The barometer of the progress of Nation is its treatment to its women

From time immemorial, women have been an active participant in the economic, political
and social activities of civilizations. World richest and oldest civilization of Indus valley
witnessed their active and prominent roles. Women played their responsibilities with
integrity and honesty no matter which part of the world they belong to and what role -
whether as mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, wife-they were given. Women are the
harbinger of progress. Status of women of a nation gives the assessment of the progress
of nation. Treatment to women is real developmental indicator.

Women and progress indicators

There has been wide debate about the concept of progress or development and its nature.
Whatever it is, inevitability of it is recognized. Still, various indicators such as GDP, HDI etc.
of development have evolved that measure its different aspect. Therefore, also, i would
first assess the women role in terms of these indicators.

GDP is most widely used indicators throughout the world that measures progress in terms
of increase in the production measured by monetary value. Women, that constitute
almost half of the population of country, should be significant contributor the production.
Women today are involved in large sphere of economic activities. Comparing with the
ancient world, in contemporary age they are doctor, engineer, lawyer, and public servants
and so on. However, in developing countries, they are still to involve significantly in
nations economy. While in developing countries even their visible economic contribution is
many a time not taken into account, developed country provide them with enough
economic liberty. If the economic activities are expanded to constitute the domestic work
they are involved in, they may overtake the masculine GDP. Thus, there is a need to
explore their potential by giving them rights and responsibilities. If they will grow, nation
will grow.

Off course, when women constitute half of population of a nation, they are central to
progress.

Take the case of Human Development Index-supposed to be most holistic indicator of well
being and thus progress of nation. It measure development in terms of literacy level,
calculated by gross enrolment ratio; health, calculated by life expectancy, and national
income. It is said that if a women is literate, she will make whole family literate. Education
starts from home, and home is what women make it. The family education given to child
builds the foundations on which he further develops. His basic approach towards the
surrounding problems, evaluation of the object around him and assessment of many basic
things start from home. Values imbued during childhood helps him to become a noble
citizen. It has been rightly put, you education a man; you educate a man. You educate a
women; you educate generation.

Health of women is health of nation. Health of infant depends on the health of women
during maturation and incubation period. Malnutrition of an infant is the cause of
improper feed to women during pregnancy. Growth of child till teenage does depend on
the level of education and health of women. A young and healthy human will not only
reduce the burden the expenditure on health by a nation, but will participate in nation
building with more efficiency and energy.

Nation income in nothing but equal to gross domestic production of country.

Now, evaluation the women contribution other than in terms of indicators, their
importance in relation to politics and state has rightly been understood contemporarily. It
is said that In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask
women. So in society. A woman is the full circle, within her is the power to create,
nurture and transform the society. India is good example where social role can be very
well understood.

Indian example

India is prominent example where women are filled with sense of duties towards the
society. The Indian value system, which constitutes the countrys culturally-devised social
security system, is the result of the carefully-nurtured continuum of Indian womanhood.
Though, their rights has been neglected compared to Western women, they have uplifted
the Indian society with themselves remaining burdened with sense of duty and
responsibilities. In western world where women are very conscious towards their rights,
family and social traditional responsibilities like old age care, childhood care and
education, and many social duties has been falling over state and burdening it.

Thus, to build a nation, building womanhood is necessary. Women rights are largely still
unrecognized in the world esp. developing world. Treatment of a nation to its women is
the treatment to nation, to society, to every individual. It is rightly put, when women
laugh, nation laugh; when she weeps, nation weeps. In the word of B.R Ambedkar, I
measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have
achieved.

Written by

Faisal Numan

(MFM II)