Current Events

Yesterday a woman was laid to rest after battling to survive being gang-raped on a bus in Delhi. 

This was a tragedy. This was a tragedy that is not uncommon in India. But this particular tragedy has struck a chord with the nation.

People are outraged. People are demanding change. People are calling for this woman’s tragic death to at least not go unnoticed. People are talking about, shouting for, writing on, believing in gender equality in India.

But how? That is the tricky part. Resignations of politicians and public leaders are being called for. Speeches are being delivered on the necessity of ensuring women’s safety.  New laws are promised to be written.  The enforcement of existing laws is being demanded.  Security reforms are being called necessary.  Will these things bring about the needed change?  How?

The answer does not lie in a law, or in politics, or in police reform, or in security cameras.  While all of these things are necessary, and are certainly part of the answer, the answer is to change the minds of people who think that women are inferior to men, who think that a woman’s clothing choice can dictate how another person can behave, who think that a woman’s lifestyle takes away her right to safety and choice, who think that women don’t have the right to choices, who think that women and men are different and must behave differently. 

That is a tall order.  India is a place marked by strongly held beliefs and traditions.  India has been called the worst place to be a woman among countries in the G20.  India is a country of 1.2 billion people.  And as Ms. Mangaldas points out, it is not only about changing men’s minds; women are just as likely to hold these beliefs.  That is a lot of minds.  It still may not add up to be half of the population, but nonetheless, it is a lot of minds to change. 

It requires a Movement. 

People know this.  But the question is: will this tragedy be the impetus for that Movement?  Is there hope?

There is hope.  There are a lot of voices. But it will not be an easy feat and it will not be achieved quickly. That is why all of those other reforms (laws, politics, security) are needed in the meantime.