Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)

Mangaluru, Mar 18: Agnesian Alumnae Association on Wednesday March 18 organized Mother Mary Aloysia A C Endowment Lecture 2015 on 'Women in politics - Prospects and challenges' at St Agnes College conference hall here.

Former governor of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Goa Margaret Alva along with other guests on the dias paid homage to portrait of Mother Mary Aloysia AC.

Margaret Alva was also honoured with the Mother Mary Aloysia AC Award for being a 'Distinguished Agnesian'.

Delivering the Mother Mary Aloysia Endowment Lecture Margaret Alva said, "Women are economically exploited, educationally neglected and undernourished and often physically violated and denied justice even today. In homes and within families, theirs has been an unpaid labour of love, whether in the kitchen, or in the family or in small domestic production. They are not recognized by the national accounting process as productive labour. They are neglected physically and emotionally, serving as silent suffering wives, mothers, daughters-in-law and bound by duties than rights.

"Deep-rooted and rotten patriarchy is the biggest obstacle in the way of women becoming successful. This patriarchy forces the woman to marry a rapist, decides girls should not use cell phones, and decides boundary lines for clothing and behaviour," she added.

Tracing the history of women in politics, she said, "The roots of women participation in politics can be traced in the early 19th century movements which attempted to reform Indian society. Women campaigned against caste system, polytheism, Sati, child marriage etc, and these activities gave momentum to women's entry into public spaces which in turn paved the way for their entry into Independence struggle. The Swadeshi movement in Bengal marked the begining of women involvement in nationalistic activities.

"Sarojini Naidu became the first Indian woman to be appointed as the president of the Indian National Congress. Women played active roles in the freedom movement. The founding fathers of the Constitution believed in equal rights to women but the participation of women in politics and decision making bodies is still limited today," she added.

"Due to constant battles we fought, movements, number of demonstarions inside and outside the parliament and all over the country led to a number of changes. The National Commission for Women was born in 1992 and the Constitution was amended to provide reservation for women in local bodies," she added.

"The only place where women are equal to men is in voting. Despite having so many successful women in the country there are still various factors which block women's growth in politics. Women are not considered winnable candidates, but statistics have shown women win more in the percentage of seats given than men and yet they keep us out. It is a mindset which decides that women are not good enough for politics, and this mindset has to change," she said.

"Today we have our highest ever women representation of 12 percent in the parliament, yet we are far below the mark compared to world average. We have a long way to catch up. Because of lack of women representatives in the parliament, women-centred agendas are not pushed through. The Bill in the parliament which will provide 50 percent reservation to women is not yet tabled - men speak about women reservations but they not interested in taking action. If they had shown as much determination to pass women's reservation bill as they are showing land acquisition bill, women would have got their due rights," Alva said.

"Over recent years so many changes are happening in India - birth rates have fallen, sex ratio is improving, IMR is showing positive trend and status of women is changing. Women are growing in various sectors. I admit there are problems, husbands try to manipulate their wives, officials tie them up in rules and regulations, there are instances of taking undue advantage of lack of knowledge, lack of experience, political pressures, and finacial problems and family duties that restrict their full involvement in politics," she opined.

"Civil society movements like Nirbaya incident in Delhi have brought women into focus. Crimes against women in home, work place, in society are no longer acceptable. Women are demanding not only change but better accountablity in the governance system. The rules have to be tightened and police have to be more responsible and have to change the lethargic attitude towards such issues," she said.

"Many changes have come but we have a lot to do. Women cannot be silenced today, women are growing in media, sports, NGO initiatives, and in political parties etc. They are getting organized, trained day by day, The image of the ideal woman which we knew in the past as one of weak and subjugated woman has changed today," she said.

"There is a need to take many steps for women empowerment. The journey is difficult and long but the fight must go on. I belive that women will emerge and shine, despite all obstacles. We must and we will overcome them by 2030."

Earlier, the programme began with an invocation by the students of the St Agnes College.

Sr M Supriya, principal of St Agnes College, Usha Fernandes, vice-president of the Agnesian Alumnae Association, Dr Devi Prabha Alva convenor were also present.