Opportunities

Few Years Ago.

BA First Year

First day of class. (I was there on third day only. It was quite different experience to go to public college. It was like maze for me. I was not sure about the roads, the buildings and classes. As it was first day I had allocated around 25 minutes margin before the classes started. It took me full 20 minutes to locate my class. I was completely exhausted by the time I was able to find my class.)

First period was just over. Suddenly everyone started moving out like crowds. Everyone was rushing as if there was disaster. I could not locate, what went wrong? Though, I did not leave my seat, I was like pushed by the students who were jumping out of their desks. I learnt later that they were actually rushing to get seat in next classes for next period so that they can learn with better lecturers. That sounds funny. I continued to continue in same space and learn at same class; hmm I was better with good lecturers as I hesitated to rush. I noticed that there were more boys in class than girls.

BA Second Year 

By the time our classes of second year were concluding, I realized boys were disappearing. (Don't worry, it's not magic, they were either queuing up for taking foreign study consultancy services, joined Korean Language classes, trying to find reliable Manpower (they still call it manpower) and had dropped due to some other reasons. 

BA Third Year 

Classes were running faster than ever before. And tuition classes were on full swing. Finding more students in tuition centers than in college was not a surprise. Be that at regular classes or tuition classes, I felt there were more girls in the classes. 

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I finished bachelor course. Life continued moving, I enrolled into Masters. One day, we were attentively listening lectures from our Lecturer on 'Feminism'.

He stated, 'I think we are doing better. On Masters Classes, there are less boys and more girls, not just girls but lot of married women as well. So, people are no more hesitating to send girls to school/college, in fact they are sending their daughter in laws to College. Well, this is amazing."

Why should anyone stop just being married? Why Masters classes can't have more girls?

I tried to understand what notion did his statements carried in depth. Somehow I realized our lecturer's connotation was in positive tone. He was not complaining on the presence of more girl students, but was happy that more women have access to higher studies. He left in a while. I felt quite happy; in fact I felt like celebrating girl's power and treat ourselves as we could made up-to Masters. I took a while to have a look at time. As I noticed last class had went on for extra 10 minutes. I waved my friends on my bench and rushed to catch bus so that i could reach office in time.

Soon, I was busy settling lot of papers at my desk and mails at my inbox. By afternoon, I was trying to prepare a cup of Coffee Office lobby. I could hear two of my colleagues (Bhim and Arogya) giggling out loud. Till the time I had creamy Coffee ready, I was quite upset to overhear the conversation.

My ethics told me not to join the colleagues' conversation, whereas my inner heart suggested me that I need to intrude in between these gossips. I decided to join. Arogya was continuing to listen remaining in his revolving chair and was bit careful and his wide giggling face somehow compressed when I joined them with a cup in my hand. He opened his specs and wiped it with the pink fabric. Bhim was standing and speaking while leaning on working table.

Bhim tried to conclude, 'So, this is the reason that we should have no womens. No additional women staffs on our section for the time being'.

I tried to remain at ease and asked politely, 'May I know the reason why women staff should be strictly not recruited in your section? Ah.. Let me correct, our section.

We are in same section right, Admin and Finance?'

'I am fine with women staffs working in Admin. But for Finance, no way.'

'Can you elaborate this further, Bhim Sir?'

'See Sima Miss, we have to work after office hour as well. We need to rush to banks and tax offices. We may need to work till late evening; we may need to work on weekend and holidays as well?

'Oh, I see. Are these all reasons sufficient or you have more?'

'Ah.. Women staffs can't work like donkeys as male staffs do?'

'Are you going to recruit donkeys to carry loads or human resources?'

'Of course, we are hiring human resources'.

I responded, 'Well, I am aware that nature of our work demands extra hour works often and out of office movement as well. But women staff can easily do all these if we provided enough support. We just need to be cooperative'.

'I am not here to cooperate with women staffs. Simply, they will work less than me and I will have additional jobs. I will not simply allow my boss to recruit women staffs.'

I was feeling quite uncomfortable by then. Yet I did not give up. 'Do you think some of my assignments has been incomplete just because I am Woman'?

'No'.

'Do you think my quality of work have been degraded because I am Woman'?

'No'.

'Do you think the performance at my current position would have been better had there been man doing this job'?

'No'.

'Why it is so?'

'You are doing good job. I think good enough. I think you are doing exemplary work.'

'Then why have you problems if we hire women staff in our section?'

