"Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, she stands up for all women". -Maya Angelou
It is evident to all of us that nowadays everybody wants to earn for themselves but have you ever wondered why there is a disparity between men and women when it comes to earning a living?
Patriarchy is like an onion: you pull each layer painstakingly, thinking you have finally won the battle, only to realise that you have many layers left to pull off. Women are expected to stay at home and take care of all the household chores and their children. Their duties and responsibilities are considered to be confined to their household spaces.
It is true that we have come far from the time where women were rarely allowed to go out and earn, but there is still a long way to go. Women from urban households are able to earn their living but for women from local communities, financial independence is a long battle which is yet to be won.
Once Michelle Obama stated: There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish and it is completely true. Women make such a humongous difference through their small steps and wonders can be done if they are given the right opportunity. Hence, there are many reasons as to why it is necessary for women from local communities to earn their own living, here are few:
1) For gaining Independence: If women earn for themselves, they will be independent and hence would not have to depend on the men in their family to sustain themselves. They will be self-sufficient and self-reliant. Their financial independence will also preclude them from being seen as inferior by the society. They will not have to depend on anyone for their needs anymore. In addition to this, it will help them to take care of all their essential needs and enable them to establish themselves as the arbiter of their own lives. Unarguably, it will also boost their self esteem and confidence.
2) For the progress of our country: Less than 1 in 3 women from local communities in India have no job and 95% of those jobs are unstable and unpaid. If women from local communities are encouraged to work and they start earning, it will boost the economy of the country. We are in the middle of a pandemic and this is a time when the government needs to increase their revenues the most and boost the GDP of the country.
3) For times of emergencies: Nothing is certain today, be it life or jobs. If a man is the sole bread earner in the family, then the wife and the children may have to suffer if he loses his job or meets with an unfortunate incident. Therefore it is important that women from local communities start earning for themselves. Furthermore, in case the woman faces abuse or violence in her house, her financial independence would enable her to seek help from police, afford lawyers and even build a separate life if the situation worsens.
There are countless other reasons which explain why women should earn including the rising cost of living and inflation. Women are the epitome of strength, they just need the right opportunity at the right time to stand on their own feet and fend for themselves. Therefore it's high time that women from local communities start earning for themselves, and society at large takes a step forward to empower and help them.
