Laying the foundations of a gender-equal world on the principles of justice & equity
Dr. A. K. Merchant*
A grave injustice that continues to afflict present-day society is gender injustice, with daily reports and countless unreported instances of various forms of discrimination and heart-wrenching violence.
Recently, I had the privilege of attending the release of the book by Advocate Mihira Sood titled: Courting Equality: Landmark cases in the battle for women’s rights. It was quite an eye-opener: a stark reminder of how, despite over seven decades of law-making and landmark judgements, there remains a gulf between the constitutional promise of equality and reality on the ground. Women have long suffered numerous forms of injustice as a result of gender-based prejudice, from workplace discrimination, dowry, and domestic violence to economic exploitation and exclusion from leadership, among others.
The author shared her personal journey as a young lawyer, way back in 2012, participating in protests following the 16th December gang-rape of a young physiotherapy student in Delhi. In 2013, she was chosen to assist the Justice J. S. Verma Committee that had been set up to make suggestions on legal and systemic changes. The result was a path-breaking 63-page report emphasizing the need for justice and more stringent laws. However, the unfortunate reality today is that social currents across the world reveal growing willingness to set aside qualities of justice and equity, truthfulness, and integrity in the pursuit of self-interest or the struggle for power.
Arguments against such foundational principles, including against gender equality itself, are resurgent and increasingly aggressive at various levels of public discourse. And yet the turmoil and confusion, anger and indifference, breakdown and disagreement also seen on so many sides clearly demonstrate that high-minded qualities cannot be set aside indefinitely; indeed, they are the indispensable foundation for stable societies. A social order that is built on justice—in policy and legislation, in culture and practice—is one that ultimately benefits every one of its members, men as well as women, and boys as well as girls. Reimagining and strengthening the societal foundations of justice is therefore an urgent need for all alike. To this end, the successes of promoting “nari shakti” (women power), “beti bachao beti padao” (save the girl child, educate her), increasing the number of women parliamentarians, and in other institutions of governance, as well as the corporates, and the move towards adoption of a uniform civil code (UCC) with a common law for all religions in matters including inheritance, marriage, and divorce have yet to percolate to the grassroots of the society. Therefore, the author writes, "We seem to be trapped in a cycle of ‘rage, reform, repeat’—intense outrage followed by some superficial changes…that are intended to defuse the situation rather than cultivate change.”
The Delhi declaration of the recently held BRICS summit highlighted women’s participation in governance, skill development, and entrepreneurship. This is to be greatly appreciated, and the programmes, when funded with honest accounting, would provide new pathways to make women’s lives innovative and sustainable. A social order that is built on justice—in policy and legislation, in culture and practice—is one that truly benefits every one of its members, men as well as women, boys as well as girls. Reimagining and strengthening the societal foundations of justice is therefore an urgent need for all alike.
Ultimately, what will be required is a thorough reconceptualization of what justice is and how a just society functions. For it is one thing to acknowledge a value such as justice in principle; it is quite another to embrace it wholeheartedly in one’s personal conduct, and more challenging still to refashion social norms and institutions in ways that give collective expression to it. Let all who support the principle of gender equality implement the framework of the United Nations system in tandem with other multilateral forums such as BRICS, G20, inter alia and remove the long-standing injustices that still abound in most societies around the world.
Followers of the Bahá’i Faith for nearly two centuries have shared a profound truth: “The world of humanity has two wings—one is women and the other men. Not until both wings are equally developed can the bird fly. Should one wing remain weak, flight is impossible.” “And let it be known once more that until woman and man recognise and realise equality, social and political progress here or anywhere will not be possible.”
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*The writer is a social worker, independent researcher, & member of the Bahá’i Community of India.