Venue: Excelsior-Creek Hotel, Al Maha Ball Room, Dubai.
Madam Uma, Recipients, Distinguished Gathering – good evening to all of you.
Speaking on and backing United Nations’ ‘Theme’ for International Women’s Day 2011: Pathway to decent work for women, Equal access to education, training in science and technology – a beautiful poem came in my thoughts. The poem is by the Indian Noble Laureate – Rabindra Nath Tagore and I think that the creative power of this poem coincides with the core spirit of International Women’s Day being celebrated here this evening in Dubai. Actually, it is a form of a prayer to God.
Where The Mind is Without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by Thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, O! God, let my country awake.
My dear friends, all of us know that the integral part of every country is made up by the spirit of its women. The past and present give us shining examples of women who took their journeys through life, for their countries and families, with a sense of nobility and focus. The greatest part of their success was that when they faced defeat, they were determined to convert it into victory. When they were lost, they were determined to find the path. When they were confused, they were determined to find the solution. Called to mind things, women have amply demonstrated the substance of their agility and courageous character. They have not been mere spectators taking the easy way to pass on the challenges by taking shelter in the shadow of someone’s gender. In the last 50 years, women have continued to be at the forefront – swiftly evolving in their careers. As one example, in NASA women represent 25 percent of the astronauts, 16 percent of the scientists and engineers. In fact, one-third of NASA’s work force is female.
Therefore, even more, women must be cherished right from the day they are born! It is a crime to exploit women because of their gender. In fact, it is an intelligent idea for society to educate needy girls – so that they become competent bread-earners for a life time… and this exercise must start from the grass-roots of backward areas. It is these areas where women are suffering in the most grotesque conditions.
Every society must offer equal opportunities to women. It will be interesting to see newer pathways to decent work are created to raise the bar for every woman to access the vocation of her caliber and choice. This must become a sacred motto for law-makers, internationally, to support the cause of International Women’s Day which began way back in Germany, in 1911.
Finally, my text here also points that the ongoing struggles of mankind are a part of life and living; I feel, a person’s bravery is no less by the gender or age. For a society as a whole, there is no glory in dwelling in the separateness of genders. Male and female members must strive to work in unison towards economic, political and social improvements. Then only every family, every tribe, every nation can be liberated! Then only we can truly honour every International Day of the year.
Thank You.
Geeta Chhabra
