Why it pays to be a Woman?

A Woman

The first thing I do after switching on my computer in the morning is to give a quick glance to online news and then I go on to check my mails and other personal things. Today, one of the headlines caught my attention and I decided to read the full story. It said, “Just marry girls early to stop rapes: Chautala”.

Our honorable former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala is backing Khap panchayat who believe that marriageable age for girls should be lowered to 16 to prevent rapes in the state. Who says that only unmarried girls are raped and not married ones? How could they even come to this illogical solution? This is crime against women and punishment is also given to women only.

On one hand, social organizations, NGOs and government are working for women’s social and economic development. They are trying to empower women with education so that they could become better informed about each aspect of life. They can become self-independent and can exercise their legal rights.

On other hand, there are khap panchayats and people who support them. Till now, we have been fighting against child marriages and suddenly some have started voicing for marrying at 16? Even doctors say that a girl is not ready physically and mentally for marriage before 18. They need to be well educated and prepared before marriage. Creating another problem for solving a problem can’t be a solution.

Why the women’s fate has always been decided by men?

There have been many arguments and discussions over gender equality but the fact is that women are still considered inferior and weaker. If rape cases are rising, it is because there aren’t stricter punishments for the guilty. Those who commits such heinous crime, they roam freely without any fear. Government and police must take strong actions to stop this barbaric act. Rape isn’t an assault on the body only but a deep wound on the victim’s soul that would never heal. How can one have a right to destroy another’s life in democracy? This is high time when administration and political parties do something to stop it instead of just promising justice and providing monetary relief to the victim’s family.