GENDER STEREOTYPES BIGGEST BARRIER FOR WOMEN
Adv. Flavia Agnes, Co-Founder & Director, Majlis Law sharing the beginning of her career as a women right lawyer and establishing Majlis Law as a legal and social centre for women stated, “I had been a victim of domestic violence for 13 long years while raising three children way back in the 1980s. In those times, there was almost no way out of the situation and it was a long struggle for me to put my life back on track. I studied law and finally established Majlis Law in 1990 to provide legal counsel to marginalized and disenfranchised women.” Dr. Ananta Singh Raghuvanshi, Founder Member & President, NAREDCO MAHI (under the aegis of MoHUA) narrating her journey said, “I was fortunate enough to join the industry in the year 1991 when women had started entering the sector. There were very few but they were definitely there. Also, I was lucky to work with organisations which didn’t held age or gender as a benchmark for your growth. Having said that, more junior you are the wider the base of pyramid and when you are in direct competition with men vs. when you are reporting to a male senior, the behaviour changes because there is only that much room at the top. So sometimes with wit, humour, and sometimes with seriousness and aggression, you deal with the situation as it comes.” Sapna Srivastava added, “Even today, there are not enough women in leadership positions and that’s not only in real estate but many other industries. More women are at junior levels and they need to be groomed and promoted to the next level to set them on the path to senior leadership. This needs change of the mind-set at all levels of an organization and across genders.” THE SHIFT OF MIND-SET Adv. Flavia Agnes was of the view that women negotiate quite well and they are able to hold their own, but there are situations which are very challenging and in such situations they falter. “It’s very important for them to know how to manage their cards and how well to strategize in order to get over these challenges and move ahead. At Majlis we are trying to work with women with their problems, because women get stuck into difficult situations and are not able to see a way out. We find out where their rights are located and how best they can negotiate these rights. Everything starts with creating awareness and knowing your rights.” Dr. Ananta Singh Raghuvanshi agreed, “First and foremost, the women herself has to get hold of the steering of the car and press the accelerator. If they are ready for that ride, then they are unstoppable. But, how do we create those type of women? It’s the family, the society and the environment around that shape the women’s personality. Through NAREDCO Mahi we are working on gender integration and trying to work on the problems that are holding them back from reaching the top in an organization. Truth be told, when it comes to child care or elderly care, the primary responsibility still lies with the women of the house. So, you are managing your own mental & physical health, home and also need to be competent and physically fit enough to deal with the work pressures in office.” Sapna Srivastava concurred, “Gender stereotypes and the guilt of neglecting family and children are the biggest factors limiting women's career opportunities. The changing of cultural mind-sets and women mentoring each other can be a big step in the direction of personal and professional upliftment of women. However, in many strata of society, property and economic rights and access to financial resources are still denied or limited to women.” RIGHTS & ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES Adv. Flavia Agnes who has been working on solving women's inequality and impoverishment within the Indian economic structure shared a sad truth, “Women don’t want to stand up for their rights and are ready to give up their rights particularly their economic rights, property rights etc. or take a step back. Very few women stand up for their rights and are aware that they are deprived of their rights and want to get their right even if it means taking legal action. It’s right that everyone is scared to go to the court, given that matter can drag on for a very long time. Women have faced sexual harassment at workplace where women are bulldozed into submission, and few women will come forward to register a complaint.” Dr. Ananta Singh Raghuvanshi said, “I firmly believe in equal opportunities. The question is do we have equal number of women in any industry. The fact is women has to do twice as much to be the person in that same chair. Ambitious, over performing, successful women are intensely scrutinized due to their successes for a hint of favouritism.” Sapna Srivastava concluding the conversation summarized, “Societal attitudes are changing gradually, but there is a long way to go. Laws are complex to understand and court system discourages women from seeking legal help. Feminism is not a dirty word because world over, women had to fight for their right to study, to work, right to vote, right to equal opportunities. We have gained a lot in terms of legal rights and laws, but, the legal system has to be made accessible to all.” In both personal and professional spheres, women face multiple barriers such as lack of access to financial resources, property rights, disparities in hiring and promotions. Women don’t know what their rights are and they don’t know how to go about it to get these rights. There is a behaviour change when a female is in direct competition with male colleague at top management vs. at junior level reporting to a male senior. There are enough laws for women but legal system needs to be simplified to make it accessible to women. Feminism is not a bad word if it can bring greater access to education; more equitable pay with men and the right to make individual independent decisions. Successful women face ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’ where male colleagues feel there is favouritism at play.
Tags : gender stereotypes barrier women Adv. Flavia Agnes Co-Founder & Director Majlis Law Dr. Ananta Singh Raghuvanshi Founder Member & President NAREDCO MAHI lawyer career women awareness