Sometimes I think that all these twitter campaigns and blog posts about reducing gender inequality are futile. People indulging in such disgusting practices openly are often from rural backgrounds, with limited access to the internet. Secondly, inequality has been hammered into their heads from a young age. It’s all around them, so how do you get these people to change? What if they never do?

It’s a smart thing to target the young ones. It’s easier to imprint such values in younger minds instead of changing the old ones. But then again, kids spend more time at home, and learn from their elders. People will teach kids their ways because that way they (the parents) can create a world that’s familiar to them. We have come a long way when it comes to women’s rights but it’s not enough. Part of me feels that in my lifetime, there won’t be true equality. It will take quite many generations for the world to change- that is if we don’t kill ourselves with climate change heh.

I realized the inequality at my own home in India. My father always gets what he wants. If he ever cooks a meal, it’s a big deal. When guests come over my Mom is running around making them comfortable. At my previous school, girls were sometimes bullied by teachers. As nobody spoke of menstruation, quite many were uneducated about it. So if a girl couldn’t go to school or participate, it was declared she’s crying wolf. Sure a few of them would fake it but still.

In many Indian public schools there aren’t toilets, since boys can just ‘go behind the bush’.It goes to show that girls aren’t considered as valued members. Even if there are toilets they are in poor shape. I’ve spoken to girls who have to ‘hold it in through 8 hours of school ’, it made me angry but I didn’t do anything about it.

In rural areas the dowry system, though illegal, still shows. Many families save up for their daughters wedding. It reduces their standard of living, eg- if a child has sisters, it’s likely he/she will be sent to a cheaper school to save money for the dowry. This repulsive method first puts a lot of financial strain on the bride’s parents. This strain gives rise to the notion that ‘a girl child will lose me money but a boy will bring in money’. Boy babies are preferred, however if the mother carries a girl, she is asked to abort or in the worst but common case scenario- killed.

Though these atrocities have greatly reduced, they still reign in many areas. In some districts of India the child-sex ratio has fallen, despite ‘government aid’. It makes me question the genuineness of government campaigns often plagued by corruption.

I believe the best way is to do our own bit. I am a hypocrite in saying so as until now I never thought of such things. But after my exchange in Finland, one of the most gender-equal countries, and seeing what’s possible for my country, I will do my bit by giving talks in public schools and holding events. No middlemen.

Maybe I’ll be successful or maybe I’ll be brushed off by the village elders. Whatever it will be, I realize my earlier question of  “What if people never change?” is irrelevant. Giving up because of it is not an option.

After all, I owe a great deal to women.