A Struggle for Recognition and Equality

Women are the warriors, the soldiers, the fighter. Be it the Battlefield, Be it a Home, Be it the armed forces, or Be it anything.

An Overview: The History

In human history, even from before the 9th century, women are serving in fighting roles on the battlefield. So many individual women are there who fought for the nation and served as a warrior on the battlefield. The best and appropriate example is Rani Laxmi Bai who served as a warrior on the battlefield for her Jhansi. Another example is Begum Hazrat Mahal, who fought for independence in the revolt of 1857. There are so many other examples as well who served for the nation being on the frontlines.

Despite the fact, that there were women, warriors, in historic times, in the year 1992, India began hiring women to non-medical positions in our armed forces.

Later in the year 2007, in January around 100 women were put into the positions of policewomen in Liberia as the first all-female peacekeeping force of the United Nations.

Then in the year 2014, the Indian air force executed their best performance by having 8.5% women in their force, in addition, the Indian army and Indian navy also have around 3 % and 2.5% women officers respectively in their forces.

Later in the year, 2015 women started serving nations in the Indian air force as fighters on the battlefield as the fighter pilots.

The current scenario

Then in this year 2020, the Indian Supreme court ordered that women officers are given the PC “Permanent Commission” as well as they are now eligible for commanding posts in armed forces.

Views of different official bodies on the topic

India’s SC in January 2020, approached and encouraged the government to withdraw the ban on women officers in battling roles.

“you can judge or measure the strengths of women, they are no less than men. We should not prohibit or reject women officers as a class. There is a requirement of change in the attitude and mindset of people in India” – SC told in its report.

Indian Armed Force started introducing and admitting women in fighting roles in the year 1992. Women have been provided with different fighting and challenging roles as fighter pilots, police officers, navy officers, and many more roles since then.

According to the Reports from Government, “One male Indian is not yet mentally prepared or schooled to have Female commanders. There are so many confinements for women like motherhood, childcare, family rituals, etc.”.

One of the military officers responded to this by saying “military training is all about reshaping the mindset and attitudes that soldiers and fighters bring from their backgrounds”.

In recent times, Apart from the Armed Forces, women in New India are working as doctors, pilots, nurses, engineers, lawyers, CEOs. Also, they have been treating other soldiers on the battlefield, detecting and removing mines. Women are turned out to do almost everything and anything from serving at home to serving the nation.

According to the reports of the year 2019, there is only 3.8% of women in the Armed Forces, compared to 13% in the air force and 6% in the navy. In other words, there are only 1500 women officers when there are 40,000 + male officers.

Even after serving this much to the nation, women are still suffering from the dominance of males in areas like armed forces, in battlefields.

According to the Mr. Bipin Rawat (chief of defense staff general), “no women soldiers are serving in the front line on the battlefield, as women may feel uncomfortable at the front line in the battlefield” Mr. Rawat said in news network, in addition to this he said women need maternity leaves, they need more privacy as well as protection, they need to be cocooned, and India is not ready to accept the “Body bags of women”, which are killed in the fighting.

Many Nations allow their women soldiers to serve the nation in fighting roles on the battlefield. Where fighting for this role is still very hard to win in many nations for many fighting women soldiers. Some examples of allowance of women in the battlefield are, In the year 2013, the American military allowed and introduced in the battlefield for fighting roles, In the year 2018, the UK military invited women to participate in battlefields and serve the nation in fighting roles. This example shows the great practice of proving the words right for gender equality.

The stressed situation at borders:

Recently, in June 2020, in a speech in LEH (Ladakh), our Honourable PM Mr. Narendra Modi said, “I am seeing the women soldiers in the front line of the battlefield. This is so inspiring seeing the women officers and warriors here as front liners in the battlefield”.

Above is another example of bravery and strength of women fighting officers, which is to be appreciated.

Nevertheless, females the women are taking more serious and active responsibilities and roles in armed forces now, by serving the nations on front lines of conflicts as peacekeepers as well as fighters in the world.

Many people may still disagree and give reasons like that a woman, in common doesn’t have the physical strength to maintain the standards and hopes as males, and cannot fight like a pro generally as males do.

How ?

However, if it is true that females don’t have the physical strength and abilities to represent fighting officers on the battlefield, then How a woman can fight in a sports ground in the Olympics? How women can win medals and cups for the country? How women are getting the esteemed and precious awards of the country like Padma Bhushan? How women like Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom are getting so much recognition?

The COVID situation :

In recent times, during COVID -19 pandemic, there were so many stressed and pressured situations on the borders be it land (Indian Army), air( Indian Air Force), or water ( Indian Navy). Around 3500+ women were there at Indian borders serving their nation. All three armies have women officers on their respective battlefields.

All over the World:

There are so many countries that allow women in fighting roles on the battlefield. Countries like the United States, Israel, North Korea, France, Germany, Netherlands, Canada, and Australia. These countries are allowing and offering the front line fighting combat roles on the battlefield. However, India is still lacking behind in this.

According to me, according to my opinion, a woman is a warrior and she can serve in every and any role she is given, whether it is armed forces, navy, doctor, or even a role of motherhood. She is and she will always be equal to a man both in physical standards as well as mental standards.

It is very rightly said that “ Patriarchy should not come in between the equality and common sense”.

Another Perspective of the topic:

Each and every ground of the different sectors are battlegrounds “ the battlefields for women”. Be it an education platform, be it a corporate culture, be it the govt. jobs, be it the freedom of choosing the dreams or be it anything. Because people here become judgemental for women. And because of this Women are still suffering and experiencing the dominance of males – the men. Not because a woman is less talented or less capable of doing something but just because the males are not ready and are not taught to accept the woman in different fields competing neck to neck with them.

However, many people may disagree with my above statement. Yes they will be right there are males who are accepting the change, but still, there are some men who are still stubborn and do not want to accept the change. Men are not ready to accept that women can do anything she wants. The only thing which is required is the change in mindset and attitude of the people of this new generation, of the new India.

It is very necessary to talk about the current situation through which we are going, yes you are right! The COVID pandemic. In this situation as well the women as nurses as well as doctors are serving their nations and its citizens. Women are considered less capable in terms of physical strength and practical terms, but women are working day and night, leaving their families behind, leaving their physical pain behind.

This is the instance where we can see women are equally strong as men both in physical terms as well as practical terms.

The closing statement:

Finally, at last, I want to conclude this article by saying whether a person is a male or a female. He/ she should be given equal chances and opportunities on battlefields to prove themselves. A person should not be judged based on their gender, rather they should be judged on their capabilities and strength, both mental and physical.