Women's Empowerment; from myth to reality

 The myth is in our backyard on women's empowerment....As a community are we really democratic? Do our colony's institutions like our Clubs, Associations etc practice universal suffrage? Do women have equal rights? Well read on... 

Its open season for elections... every section of society in India is gripped with the fever; all have opinions; what went wrong with the country, what needs  to be done to set it right, which party or candidate would be most suitable to lead the country over the next five years,

Opinions fly thick and fast, temperatures rise in fiery stand up soap box debates, fuelled with chai or grog...

At one of the busiest Mumbai intersections two youths bracing the blistering heat exhaust fumes, dust and grime, stand steadfast with hand written placards:

‘Please exercise your franchise. Your vote will bring the change you seek’

‘Every opinion matters, every vote counts, citizens please vote’

Whilst we gave them a thumbs up as we drove passed in our air conditioned car, most others just looked the other way. When one gets a right easily, it’s treated with condescension, in any case the Indian middle class considered it plebeian to vote. ‘It’s for the working class I say, old bean’...the anglophiles of yesteryear would say...

But times have changed.

The key word is ALL citizens can, and must, vote as a democratic right. This is called Universal Suffrage or Universal Franchise, Where universal suffrage exists, the right to vote is not restricted by race, sex, belief, wealth, or social status. The Constitution of India in one stroke under Article 326, granted Universal suffrage for all adult citizens over 18 years of age.

·  Consequently, shouldn’t the same rule / law apply to the community we live in? Shouldn't we have Universal Suffrage in Defence Colony?

Recently our Club (DCWA Club) held its annual elections, an event to elect honorary office bearers to run the club on behalf of its members for a year. The candidates all respected residents of Defence Colony cut time from their working and family lives; and direct their energies in a constant effort to improving this institution as a centre of leisure, intellectual stimulation, sport and entertainment for its members.

So on this mild spring Sunday morning, ‘election day’ as we call it, with shamianas festooning the lawns to protect us from the mid day sun, were candidates, bonhomie, coffee and conversation, in the midst of which the previous year’s accounts were read out for ratification. A distinctive festive air, but something was missing.....where were the ladies, Sir, the fairer sex???

The answer was quite simple actually, as ladies haven’t been enfranchised to vote as spouse members, they were conspicuous by their absence. Only members, either male of female (not their spouses) who are eligible to vote under the present rules, were present.

As the rule exists, it’s an anomalous situation to say the very least. A hangover from the British Raj when the ‘Men Only’ clubs disparagingly permitted women in ante rooms and not bars, restricted them to the library and children’s rooms, but yet would dance with them in the ballroom till the clock struck midnight...

Indeed what would our clubs be without our wives, our daughters, our girls and all of the gentler sex? Well, to say the least, very very boring. Their presence brings the freshness of spring air, the effervescence of Champagne, the ‘joie de vivre’ of our lives. Their primacy in our existence has been established from times immemorial when women were accorded a status higher than men, history & mythology are replete with stories of women’s supremacy; can one imagine life without women? Yet we as a community we accord them a status lower than that of men, by disenfranchising them, by not giving them the right to vote.

Are we a male chauvinistic society? Well perhaps a little of yes, and a little of no. Do we need to change this mindset / attitude? A resounding YES!!

Which brings us back to the original subject of our debate: Should the ladies of our club have the right to vote?

·      Considering the Constitution of India grants women equality in all respects, especially the right to vote;

·         Nations of the world all accept Universal Suffrage as a democratic right;

·  The United Nations convention “Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)” identifies it as a basic right, with 187 countries as parties to this Convention.

·         The Women’s Reservation Bill of March 2010 reserves 33% or more seats in                    parliament and institutions for women,

Can Defence Colony Club (DCWA Club) be far behind?

The answer is quite clear; and as the iconic pop singer of the 60’s Bob Dylan crooned:  

The answer my friend is blowin' in the wind 

The answer is blowin' in the wind.

As the winds of change sweep our country, and the old government gives way to new, the nation looks anxiously forward to a bold decisive new dispensation,

We residents and members of the Defence Colony Club too, look forwards to our dynamic leaders ushering progressive change, and granting our women spouse members equal voting rights.