Renowned female leaders from various fields shared their perspectives on a range of pressing issues confronting our women. They were disturbed by the various events occurring in the country, which were causing irreparable harm to women’s dignity. The dignitaries emphasized the importance of empowering women so that they can become self-sufficient and confident members of society.
In order to emphasize their support for women’s emancipation, successive governments have crafted women-friendly policies and enacted well-intended legislation offering greater opportunities to women over the years. Despite this, the status of women in our society has not changed significantly. We only follow the letter of our Constitution; its spirit has yet to permeate our collective psyche. Having said that, it has become critical to comprehend the entire concept of women’s empowerment and to examine the role of women in society.
VONG (Voice of New Generation) is an initiative that aims to combat such issues by inspiring and motivating young people to raise concerns for the betterment of the world. We hope to inspire them to become global voices. VONG SDG Café held an impactful discussion on the topic “Defining Women’s Empowerment” via the Instagram platform. Ms. Rashi Gupta was the discussion’s guest speaker, who is the founder and MD of Vision Mechatronics.
The discussion aimed to improve understanding of the problem and its mitigation. The host posed a few questions to the speaker. Here is a summary of the “Defining Women’s Empowerment” discussion.
Q- What does empowerment means and how can our young generation empower people around them?
Individuals and communities are empowered when they have a high level of autonomy and self-determination. This allows them to act on their own authority and represent their own interests in a responsible and self-determined manner. It is the process of strengthening and increasing one’s confidence in one’s ability to control one’s life and assert one’s rights. It means connecting/ discovering/ understanding your own self. Everyone nowadays is in a rat race with no time for themselves. So, in order to empower those around us, we must first understand ourselves from the inside out, discover who we are and what we want from ourselves, and empower ourselves first.
Q- What do you think of the word “discrimination”? How can younger generation understand this word and have open thoughts on it and not be biased?
Discrimination is treatment or consideration of a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than individual merit. It is a situation where levels of priority and superiority come into the picture. Now discrimination also depends on what you accept as a discriminatory factor. Sometimes you feel discriminated while others not. But the fact that is most important is how we value ourselves on the basis of physical appearance, speech and thoughts. So when you are undervaluing or doubting your own self, your behavior will portray that and people will start perceiving wrong things about you.
“When you don’t discriminate yourself, nobody will discriminate you”- Ms Rashi Gupta
Q- How can one overcome negative energies in general in their daily lives?
There are both positive and negative energies in the world. It is not so much that someone deliberately emits negative energy as it is the complexity of our chakras within. We must, however, avoid becoming a recipient and transmitter of negative energies. Negative thoughts such as jealousy, mocking others, quarrelling, gluttony, and lethargy should be avoided. And, in order to overcome such energies, we must learn to challenge ourselves first, then others around us, and prove ourselves. We simply need to be assertive rather than aggressive and to always be prepared for the worst and the best in order to face any challenge life may throw at us.
Q- How do people judge a situation of people having biases when you’re in an interview or while at a major stage of your life?
Biases occur when a recruiter makes a decision about a candidate based on irrelevant personal impressions rather than their skills and abilities. However, the only way to overcome this is to always listen to your heart while using your brain and relying on your gut instinct. The intuitive voice within us is always correct, except when we ignore it.
There are two situations that can arise: either you must make an immediate decision by simply listening to your intuitive voice, or you have some time to make your decision. In the second case, you weigh the pros and cons first, and then listen to your gut instinct after taking auras and energies into consideration.
Q- What is pseudo feminism?
A feminist can be a man, a woman, or anyone who believes that gender should not be used to determine what women’s rights are. It is a concept that strives for gender equality; it seeks to provide women with the same education, platform, and opportunities that men have in their lives. It also aims to eliminate the long-standing gender stereotypes of women. Women should not be forced to drop out of school to marry, do housework, or fit into more traditional roles. I believe that many of us are feminists without even realizing it. Pseudo-feminism is a term used to describe a branch of feminism with which some disagree. They are people who do not fully understand the definition of feminism and look for signs of injustice and violence where none exist. Pseudo-feminists have twisted the definition of feminism into a brand of man-hatred, looking for any opportunity to seek retribution rather than equality. Feminists seek equality rather than superiority, even if they are prejudiced in promoting their own cause, community, or sex.
Q- How can one be assertive and confident?
First and foremost, we must evaluate our communication abilities. Understanding where you fall on the spectrum of passive to aggressive communication can help you identify areas for improvement. Second, mentally prepare yourself to engage in positive self-talk. Third, establish actionable boundaries. Most importantly, believe in your own worth.
To enumerate and conclude, “Be patient, peaceful, happy, and confident in yourself, and everything will go well around you.”
Article by: Jia Sachdeva – VONGLE, Orion square
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