Jacob Hembrom SJ
The whole universe operates on the principle of selflessness. It flows spontaneously not for its own sake but for the sake of everything else in the universe. The sun shines not for itself but to keep the equilibrium of the organic and inorganic beings; similarly moon rain, rivers, trees etc. Everything in the nature is altruistically ordained and maintained. So too, we are to have unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others. This is the day we celebrate today the day of selflessness, it is our mother’s day and they are that. They make real sacrifices in order to give life. They die to themselves each moment so that family may have life. We are indebted to their life giving sacrifice.
As we pay tribute to our beloved mothers for what they are to us and to the society at large, it is good to take a little time out and look at their place and condition in our Indian society. If an Indian mother were to be asked about how happy she thinks mothers are, she may not give a straight answer. Because, the social and material realities for women in India are so harsh that the idea of happiness can be an alien concept. The emotional wellbeing of a mother is an important but often neglected aspect of society and cannot be taken for granted.
There are so many factors which really affect the overall growth of a woman and very especially for the development of Adivasi women in rural areas. It is really alarming to know it. One of the studies conducted in Jharkhand state reveals that scheduled tribes or Adivasis, who represent 84. 3 million people or 8.2 percent of India’s population and are among the country’s poorest, have higher morbidity and mortality rates as compared to non indigenous populations. These health indicators are a result of various underlying causative stress factors such as socio-economic, gender-related, physical and reproductive health as well as birth outcomes (Source: Google).
How do we ensure overall development of our women? There are so many schemes granted in the name of women’s development. ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Parhao’ is one such project. How many people know about it and how many of us really profit from it is a question. In order to envisage the development of women, compulsory free and qualitative education and employable skill development programmes must be launched for rural students and women so as to make them self-reliant and economically independent. Furthermore, the right to vote is meaningless unless rural women are made aware, educated and imparted skills to understand the order of the day and this can bring change in their lives, in the family and lastly transform tribal society through education, legal awareness, and socio- economic independence. Thus, there is no doubt that the rural women can acquire any developmental milestones (skills) only through education and thus can change their own destiny.