Woes of women

Today ,I read three informative articles concerning issues afflicting females.All three are equally important.So,I thought,I need to put in my views here.

The first one is about how lack of bathrooms is affecting female drop out rate.Since toilets do not exist or even when they do are in a woeful condition,girls drop out.I agree with this as my own kid ( a girl) is desperate to go to the toilet once she returns home.She rarely visits the school washroom as she opines that it is untidy.She is going to a reputed public school.The article was stating the about the drop rate in Muncipal schools.Not only schools,even at other places,women find it impossible to find toilets -at ST stands,railways stations,playgrounds,etal.Sulabh shauchalays are also dirty .I witnessed this on my recent trip to Goa,which is a tourist destination attracting Westerners.Really,the scene is grim.How can we empower women at any level ? Urban women also feel helpless in cases such as these .We are unable to fund even basic facilities like toilets for women.In rural India,where toilets are even less or non existent ,many females are forced to go out in the open.All this leads to men ogling on them leading  to molestation,rape,assaults & what not.I wish ,we all could just start a campaign to fund toilets at public places so that women can heave a sigh of relief.

Another issue is the climate change.Climate change is forcing  more women into poverty & at a faster pace.Some economists speak about "feminisation of poverty" meaning that poverty among women is going up at a faster pace than among men.Women are getting malnourished more now as there is less food.So a woman sacrifices her food for her family.They are also more anemic than before.Though they till the land,they are not yet recognised as farmers.This is a double jeopardy.As vast tracts of land are deforested,they trek longer to collect water & firewood.So there is no reprieve.This is specially so for the lowest rung -the adivasis &  the dalits.The solutions suggested are to give recognition to women as farmers so that they can get loans & other benefits under the numerous schemes.Another step would be to fight climate change at our level as well.We could do with lesser chemicals( detergents,soaps,etal) ,use less power & energy ( perhaps emulate California & ban LCDs which are energy guzzlers),use solar energy ,etal.Let us take a pledge today to go green.It will not only help women but all of us-about this, I am certain.

The third issue was about dating in India.Girls are lured by their boyfriends & end up getting molested,raped,assaulted etal.Those who are unable to move on in the aftermath commit suicide.Now,girls ought to be cautious.In our homes,we need to talk things out with our moms,grandmoms,aunts,sisters,if not dads,uncles,brothers,etal.Isn';t it better that the girl talks about meeting her boyfriend without embarrassment with her family.If the family feels this is too ridiculous an idea,it better be ready for any lethal result.Because all said & done,the girl can be prevented at some times but not all the times.Moreover,sometimes preventive measures like marriage ,captivity,etc may backfire leading to more problems.I personally feel that girls need not try to seduce boys.The increasingly falling sex ratio will ensure  that males will try to seduce girls .Not that I support the lopsided sex ratio .Moreover,once any girl gets married,she will realise, that no man is worth any seduction anyway.