Everyone knows about International Women’s day, but very few people know that there is also an International Men’s day.
On Women’s day, Social media sites are flooded with messages harping on women empowerment, their remarkable achievement & sacrifice. But on the contrary, people laughs out at the very idea about the existence of International Men’s day and question the need for such day.
There was a time when women were allegedly oppressed and discriminated and so during the course of time they were given more rights, attention & power in the name of equality. But time has changed and today men are at the receiving end and subjected to reverse discrimination.
“Men’s don’t cry” or “Men are stronger” are some of the phrases; are as offensive and regressive to Men that feminist feels otherwise. Albeit feminists also feel that women rights are human rights but men rights are not.
Men are treated as an inferior gender than women and ignored in many ways including their contribution to family, agony they face against biased & draconian laws, their health-related issues, societal perception portraying women are always right and so on. According to various men’s right organizations; that is why it is important to commemorate & celebrate an International Men’s Day that falls on November 19, 2016
The objectives behind celebrating an International Men’s Day are to focus on men’s and boys’ health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, highlight discrimination against men and boys and to celebrate their achievements & appreciate their sacrifice, in particular for their contributions to community, family and child care.
According to Middle-East based NRIs fighting for men’s right; In India, men are discriminated and oppressed in name of women empowerment shot in the arm with 498A (Dowry), domestic violence, (DV Act 2005), maintenance, (Cr.PC 125), divorce, child custody and what not. Both 498A/DV acts are criminal in nature and their misuse is rampant.
Not only the husband but his female relatives including mothers & sisters are being implicated and arrested at the drop of a hat. Men & his family go through horrendous torture and trauma of frivolous cases & courts proceeding. And at the end even If courts find out a false case, disgruntled wives get away scot free. India’s Supreme Court in its number of judgments pointed of rampant misuse of 498A and cited it “Legal Terrorism”
“Giving justice and equality to women should not be at the expense of Men’s rights and punishing them with more biased laws. Today Married Men are committing suicide more than twice compared with married women. Uplifting of one gender shouldn’t at the cost of another gender. We have more criminal women in this generation than before” said Mr. Gerry Douglas, founder member of Middle East – Men’s Right & Justice virtual group.
Another founder Gurukanth Rao added that “Often duties and responsibilities of men are taken for granted and they are treated like ATM machine. In the name of women empowerment and equality, society ignores men’s right and their welfare”
“With the Anti-Men environment in India, more Men and Husbands are forced to commit suicide. India, indeed, is becoming unsafe for men. At the time of marriage; allegedly when wife family gives support in cash or similar kind, it is termed as dowry when marriage is on the brink of divorce. But when wife demands a house, car and forces husband to provide luxurious life then it isn’t considered a dowry but perceived as a duty. Today, Indian women have one thing in their mind, blackmail men to control and dominate and leave no hope for happiness, but for Men It is about to beg, borrow or steal but pay the Alimony” said Mr. Rudolph Dsouza, one of the founding member of Save Indian Family(SIF) and www.mynation.net website.
Mr. Shonne Kapoor, the founder of Sahodar India Trust said that “The issue with biased laws of India is that they are completely out of touch with current reality and not in consonance with most nations’ matrimonial laws to the extent that it protects only one gender from domestic issues and no protection for husbands. The ostrich approach followed by Indian courts ensure that men working in GCC are burdened with liability of maintenance of their wife according to how much they earn without accounting for the expenses which a man has to do in GCC countries, which are certainly much higher than in India, whereas the right way would be to base it on Purpose Power Parity.”
GCC based NRIs further state that today Men are subjected to many biased laws pertaining to marriage, dowry, child custody, maintenance and rape which are weakening the very fabric of family and society in India.
Some burning issues faced by GCC NRI Victims
- Draconian & Gender Biased laws that favor to Women.
- No “Domestic Violence” Law for Men. Men can’t do anything, if wife abuses husband, insult him, and threaten entire family to implicate in false cases, name calling and so on.
- Blanket Discrimination against Men in Courts.
- De-facto child custody is given to estranged wives.
- Male victim & his family members are ostracized by society and their careers are destroyed when false case is filed
- Lack of Government’s intention to collect statistics pertaining to “Crime & Violence against Men”
- Revocation/Impounding passport/ Issue Look Out Circular (LOC), Red Corner Notices (RCN), making NRIs as Proclaimed offender/Absconders
- No support from Government when Men are in distress & need emotional and psychological
support. There isn’t any official platform where their voice to be heard.
Demands of GCC NRI Victims
- Repeal draconian IPC 498A. Amend laws that prohibit matrimonial disputes & litigation under criminal laws.
- Issue notification to all passports offices across India not to revoke / impound passport of NRIs in the case of IPC 498A allegations.
- In the case of 498A, NRIs should not be declared as Proclaimed Offender/Absconders. Enact a law where Red Corner Notices can’t be issued in 498A or other matrimonial disputes.
- Indian consulates / embassies should not be used by wives / police stations to harass innocent NRIs and their family members abroad.
- Issue guidelines to all regional passport offices / Indian Consulates / Indian Embassies to protect Innocent NRIs & their families.
- Make Domestic Violence, Rape, divorce, child custody etc as gender natural law
- Amend CrPC to make false cases punishable under rigorous imprisonments to those who abuse the laws and misuse it.
- Change maintenance law in which educated and working wives must not be entitled to any sort of maintenance
- Setup Men’s commission or form dedicated ministry to protect men’s right and welfare. India
has commissions/board for everything such as Women Commission, Animal board, Minority Commission. Even Government is bringing commission for Transgender. But there isn’t any consideration or seriousness on long pending demand for Men’s commission.
Importance of International Men’s Day
NRI’s demand for their rights and raising their voice against injustice on an International Men’s day is a truly symbolic. It is gathering a momentum and getting more support.
The International Men’s Day was conceptualized and initially held in Trinidad and Tobago on 19th November 1999. Representatives from organizations such as the UN expressed support for the event. As of today International Men’s Day is celebrated in over 70 countries.
To highlight the importance of this day, Barkha Trehan, the eminent woman fighting for men’s rights said “The positive role of Man as a family builder as the pillar of society a protector and provider and his relentless service is subdued. However, the bias in society as a whole has left Indian Men to think it’s high time to empower the male fraternity to address the growing imbalance will obfuscate the position of men as a whole.
“Men’s rights are human rights” & marginalization of men can be addressed with equal sensitivity if not less as women issues. Demand for Men’s ministry is a decade old demand however apathy towards male issues has not benefited the cause. On this international Men’s day let’s raise a pledge; why not empower men? “
Note : Gulf Based NRIs who are victims of false cases in India can contact to megulfnri @ gmail.com to seek help and support.
