Saturday, June 20,2020
We are extremely proud and felicitous for successfully organizing the virtual sessions regarding the consciousness about several issues that needed to be put under light. Lokopakar has aimed and targeted as many youths as possible into the mainstream of creating awareness and holding advertence about some social taboos and vitalities. The consistent support from the leaders, speakers, activists and most importantly the participants who’ve come from different backgrounds have made the events run in a cordial pace. We also applaud the young girls for remaining plain-spoken through the journey. Lokopakar is always ready to oblige youths and conclude resolutions based on a majority of opinions.
After the triumphant session conducted on June 6th that focused on developing individuality and youthful spirits based on the theme “I AM ENOUGH”, we forwarded the recent session that invited the participants to share their standpoints on "GENDER STEREOTYPING". Filled with a bunch of exuberant girls, the session was guided by our moderator Mrs. Sumeera Shrestha, the executive director of WHR who’s expertise dealing with intersectionality, feminism-feminist values, gender-based violence, and its types, the effects of conflict on women, catastrophe and gender response. Well, the session’s key objectives were to highlight gender violence, sexual abuse, gender stereotypes, and their relevancy in the contemporary context.
Regarding the topic, five girls had chosen to share their experiences and opinions that circumscribed variously issues of
Our first participant shared a story about the unjust experiences in her home and school. She mainly emphasized the participation of girls in school for captainship. She pointed out how girls were demotivated and suppressed from the position to be a captain in school because of the long run custom of senior boys getting the opportunity.
Then, our second participant said that though she doesn't have to face serious issues still she had encountered a lot of such incidents happening around her. Even being equally capable of taking care of her parents, the stigma of not going to her daughter's house has hit her hard. She mentioned about the pattern society had embroidered that couldn’t accept a family endeavoring to bring a change. Even if the families were to make a new change, society will have contempt for those acts. She also necessarily pointed out how women faced differences in wage, salary, and jobs compared to men.
Our third participant shared some of her working experiences as a part-time model. She drew our attention towards the stingy mentality people have regarding a woman who works hard to be independent and outrageous. She mentioned the insecurities that parents have only because they think that women are physically feeble to stand against men and it seemed very improper for a woman to fight against them for ego.
Similarly, our fourth participant illustrated three major things. She stated about how gender bias primarily focused on physical strength, appearance (so-called concepts about the beauty of women in society), and questions that bother only women regarding the unwanted pregnancies. With extreme pain and empathy in her speech, it struck several intuitions and queries over our heads that I’m pretty sure of. We can be oblivious about the truth but can’t skip the reality we’ve to face. And these incidents happen to almost all of us daily.
Our last participant talked about how gender stereotypes are passed by the same gender in her case: her grandmother and her aunt. She recalls her childhood memories when she was just 9 years old where she followed her brothers to play after eating. She got poked that she should be working rather than playing. This incident still comes back to her every time. She pointed out being a girl in the modern world is more difficult as a girl must excel in her career and her household works.
Questions like these have always been there for girls. What will you do after gaining your university degree? You will just end up marrying someone?
Listening to the speakers, a chill passed down my spine. I was starched and remained silent. I wished I could object, I wished if I could somehow figure out a backlash but I couldn’t. I wished that those things could be misleading but certainly were the veracities. I couldn’t but just accept those notions. Gender stereotypes hamper both men and women. The prevalence of unequal and prejudiced treatment since the upbringing of children shapes the entire society with a crude mentality. These practices, etiquettes that shape out the norms of the society lead towards a misguiding path.
Our moderator, Mrs. Sumeera Shrestha then pinpointed some wondrous illustrations on the topic. She imparted her point of view to the respective speakers that I reckon must have engendered a striking sense of awareness. She helped us broaden our spectrum and guided us to modify the angles of looking at things. Some of the most prolific points withdrawn from her tête-à-tête are given as:
- Gender stereotypes have molded even into the state structures since the upbringing and conditioning of family have been based on such practices where women are treated differently than their counterparts.
- The mindset and ugly perception embodied within the societal norms and values have created a psychological diversion that makes people generalize the stereotypes.
- Because of the conventional method of raising children, women tend to compromise and negotiate more be it in terms of workplace, family or even conjugal life.
- Females are never seen as protectors of the family, which has also resulted in our government structure.
- Till date girls are not seen as ancestry so property rights are not given to the girls.
- We judged people instantly on the basis of appearances, dresses, and actions. We are boxed in with a certain mentality.
- People are still stagnant upon the conflicting ideas of masculinity and femininity that create a difference in treatment to both parties.
- The gender biases and unjust treatment based on gender can even take place in forms of sexual objectification, sexual abuse, verbal abuse and prejudiced treatment in the wage distribution.
- The orthodox practices dwell into gender norms that’s why parents behave differently towards the girls and boys.
This is how we had been triggered to think about things from different perspectives. How familial conditioning affects the whole state’s structure and eventually becomes a general practice is what the present generation should be aware of. We know a bad tree doesn’t yield good apples. That means if the root level of nourishment and upbringing of children is not done in an amicable manner, the whole nation will have to face the adversities. When parents won’t treat their children equally irrespective of their genders, a fuss between men and women need not be a burning issue.
The prominent step to break gender stereotypes all the way from home is to speak up. One who can’t raise a voice for the unequal treatment and ill-treatments can’t even think of encountering a change. So, first and foremost individuals should be expressive about their problems, opinions, and dissatisfaction. When families will have a peaceful conversation, table talk, they can come to a mutual conclusion and sort out the problems without leading to any conflict or arguments.
Then comes awareness to the children in school. School is the second home to children. They learn about important life skills and moral values there. When the administration focuses on teaching the students in a non-biased system, students can be open and outspoken about their own philosophies.
Some other measures could be about retrospection of the state policies, reforms needed to be made in workplaces, and strict visioning of gender rights guaranteed via human rights.
Session ended with Sumeera ma’am showing us the photo of Alok and asked who will be criticized more. Gender stereotyping is not only on one particular gender but rather creates problems for all gender types.
Nevertheless, this entire session was about learning and sharing. I could see many juvenile faces of the nation who had great potential of uplifting the development of the nation by breaking these unwanted and immoral stereotypes.
Being a part of the interactive session, not only I was able to put forward my regards but be able to find that confidence within to push myself for speaking up. It was a complete package of insights, inspiration, and integrity. I think over the past few sessions, we’ve been doing extremely well and be able to seek attention throughout the nation because of the increasing spirits of youth. I’ve been honored and all the more very overwhelmed to be a part of this remarkable event. Thanking our facilitator Ms. Barsha Tamang, I put forward my reverence and gratitude towards the entire team of Lokopakar and hope for the best to come.
Facilitated by ‘Lokopakar’ youth organization which focuses on the development of youth and adolescents in Nepal and India, 'Strength togetHER' virtual program is created especially, for girls and young women of different mindsets and backgrounds.
Written by: Shraddha Bhandari
Edited by: Barsha Tamang (LOKOPAKAR)
So beautifully penned shradhha didi.
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