Gadchiroli Nov. 11 (District Correspondent) The women have been facing the same issues beginning from their personal hygiene to other things related to their development is same and the mindset and approach of the society regarding them also is same all over the world, Women need to be educated on their rights and decision making to overcome this problem, opined Deidra Mwalimu from US, Founder of the world-famous non-profit voluntary organization ‘Network of Women NOW’.
Deidra, who has worked with NGOs in Africa, Brazil and the USA, continues to advocate for international NGOs that support the advancement of young girls and women-cantered issues, is presently in India to study the issues of women especially about their reproductive and menstrual problems. She along with Dr. Dilip Barsagade, the president of local NGO Sparsh which has been working to create awareness about Kurma Ghar for the past over 10 years, visited some tribal dominated villages in the district of Gadchiroli to understand the much typical and sophisticated issue of Kurma Ghar.
During this travel, this correspondent met her at Hotel Vaibhav and talked with her on the variety of issues related to women and their empowerment.
Deidra, whose book ‘My Soul’s Unrest’ created sensation all over the world and has won several prizes, underlined the need of educating the girls on their reproductive issues as presently it has been found that the girls have been attaining puberty even at the age of 6 years. This is a very crucial period for the girls for their overall development and reproductive matters, she felt. This change has been occurring due to impurity in food, changing food habits, environment.
Though puberty is a natural process, urgent medical attention is needed to be given to the girls in such a situation to come over the further problems, Deidra told.
The girls living in Kurma Ghar during their menstruation period is totally wrong and a very dangerous thing. It does not make any sense at all. There is no reason for women to stay in such pathetic living conditions, Deidra said. The woes of such women must be understood, there should be action on their likes and dislikes, their voice should be heard to foster better relationship with the society, she underlined adding that healthy body and mind alone can bring about their progress and personality development.
In some parts of Africa, girls don’t go to school during their periods, Deidra pointed out terming the practice as much dangerous for their development. When her attraction was drawn towards the issue of menstruating girls and women staying at Krma Ghar lacking basic hygiene and other facilities, she quipped its very terrific.
If the members of the society feel that this age-old practice deprives them of their deity’s blessings and creates obstacle in the prosperity, she promptly relied – why this prosperity is not visible after following the evil customs. Where is the education, where is economic progress? Sterilization of women against their consent is absolutely wrong as they remain away from the process of reproduction.
During her stay in Gadchiroli, Deidra visited some schools and held interactive sessions with the girl students, distributed the workbooks specially prepared on the personal hygiene. She also visited Zari and Fulbodi villages where Sparsh has given training of making reusable cloth sanitary pads and talked to the women.
The government must understand the issue and act immediately on it to wipe out this practice in the name of faith. The education of the girls and women should be valued; women should be given freedom of taking their own decisions. If men don’t value women socially, politically and psychologically, the progress of women will come to a dangerous halt, Deidra opined. The issues of domestic violence, child abuse also need to be prioritised, she asserted.
