Even before I talk about the crux of today's topic, the first thing I'd like to be very clear about is the fact that whatever I am about to suggest is to be considered only after there's a 100% GUARANTEE TOWARDS SAFETY AND SECURITY of everyone involved.
Now that I've kinda given a hint, this week's column is all about dealing with gender discrimination. The female students at NIT Tirchy who recently protested by demanding access to academic facilities after 9 pm motivated me to touch upon this topic.
Our country is reported to be at the 135th spot out of 146 countries in the Health and Survival category in the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 and it is one of the worst performers. Well! It's definitely the time to change that and do what we can to improve our spot on this list. Not just that, it's also of utmost importance that we do what it takes to bring in PERMANENT and CONCRETE solutions.
Educational institutions, this one's for you
The first message I have for educational institutions is to understand THEIR IMPORTANCE in every individual's life. As far as I know, in my opinion and experience, most educational institutions are quite strong when it comes to finances. I see that many institutions keep spreading their wings, that is, keep opening up branches, one after another.
With this being the case, I think it's about time that what is PREACHED is PRACTICED and the reduction of the GENDER GAP begins in educational institutions, to begin with. All I'm appealing for is to dedicate more resources and emphasise that this initiative be given more importance. HIDING behind being FRUGAL whilst being STINGY and being under the impression of the "If it ain't broke, why fix it?" mentality is a NO. Education means to EDUCATE and that's what we need to do.
Dear girls and women! You're the rockstars and superstars of not just our nation but our PLANET! We, the men, wouldn't exist without you and I always refer to the song, Strength of a Woman by Shaggy AKA Jamaican musician Orville Richard Burrell, whose lyrics are still not enough to describe what you mean to us, according to me. So here are my three mantras which should help you deal with discrimination in any environment.
All men aren't dogs!
I'm sure that most of you have either heard or used this common phrase, 'All men are dogs'. Rather than diving into the origins or its meaning, I'd rather focus on the solution here. Contrary to the saying, all men don't tend to be male chauvinists or patriarchal. There are quite a few like me who are ready to voice out their opinion in support of reducing the gender gap. Identifying them isn't quite challenging too. All you need to do is to identify those who are chivalrous, eager to help and in the habit of seeking constant approval. Be astute while doing so, dear ladies.
Support each other; get numbers on your side. Involve the entire university and more!
Duh! Sounds lame? Well, this makes a BIG difference, more than you realise. This is like the "TRIP PLANNING LAW" as I call it. When we want to plan a trip, everyone is interested in the beginning, but by the time we are about to leave, hardly a fraction of the original number of people show interest.
When it comes to voicing your opinion or ushering in change, you need to be sure of the numbers and ensure that people are willing to give it 100 per cent. It's OKAY if the numbers are low, to begin with. It'll improve as you gain momentum. At least, it'll be filled with those who HAVE YOUR BACK. Involve EVERYONE possible who might add value to the cause. Not just in your university, but involve people in your city, state, country and beyond! Ensure that boundaries don't limit you and support pours in from all over.
It's all about the math!
Once you have the numbers, use the numbers to multiply the impact. Social media, press, women-centric NGOs, government bodies and more — use the numbers to reach as many as possible and garner support. The reason I say this is because in most cases we wait for the above to happen on its own. We seldom initiate the process required for putting our message across. Engage with those who are actively involved in fighting for the same cause. Go beyond boundaries.
The one thing that I see many ignore, which leads to the failure of any campaign, is GIVING IN to the news cycle. Though it's easy for me to suggest and hard to execute, trust me, it isn't impossible. Engage with the media regularly and even do something NEWSWORTHY when you feel the FIRE die down. This will ensure that the attention initiates speedy resolution.
Being a man, I can tell you, who runs the world? It's women! It always has been so. How? As I said, without women we wouldn't exist! Now it's high time that we give them due respect and treat them equally.
With Regards,
Adarsh Benakappa Basavaraj
"Your Coach"
