Women’s Day Celebration

Perhaps the one thing that most of the world has in common is the unfortunate reality of womanhood being dismissed, undervalued, and even shamed. Despite so much progress in terms of technology and science and jurisprudence, this misogynistic and sexist attitude remains vastly unchecked. In most countries, women’s struggles in the form of unpaid labour in households, maternity, societal pressures are not spoken about often enough, nor is the complex reality of womanhood untangled sufficiently to render them basic human rights. Cis and trans women have historically been subject to all sorts of violence in similar and different ways, but all of it has been violence and disrespect all the same. Women’s day is celebrated internationally with the aim to spread awareness about all the intricacies of womanhood such that every woman gets the reverence they deserve. It exists to show that womanhood is complexly intersectional, and that every woman is faced with struggles that are unique to themselves, and also to dismantle the toxic treatment in a varying blend of misogyny, sexism, racism, casteism, homophobia, etc. that they usually find themselves to be on the receiving end of. International Women’s Day seeks not only to recognise how far we’ve come towards gender equality, and but also to serve as a reminder as to how far we have left to go.

Back in 1911, only eight countries allowed women to vote, equal pay for equal work was unheard of, given that women were allowed to work at all, and most human rights, including reproductive rights, were non-existent. In India, women were treated as chattel, but today have some semblance of identity at the very least. This does go to show that we have come a long way, but we still do not have complete equality. And the majority of the world’s women aren’t anywhere near as close to that goal as we are. More than a century ago, the first recorded march was about ending harmful workplace conditions, equal rights, equal pay, and an end to exploitation. But the sad reality is that several of the aims of back then remain unfulfilled even today; because the rights women have are not secure and stable, they are still vulnerable to mistreatment that usually gets dismissed by sly loopholes in legislation.

The Human Rights and Gender Studies Committee, School of Law, was of the unanimous view that the best way to bring the essence of this day to fruition would be to engage with the extremely hardworking housekeep staff working at the Lavasa Campus. The aim of the event was to create a comfortable environment for the women to set aside their troubles for some time and have fun. To achieve this, the universally known game of musical chairs, a brief dance session and snacks were arranged for. The primary aim of the event organized by the Human Rights and Gender Studies Committee, School of Law, is to encourage the housekeep staff to have unbridled lighthearted enjoyment, even if for just an hour of a day, in hopes of letting them know that it is alright to enjoy oneself, and that gender roles should not limit one’s life negatively. The event served as a brief get-away for the important women of the Lavasa campus who are bright and kind and strong in their own regard, but whose identities are often unfairly reduced to their occupation. The event was successful in providing the housekeep staff an hour of empowerment in the form of absolute freedom from their burdens, struggles and inhibitions. The Human Rights and Gender Studies Committee, School of Law, was able to achieve its primary aim of encouraging the women to let go of the inhibitions they have come to inculcate because of the society.