Background
Nepal is highly affected by patriarchy,
which always evokes for male. Sons are considered to be the parents' caretakers
when parents became old. Daughters are measured to be "Others'
property" because they shall have to go husbands' homes. In this case, not
only in Nepal the biggest challenge facing women in the United States today is
patriarchy. The patriarchal character of American society contributes to the
idea that women are less qualified and capable than males, regardless of their
experience, education, or ability.
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| (Unpaid Work, Frustration & Poverty) |
Unpaid Household Work
Unpaid household work is closely related to the women in many countries. Globally women undertake three times more care and domestic work then men. Genuinely unpaid care work is frequently viewed as having little value and is absent from conventional economics. It is associated with greater mental health burden and negative effects on quality of life. The risk of mental illness among women in relation to unpaid work is increasing day by day.
Services done within a household for its members, such
as personal care and housework, are referred to as unpaid work. It is often
perceived as low value rather outgoing work. But a women who can earn, could
spend quality time with their children. She plays with her children and reduce
her burden, stress, pain, tiredness through enjoying with them. Children also
respect their official mom instead housewives. They may more obedient, humble
than housewives.
Unpaid household works consume women's most of the time, her subjective experience made her stressful, anger, sneaky including depression and frustration. Women generally work longer hours overall than men does. The link between women and unpaid works are embodied since thousands years. The women and her mental health do have very strong connection with each other..
Cause of Stress and depression
The tasks cooking, child caring, respecting guests consume all most all time of women. Either early in the morning or evening she never get rest. She does not only single job at once but double or triple. Restless body reflects unhealthy talked. And unhealthy talked creates anger and noisy environment. Because of all those work she never gets any rupees which is the main cause of frustration. On the other hand, rest of the people in the family enjoy their time through watching movie, Television or lingering in mobile set. They get money from their job but women who stay in home must do all the workers located their home and vegetable garden.
Thus, unpaid work is one of the seen reasons
for gender inequality. It is accepted from culture. Culture is manmade. It is
rooted from generation to generation which is hard to change. Unpaid work
includes work done for family members to maintain a household. This work is
usually done by woman, these works are highly associated with women rather
male. These works mostly includes tasks such as maintain bed room, cleaning
houses, washing clothes, cleaning dishes, cleaning toilet and bathroom, putting
all the Kitchener items in right place cooking, supporting children.
Most of the times when we think of work, we
engaged our mind think for paid work only. But if all the people engaged in
paid works who work for disable people and young children at home? It is the
great issue for every family all over the world. Unpaid workers whole day work without
any salary.
Women's Status in Home and Society
Women are dominated by men in family and society treated as the 'Second' in the society as they are weak and powerless. Women are trained to be good daughters; sister and mother are given limited space to speak or laugh. One of the famous feminist Simone de Beauvoir argues "One is not a born but made.” Here the feminist talked about the gender issues.
Women and Man there is two sexes. But the society paints the color of women. She
became women after birth not before. Gender is manmade and sex is physical
different from nature that women have equal right to male in terms of vote and
other civil rights. Nevertheless, economic freedom is the base for bringing
those rights into reality. It means a woman should be independent economically
at first and then she can secure her civil right like life, liberty and pursuit
of happiness.
The social structure is formed in such a
way that males are the owners in the world which women are simply their support
and well-wishers but not of equal status. According to Simone de Beauvoir women
are able to stand on their own. Those women who are engaged in job they feel
more comfortable. They also seem proud for earning such status. They said
"I never asked anybody for anything. I succeeded all myself."
Women's Anger, Opportunities and Reflection
House wives mostly obtains many disappointments, humiliations, regrets, resentments not commonly matched with man. The society is hostile with women, her progressive and active voice as well as performance that she has shown. It creates obstacles on the way of her career.
Thus, in the context of Nepal many girls and married women choose easy future job rather risk taking and being honorable position i.e. nursing, sewing, painting and teaching. Because of societical cause they could not fix eyes on her goal. She has to glance wandering around her in every directions.
The young and beautiful girls may easily convinced that they have limited
capacities in comparison to boys. They are provided the sense that girls' level
is lower than that of boys. It means patriarchy creates multiple obstructions
to stop her future career. Many girls accepts parent's suggestions and choose
marriage life and forget their goal. It hard to meet their goal after getting
marry. There are so many expeditions for daughter in law from home.
Causes of Women's Backwardness
Women's status, posts, situations and
issues in Nepal are dominated from society, culture, politics, history,
literature, religious books. Literary text, movies, and religious books could
portray such stereotypical images of female. Which factors knowingly and
unknowingly set the women as inferior, second class and other in the home and
society. These factors are the bold cause which hinders women's succession.
Progressive Feminist Ideas and Notion
Virginia Woolf, another feminist,
"A Room of Own's Own" claims that woman need financial and
psychological independence in order to exercise their creative potential . A
women must have money and a room of her own if she is doing some creative job.
None in the house could stop her creative nature.
Women's Problem in South Asian Countries
Nepal at very low level of development regarding the position of women in term of various indicators such as adult literacy, employment and white color jobs, technical education etc. In the case of mountains area of Nepal women are highly affected by child marriage and polygamy. Since the Maoist insurgency in Nepal, the women's status being slowly and gradually started to change. However there are so many social evils in Nepalese society which directly makes women's status very low and inferior rather male.
There are so many wife beating husband in Nepalese societies. But
people evokes on the favor of male. It is very painful situation of Nepali
women.
Women in Urban and Rural Areas
Frankly speaking the rural area women are deprived from various opportunities and access in comparison to the women of urban areas. Women in urban areas are more educated and skillful than rural women. Most of the women in urban areas hang small or big job which makes their life sustainable, independent and happy. They engage and easily passed their time. They know the importance of time and forever try to make small and beautiful family.
Most of urban women have knowledge of family planning. They
have idea of income and purchases for family. The environment itself teach the lesson of life in urban area. In
other case, in village area women never get freedom from her cattle raring,
agricultural products and cookery as well as children support household works.
Employment and cash earnings are key
factors of women empowerment. It makes women freedom and help for decision
making. Money and job are the source of self confidents which brings
fearlessness in mind. They can challenge in office and home. Education affects
the level of working space for women.
Conclusion
Women are suppressed, exploited and deprived from quality education, employment and living in the more comfortable with freedom. In this new era, either in Nepal or
India or other south Asian countries women should not consume their energetic
time within home which brings her depression, stress, anger, unhealthy because
of poverty and low-self confidence. However, her circumstances are unfavorable;
she should struggle for her beautiful future ahead. Laboring for bright future,
separating the time for training and education, self-confidence is the way to solve
all kind of women's problem.
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| The Author Ms. Kafle, (Master of Education, TU & Master of English, MU) |
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