Convent of Jesus and Mary School

Call her Nirbhaya, Damini, or anything you choose to call her. She is a representation of womanhood. Outraging her modesty has not harmed her or the thousands of others like her who have shed tears in the dark or waged lonely battles in a system that allows those who commit these awful deeds to get away with it. It has brought shame to the culture that permits such things to happen. The 16th of December 2012 exposed some life facts that we tend to put under the rug.To begin with, we are a nation of double standards. We place individuals we fear on pedestals, and we stomp on those who are physically weak and do not retaliate or require affection.Perhaps education must look beyond statistics, Ivy League schools, entrance examinations, and first paychecks. Sensitizing society to the human qualities of life that we are swiftly forgetting is what education is all about. Respect, gallantry, and compassion are now words that are read in books but never exercised.'Women's empowerment' and 'Women's rights' are buzzwords used by political parties to gain voters, not as a solution to gender inequality.Let us all vow to raise our daughters to be physically fit, cognitively strong, morally upright, and self-sufficient. Let them be aware of all their responsibilities and rights, and fight boldly to reclaim what has been taken away from them, including respect and safety.