Women condition

In India the women condition is very different from the European one. I hardly ever see a woman in a public place or walking on the street on her own. The few times I saw one, she was married. Generally, women are either accompanied by a male member of the family, or they walk in groups. Considering that I am white, a girl, and unmarried, I am permanently watched, whenever I go somewhere or have dinner on my own.

Most families here rely completely on the father’s activity. If the father dies or is sick, the family gets very poor. Near the school where I volunteer there is the Social Employment Project (see my previous post “A good heart and strong will” for details), which provides job to needy people. Not surprisingly, most of them are women who, for a reason or another, need to work to live.

Also at the school it’s easy to see that women are treated differently. Girls always wear beautiful clothes that are, however, very impeding when playing games. So girls are mostly sitting while boys can run and jump freely. It was also very sad for me to notice that most students are boys, so I imagine that women education is not yet considered important everywhere.

Finally, every girl is supposed to get married before 30, possibly in her 20s. The thing that most surprises the locals is not my white skin, but the fact that I’m single! I was even urged to marry before 30 (I’m 28…) else.. else I don’t know, I’ll be considered too old and die a spinster!!

A friend told me that until 50 years ago you wouldn’t even see women walking around; they were supposed to just stay at home, cook and take care of the children. Such a different vision to what I am used to! India is a developing country and its economy is increasing vertically. This great and quick improvement in India’s economy will surely lead to big cultural changes. Something will be lost but something will be gained. I am glad to think that in 50 years, women condition will be what it should be: equal opportunities as men and that their independence be seen as a choice and not as a necessity.