Q) What are the main women’s issues that need to be highlighted but never actually see the light of day?
A) If we learn to respect each other despite our many differences, we will have a more safe and peaceful society. Women who live on the margins of society, those who are socio – economically deprived, disabled, from the minorities, the scheduled castes and tribes are the ones whose rights are often denied. We have great laws but the implementation leaves much to be desired
Q) Don’t you feel that there is a need to be sensitise agencies implementing the laws framed to safeguard women’s rights?
A) Sensitization has been happening and is an ongoing process. However, it will take a long time as it requires societal change. Training programs are needed, as well as a change in our education system to incorporate gender sensitization from primary school level.
Q) How is the Goa of today (on Women’s issues) compared to say 5 years back? And how far behind are developed countries?
A) I think that Goa has always been a place where women have a better status compared to the rest of the country, even 5 years ago. This is in large part due to the laws (the Portuguese civil code), as well as our high female literacy. How far ahead or behind cannot be measured as despite the freedoms enshrined in our Constitution, there will be instances of injustice, the crucial point is what corrective action is taken to improve the system where there are loopholes.
(Dr Nandita D’Souza is a pediatrician who has been working in the area of child and family mental health.)
