Thursday, 17 May 2012
 |
| Photo By: Pawan Neupane/EA |
'Women should not speak much' was the dominant school of thought
in the village I grew up. My father too believed that women should remain
silent that’s why he hardly consulted my mother, maybe that's the reason why he
was not able to retain his inheritance. A tea shop at the corner of my house had
a woman and her alcoholic husband and two children. She worked hard to sustain
her family making me realize Women also can be breadwinners, but still are
discriminated. Seeing that woman being beaten by her husband made me question
'Are women in Nepal even entitled to live a happy life?' – Amidst the mental
trauma, 'why was she quiet? Why didn't she revolt? Everyday, she dutifully sat
in her shop, her face badly bruised and swollen. But her silence never complained
– I was unsure, 'Is silence the only right women have?
Bogged with so many thoughts,
I started questioning the stereotype
that dictated our male dominated society– where women are forced to accept the
brutalities of the male members!
These were the first moving pictures of violence, engraved in my
mind which made me pursue advocacy on the rights and equal opportunities of
women. I was thus, committed to herald a campaign to end violence against
women.
Every day as I went home from school, I felt silence governed the
life of my mother. She, too never complained making her silence an acceptance of
the brutality she faced.
May be women never talked about violence because men never
listened to them, or hardly cared! Then, I asked myself – will I also remain quiet ? Was it right to sit silent
when my mother cried? was it right that a young educated person blindly believed that women
should never be a part of the decision making processes? I pondered and decided
that I will work for the right and empowerment of women. My determination was
accompanied by my thought that violence against women will stop if men are
engaged. So, regardless what people thought, I being a male member of the society
took an oath to be the voice for the voiceless through radio.
In that quest, I aired stories of women who unhesitatingly shared
their complexities. A woman recited how her HIV positive husband coaxed her to
have unsafe sex, being a woman; she obliged, only to catch HIV.
I still wonder, what if the woman was empowered enough to say NO
to her husband ? But again – our society never allowed women to be independent
in the name of dependency to men for power and prestige.
Through radio, I brought these questions so that other's learned.
I talk about power within the women giving a forum for the women to voice their
issues and inspire other women realize their dreams of freedom, expression and
equality.
I with my team launched a campaign 'Microphone for women'; where
women discussed various forms of violence. These discussions made women think and
be aware about their rights.
Today my 10 years of radio
journey faces changed thoughts, positive discussions, and the importance of men and women's
partnership. There still is a lot to do for
realizing women's empowerment because our society is developing into an
equitable society. . – I am happy that my daughter is being brought up in an
environment where she doesn’t have to curtail her thoughts.
Through my work, I represent my mother, the women who was brutally
beaten up by her husband, my sisters and even my daughter So, the journey to
voice censored thoughts and expressions still continues.
(This article is based on my own feelings,experience and thoughts.-Pawan)
