Administrative Head's Column

Swamiji’s idea on women empowerment and its relevance in present day context

Swami Bhaveshananda

“Each soul is potentially divine, goal is to manifest this divinity” 

                                                                                                  -- Swami Vivekananda

According to Swamiji, empowerment means manifestation of this divinity and this can be done through proper education only. Swamiji firmly believed that education is the panacea of all evils. So, empowerment of women can be done through proper education only. Proper education means combination of basic, technical and moral education. This type of education only can solve the problem of women and make them self-reliant. For eg Right to education Act 2009 and special stipend/scholarship and many other facilities in education for girl child of recent years justifies the Swamiji’s views. 

Another important idea, Swamiji believes that development of women and their problem too are to be solved by women only. Passing act to solve various problems of girls only cannot make any change in their life unless they themselves actively involved in it. Following example will prove this. For eg. Eight girls like Rekha kalindi , Afsana Khatun, Uttara Roy, Ahalya kumari, Bina kalindi of Purulia, Momi Mondal of S Dinajpur, WB who were studying in child labour schools denied their parents’ proposal for their early marriage and continued to study further . One of them had to take even the help of police for her protection from parents’ effort to early marriage. Her Excellency, President of India, Pratibha Patil invited two of them at her residence and called them as ‘ambassadors of development’ in 2009.This created a lot of awareness among girl students and their guardians. Enrolment rate of girl students in schools also increased significantly. 

 As a bird cannot fly with only one wing; likewise a society also cannot make progress by neglecting its womenfolk. Swamiji very correctly said, “The best thermometer to the progress of a nation is its treatment of its women.” One of the major causes of India's downfall was also the neglect of women.

If India wants to rise, it must have to empower women through right type education only.

Our experience also shows that if mother is well educated and well mannered, their children also are of good character. In the case of rural development also, the villages where women are educated and organized through SHGs, implementation of many programmes also becomes successful.

Let us hope to see the future developed India with 100% educated child both boys and girls. This will be the proper empowerment of all including women.

Date: 03 January