mangalore today

’Women’s equality’ failure of society


Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, March 07, 2016:  Karnataka High Court Judge A V Chandrasekhar opined that society should indulge in introspection to evaluate its treatment of women.  The judge spoke after inaugurating the awareness programme on effective implementation, use and misuse of the laws pertaining to the women and women safety, organised by the Udupi Bar Association.

He said that although the Indian Constitution promises treatment of women on par with men, society has utterly failed to implement or accept the ideals. "The equality proposed is in terms of social, economic and political justice. The Article 14 of the Indian Constitution forbids discrimination on the basis of caste, religion and gender. It is heartening to observe that women are given 33 per cent reservation in local rural government electoral set up, education and also in some work places. The Article 15(3) of the Indian Constitution empowers the government to take measures for the betterment of women," he explained.

Pointing out that a professional woman sharply deviates from the homemaker in terms of economic independence, the judge said that the homemaker would be completely dependent on her male partner for finance. He said women should be economically empowered. "Each man should make his spouse the account holder in his asset share. The recently introduced Hindu Heir Act 2005 empowers women for equal share of the property. The men in society should come forward to accept the reality and treat women as their equals. If men do not take the initiative to set right the loopholes, society will remain always imbalanced," he warned, adding, "A core group should be made to evaluate the status of women at the district level comprising the legal fraternity, members of self-help groups, non-government organisations and other important stake-holders of society."

Maintaining that sexual assault is the most heinous crime in the world, the judge said that the Supreme Court has given protective cover for fair trial of women who are victims of sexual assault.

"The victim is to be treated with all respect to her morality and the court should look into the matter that she is not being harassed with unnecessary questions. There are many protective laws for women, given that men come forward to make it valuable. Society should ensure that the laws are applied and implemented efficiently," he concluded.