I do not listen to speeches on Independence Day or Republic Day. They are too boring too nonsensical. But today I decided to listen to Mr. Modi. There has been lot of curiosity around him. What kind of speech would he make? Will he announce policy decisions? Will he speak in Hindi or English? Will it be extempore?
There were two points I liked. One was on women safety. He was right in asking whether the parents ever dare to put the same kind of fetters around the son that they so blithely put around their daughters. They ask the daughter where she is going, what she is doing but do they ever dare to ask their son the same questions.
The other issue is about the toilets. I really feel sorry for the women who do not have access to toilets. I had to face it only once in my life. I had gone for a site visit to villages around Kushinagar. The people who took me said that we will stay there overnight. Then, little diffidently, they said that it would be difficult for me because the toilets will not be up to my standard. It was only later that night I realized that there were no toilets. It was a big house. There were daughters in the house. There was a minimal toilet which no one used in the night. Actually, it was used only for emergency. I was not an emergency and I had to do what others did. It was an experience that I hope I never have to repeat.
As we went around Kushinagar that evening, I saw women going towards the field as soon as darkness fell. That was their private time when they could be sure that no man would see them 'go'. Worse, most women do not drink water through the day to avoid going to toilet. The end result, is as the PM said, they have so many diseases. Primary amongst them is the kidney stone for which they have no cure. The only way to get rid of kidney stones is to drink water which they cannot.
The worst time for them is when they have their periods. Further, one of the major cause of girls dropping out of school is because of lack of toilets.
So I applaud the PM when he says that he wants to see toilets built in every school and he invites the corporates to participate in this process through their CSR funds.
But I want to tell the PM that building toilets is not sufficient. What you need is to also educate the people on two matters: one is on how to use it and second, that it is not unclean to clean the toilet ourselves.
I know many NGOs who work on education sector, including Asha for Education, cannot fund building toilets. But can they take up the other two tasks?
There were two points I liked. One was on women safety. He was right in asking whether the parents ever dare to put the same kind of fetters around the son that they so blithely put around their daughters. They ask the daughter where she is going, what she is doing but do they ever dare to ask their son the same questions.
The other issue is about the toilets. I really feel sorry for the women who do not have access to toilets. I had to face it only once in my life. I had gone for a site visit to villages around Kushinagar. The people who took me said that we will stay there overnight. Then, little diffidently, they said that it would be difficult for me because the toilets will not be up to my standard. It was only later that night I realized that there were no toilets. It was a big house. There were daughters in the house. There was a minimal toilet which no one used in the night. Actually, it was used only for emergency. I was not an emergency and I had to do what others did. It was an experience that I hope I never have to repeat.
As we went around Kushinagar that evening, I saw women going towards the field as soon as darkness fell. That was their private time when they could be sure that no man would see them 'go'. Worse, most women do not drink water through the day to avoid going to toilet. The end result, is as the PM said, they have so many diseases. Primary amongst them is the kidney stone for which they have no cure. The only way to get rid of kidney stones is to drink water which they cannot.
The worst time for them is when they have their periods. Further, one of the major cause of girls dropping out of school is because of lack of toilets.
So I applaud the PM when he says that he wants to see toilets built in every school and he invites the corporates to participate in this process through their CSR funds.
But I want to tell the PM that building toilets is not sufficient. What you need is to also educate the people on two matters: one is on how to use it and second, that it is not unclean to clean the toilet ourselves.
I know many NGOs who work on education sector, including Asha for Education, cannot fund building toilets. But can they take up the other two tasks?
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