With over 44.4 per cent elected women representatives at the grassroot
level in local panchayats, Karnataka undoubtedly today can boast of
being on the path to gender equality, thanks to the 73rd amendment,
which allotted one-third of all seats to women.
Be it be a fight
against the illegal arrack sellers or taking on the local landlord,
these women village heads are battling it out on their own just to make
life better for their respective societies.
Thirty-four year old
Kalasamma of Heggadapura village in Mysore when she realised the harm
that the local illicit liquor was doing in the lives of the people
decided that the illegal arrack shop had to go from the village. But
the liquor shop was managed by the local gangs, still undaunted
Kalasamma, who was working for the village council organised the women
into seven groups and thus everyday they began to hold meetings before
the arrack shop.
It thus also proved to be an eye-opener for the other women of the village, who daily began to witness the miserable scenes of the
liquor shop. Finally one day they decided to take a firmer course and
thus launched a drive that today has resulted in the closure of that
particular illegal arrack shop.
Kalasamma says that the victory
instilled a sense of confidence among the women in the village, as for
many it was the first time in their lives that they so openly were
protesting against an evil that has been gnawing their lives for years.
The
women in villages are coming to realise that they also have the
strength to challenge what is unjust and have understood that their
rights are same as for men. While these uneducated women also are
coming forward to send their girl child to school, she says.
In
villages across Karnataka, it is these uneducated women, who are
shielding the light of education and making it spread into the lives of
the young children. Geeta, a mother of two was forced to drop-out when
she was in class third, however, she says, after being elected to the
panchayat, her first step was to work towards literacy.
She
says, "Though I have become a local leader still the lack of education
is something that still pinches me. Hence my priority in to ensure that
all children in my village should get education."
To make a living, Geeta roles
beedi
in her free time, however, her humble life didn't stop her to take on
the local landlord, who had encroached on the land meant for the school
building. Even when the local police threatened her, courageously she
filed a law suit against the landlord and today the local "Aganavadi"
classes are held in that school.
Whether it is education or
health, these women are able to bring in vital changes because their
understanding of the issues is heartfelt and so their dedication is
complete, therefore the work is fruitful, says Yamuna KN, an activist
working who works with a Mysore-based NGO.
While in a major boost, their stories of struggle and hardwork has been incorporated in a book as well.
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