US Consul-General Ms. Beth Payne visits M.H.S

 

 

On June 18, 2010,the pupils of Class XI had an interactive session with Ms.Beth Payne,the US Consul-General on women’s issues and women empowerment.According to Ms.Payne the problems faced by women are the same everywhere.She stressed that in their quest to be powerful and influential,women should not lose their feminity.

A number of relevant questions were raised by the girls.

 

• Does reservation of seats in public transport point to empowerment of women or masked discrimination?

• What measures can be taken to prevent female infanticide in rural India?

• Is there a way to ensure that women do not take undue advantage of the sensitivity shown these days by society to women’s issues and problems?

• How can one disregard or prevail over gender biases shown by institutions like the National Defence Academy,which till date does not employ women in higher posts?

• Why do women have to work harder,be more aggressive than men to enjoy senior positions of authority,particularly in the corporate sector?

 

Ms Payne’s answer to most of the queries  was simple : Speak up and keep going.Society will surely change though nothing will happen overnight.She also emphasized  the importance of an independent and unbiased judicial system which bases its judgement on thorough investigation.Gender discrimination in any form should not be tolerated.She ended on the note that women should exercise  greater  political influence,be more vocal only then can they bring about a radical change.