I THINK IT IS becoming increasingly obvious to the world that a country cannot be judged by its gross domestic product (GDP) alone but by the degree in which its women are empowered.Women constitute 50 per cent of the population and in any civil society they should be marching shoulder to shoulder with the men. In India, there is so much to celebrate and so much to achieve. It is difficult to put India on a scale and measure how much it has achieved as far as women’s empowerment is concerned simply because the difference between women in different classes is so glaring. On one hand, women are in a position of power. They have achieved a commanding position in many fields, including the corporate world and the political arena where they wield influence. Yet, on the other women have been relegated to the lowest order in some parts of the country.

There are states such as Punjab, Haryana and still practiced and the declining female to male ratio (780-1000) is becoming a cause for concern. The extremely uneven position of women in India is an indication of how things are in the country. Huge gains on one side while the sun has still to shine on the other side. Again the women’s movement in India differs from the one that took place in the west. In the west the movement was directed towards individual freedom. The Indian woman has different concerns. She is redefining her relationships too. The Indian woman has a sense of right along with a sense of duty which is ingrained in her. So while she is deeply conscious of her rights she is also conscious about her duties. The Indian woman is in a special position. still practiced and the declining female to male ratio (780-1000) is becoming a cause for concern. The extremely uneven position of women in India is an indication of how things are in the country. Huge gains on one side while the sun has still to shine on the other side. Again the women’s movement in India differs from the one that took place in the west. In the west the movement was directed towards individual freedom. The Indian woman has different concerns. She is redefining her relationships too. The Indian woman has a sense of right along with a sense of duty which is ingrained in her.

So while she is deeply conscious of her rights she is also conscious about her duties. The Indian woman is in a special position. case of a bad marriage. The husband gets away scot free despite the violence. If educated, the same woman would be confident enough to take care of herself. I do not accept the theory that women are their own worst enemies. There are bound to be other fallouts if a woman had not been given power for long. In a patriarchal society where the worth of the women is determined by her ability to produce a male child, the woman is a victim of the system.When she gets it by way of becoming a mother-in-law, she tends to abuse it by harassing the daughter-in-law. In the same situation if a woman has been given power from the beginning, then there would be no skewed ideas of domination over the other woman. I believe because of gender there is a strong bond, a clear sisterhood between all women. Today women are and have to be seen as an asset rather than a liability. More women are looking after their parents than men. I am proud to be a feminist. Most people associate the movement with the loud defiance by women in the west. But it is important to understand that at the beginning of any movement for it to have its voice heard it has to be belligerent. Having said that I believe, being a feminist does not mean not being feminine. As women we should be proud of being feminine. The perfect person according to me is one in whom the Yin and the Yang are perfectly balanced. And this applies to men too. In the larger scheme of things, it is important to transform the very notion of ‘Power’. We should be working towards what a sharing of Power rather than having one group, or gender dominating the other.

The fact that men and women are different is a reason to be celebrated not argued about. For far too long, solutions have been found from the male point of view. But change is taking place now. Today women are negotiating more space for themselves in every field, be it art, environment. And this is happening all across the world. The global dialogue is on and soon everyone will accept the world would be a better place if women were taken care of. So much to celebrate, so much to achieve! “We need to show our women at work are equal in stature with the men,” says Shabana Azmi. SHE has been referred to as the Jackie Collins of India for her novels about life on the fast lane.After making her name as a model, Shobhaa De began a career in journalism in 1970 during which she edited three popular magazines — Stardust, Society, and Celebrity. Aprolific writer, Shobhaa has penned several novels that have been best sellers. She is a regular columnist in India’ top newspapers and has scripted for some of television’s most talked about shows. Associated with Mumbai’s high society, her fiction has been tantalisingly close to reality while depicting the grime under the glamour and glitz of Bollywood, high society, the arts and fashion world and has readers guessing the identities of the true to life characters. Known for her strong opinions, Shobhaa De believes it’s time Indian women, and in fact women the world over, take their rightful place under the sun. Here’s the inimitable Shobhaa in conversation with Dipta Joshi: TRUE empowerment, I believe, comes from within.

The biggest change in Asia, and perhaps the world, is the way women regard themselves in the 21st century. Self-perception has altered in a way that I find remarkable and inspiring. This has taken place in the past 10 years - a defining decade for women the world over. The basis for this change has to do with changed economic realities. Women are vital to the new economic boom, contributing in a significant way that makes them hard to ignore or marginalise. Financial empowerment is the only real empowerment. With that comes the required clout to negotiate and engage with society at large. Indian women can no longer be ignored since they are a force to reckon with at all levels. Life can only get better, with a greater focus on educating the girl child and providing her with the required skills to be financially independent. If Indian women are being held back for any reason then it is from among ourselves. Societal prejudice is the last bastion left... and I see that crumbling very soon. Today, there is nothing to hold a woman back. She is protected via legislation, and more importantly, she is now armed with an array of choices, perhaps for the first time in India’s complex history. A society such as ours is