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I took this photo after a workshop I led on International Women’s Day at Women’s Initiative Network – Mundamveli, India, 2018. 

Piercing car horns, the intense smell of smoke pollution, 1960’s yellow taxis racing through the streets, run-down Imperial buildings decorated by clotheslines of vibrant saris, a group of mutilated young children pressed up against my car window, begging—these are my first memories of landing in Kolkata when I was 13 years old. The stray holy cows, big red bindis, coexistence of religions, calming smells of sandalwood and jasmine, and rich curries and chutneys all make India my favorite place on the planet. For me it is a country of constant visceral stimulation and learning opportunities. India has fed my soul since my first visit, and I feel strongly that I want to give back. My goal in life is to increase gender equality in India by empowering women.

This place brought me back multiple times, with my fourth trip coming after graduating from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2017. The prevalence of gender inequality was startling and impossible to miss. Women did not leave the house past 6pm, but men came and went as they pleased. Despite the 100°F temperature and humid climate, women bundled themselves in restrictive clothing with massive amounts of heavy cotton fabric, while men walked around comfortably in short lungis. For additional coverage over their breasts, women wear an article of clothing called a dupatta. Its alleged purpose being to decrease temptation in men. One woman I met told me that “rape is a woman’s fault because rape is a result of women looking inviting to men.” As beautiful as India is, it is clear that there are also crucial aspects of it that need to change. I do not believe that anyone should tolerate this kind of gender disparity anywhere in the world. I have made it my goal to help with India’s gender inequality issue in whatever way I can. I truly live by the motto “empowered women empower women” and I am motivated to begin on this journey and make it my reality.

India is the world’s largest democracy and an economic powerhouse. Despite this, the country is ranked 129 out of 189 on the UN’s Gender Inequality Index. (1) A woman is raped every 20 minutes throughout the country. (2) That’s 72 women every day… An estimated 650 million women and girls are suffering in some form every day, (3) and nearly 40 percent of female suicides in the world occur in India. (4) Due to sex selective abortion, India has a 48.20% female population compared to 51.80% male. There were 940 females per 1000 males in 2019, meaning India has 49,314,062 more men than women. (5) Neglect and abuse—physical, sexual, and emotional—lead to hardship, distress, depression, and death. The demeaning of women is so widespread throughout society that Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, started a nationwide program called “Beti Bachao,” which translates to “Save Our Girls.”(6) 

An incredibly eye-opening and shocking documentary called India’s Daughter examines Indian societal norms and values after the 2012 gang rape and murder of Jyoti Singh (23 year old medical student) on a moving bus in Delhi. The defense lawyer explains, “We have the best society. In our society there is no place for a woman”. He later says that “A decent girl won’t roam around at nine o’clock at night. A girl is far more responsible for rape than a boy”. During an interview with one of the rapists, he says “you either have the money for sex or the courage to rape”.

I saw this gender inequality firsthand during my work as a women’s empowerment intern for an NGO in Kochi, Kerala. My goal was to empower women to change the widely accepted mentality that their role in Keralan society is merely to get married, reproduce, and care for their families. I conducted workshops of women, men, and children on prevalent gender issues within Indian society. The topics included domestic violence and rape as well as methods to limit gender norms and stereotypes. I taught English and sex education lessons to local Malayali women and girls in the community. I worked in a safe house with a 15-year-old rape victim who became pregnant by a married neighbor. When I left in 2018 it was with the resolve to help begin a new chapter in history for females in India, and help transform the country into one that values inclusivity, opportunity, and equality. 

On my fifth trip to India in February of 2020, I decided to get my masters in International Human Rights at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. I cannot wait to launch into the world to empower women; educate men, women, and children; and bring opportunity and equality to a population that has suffered from oppression for centuries.

Empowering women is not only the responsibility of women, but of men as well. It is important that men examine how women are treated and viewed societally and what they would like to see change. In such a male dominated space, men have great power to drive that change in India.

Positive change in regards to gender equality comes with education and an openness to changing mentality and perspective.

SOURCES

1. “Gender Inequality Index,” United Nations, 2019. 

2. “Rape Every 20 Minutes for the World's Largest Democracy?” Ruchika Tulshyan, Forbes, 2013. 

3. “India’s Abuse of Women Is the Biggest Human Rights Violation on Earth,” Deepa Narayan, The Guardian, 2018. 

4. “Nearly 40% of Female Suicides Occur in India,” Michael Safi, The Guardian, Delhi, 2018. 

5. “'Eat mutton': Indian newspaper's 'scientific' tips for conceiving boys”, Michael Safi, The Guardian, Delhi, 2016.

6. “India’s Abuse of Women is the Biggest Human Rights Violation on Earth,” Deepa Narayan, The Guardian, 2018.