promise them freedom and equality at par with men.