'Because women can't work as men do in Office'?

Gosh.. I was annoyed by his statements. Yet, ensuring enabling work environment was one of my primary task. So I could not let him go with his 'Anti women thinking for his section'.

'You have been working with Ms. Neelam for couple of years, do you have any instance she could not complete her work because she was woman'.

'No, never. In fact there is no single room of defect in her work. She can easily handle multiple tasks. In some situations, while dealing with service providers, though I am not dealing with them directly, I am quite irritated. I feel like slapping service providers for all stupid demands. But she handles them with much comfort.'

'Do you feel you could have done job better had you been doing the functions/roles which Ms. Neelam is doing right now.'

'No. She is more than perfect for her job. She is role-model'.

I now knew how I can convince him.

'See, you yourself are telling that women staff in our section is doing their jobs perfectly. No work has been hampered just because they are women.'

'But both staffs you referred are good ones including you.'

'If you have already two women staffs who are doing excellent jobs right at your section, you can't deny that upon hiring another women staff she could do even more excellent jobs. Please don't just negate on women's ability to work. Together we can create better work environment and work for achievement of organization's goal. We are working for gender equity and social inclusion in our Programmes. This is not achieved without having diverse workforce.'

His face was not as stiff and his eyes somehow told he was curious to listen. I realized somehow it's the best time to convince him.

I continued, 'Diverse staff means getting diverse ideas as well. Not only this, this is like having more innovations and learning from different culture as well. When we are diverse then we can better connect with our diverse impact groups. We always tell our impact groups on social justice and inclusion. They will believe and follow us if only we have diverse workforce. That's living up to what we say. Our work can be easily done by women staff, we should not have such biases, otherwise, we will never have enabling work environment'.

'Hmm. I think I know the notion why everyone else tells we should have diverse staffs. I just knew the real reason. I am happy to work from whichever background s/he comes.'

I took deep breathe. My eyes rested on my colleague sitting on chair who was gazing.

'Are you Ok?', I asked to Arogya.

He responded with wide smile.

'I feel like enlightened. I should thank him for questions and you for the responses. I am convinced fully and will convince whoever has questions on inclusion and diversity'.

I was happier than ever. I believed at least these two friends can now convince others as well.

We hired women staff in Finance Section. She is continuing to perform excellent job and all of her colleagues including Bhim are providing her ample cooperation.

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I have friend who have been teaching in same Private institutions for long time. Not only this, they have been teaching for same level throughout their service period. As I ask them on why it is so, they simply answer "being women, our School Management thinks we can't control students as Men do. I keep on arguing with them, yet, none of my friend attempted to convince School Management. Some of my friends have completed Masters Degree. They have rich knowledge yet they are limited to their primary level still from where their career started. At times, I feel I may be trying to tickle in their problems when I ask them if they were able to go beyond their assignments and stop myself from asking question.

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'Have you ever been denied from some opportunities just because you are women?

This was the question put forth by me to women applicants during job interview. Somehow I felt like restless to hear the response of interviewee. I somehow felt like while asking that particular question, I felt like nervous. Don't know if someone noticed me or not.

The responses were quite different. Some were never denied, some were often and some were denied for few times. Some were denied at home, some at school, some at college, and some at work-space. While some were denied to eat what they wanted, some were denied to dress on the way they intended, some were denied to have friends as they wished, some were denied to visit places they wanted, some were denied to study what they wanted, some were denied to work where they wanted, some were not offered job just because they were women.

Yet these are lucky girls who could at least make up-to here. Several should have dropped their wish and let it go. Some would have struggled and continued and some would have felt tired of struggling and just let go the things in the manner they go simply. The selection process was over, the results were amazing. The selected list had diverse, competent, committed and confident perspective staffs. We were happy to receive young professionals including women staff committed to do best in job with firm decision to work in some of most remote districts.

As the new staffs joined duty, we had brief introduction and welcome programme at Office Meeting Hall. After returning from welcome programme, I was working to finalize presentation for orientation for the recently hired colleagues, Bhim was there. As I asked him if he wanted any help from me.

He responded, 'You had briefed me on the importance of diverse work force. Seeing these young professionals and their commitments to work I am feeling delighted. I was like surprised to see on how they introduced themselves on such different and meaningful way. I feel it will be great to work with diverse people and learn from their experience and background.

I was more than happy to see complete transformation in him.  

Yes, more opportunities to work with diverse people and learn from diverse ideas.