Womens rights

Hello everyone :)

:D Womens rights!!! Why do we talk so much about womens rights and what is womens rights reeeaaally?? Those are questions we have got from our indian partcipants lately. I dont think they really understand why we talk about that so much and get so upset about it ;P

But heeey! its hard not to react when what it means to be a woman in india is ohhh soo different from what it means to be a woman in Sweden. Some times I feel lika an indian man in a womans body, becouse Im use to the mens freedom. On the other hand Im used to much more freedom then the indian men too.. Its very interesting and cool to be here, but sometimes this is ohh so frustrating. :D

Every week we have an educacton day where we talk about human rights, focusing on different areas every time. This friday it was womans rights and we visited a womans shelter and talked to the staff and the women, asked questions and had discussions. The women living there were former prostitutes, wifes that had escaped violent husbands, young women from love marriages that had gone wrong(the young couple run away from their familys and live as a married couple and after a while the "husband" leaves his "wife" and goes back to his family= her life is ruined), runaways etc.

It was so interesting! Learned a lot! Being a widow is a big problem in india. Many times if ure family is poor and ure husbend dies the widows doesnt know what to do. How to support ure children and take care of ure family? Prostitution may be the only option. To have a son is better then having a daughter; the son is allways the one that takes care of the perents when they are old and the family has to pay a huge dowry(money, jewellerys) for the daughter when she gets married. Many illigeal abortions are taking place becouse of this. Etc.

My partner Roopa has told me many times that she feels it very hard to be a woman in India. But she has also told me that things has changed a lot just the last few years. Five years ago a woman couldnt go to the cinema by herself without getting harassed by men, now its possible. More and more women are learning how to read and write and get higher education.... Things are happening! Slowly :P

Fun stuff.
Indians wiggle their head from side to side a lot. It means ok. But it can be a irritated small ok/an of course ok/an Im not sure but I think so ok/totally ok etc, u never really know. Did u like the food? wiggle wiggle ok(I wonder: was it good or what???). Is this the right direction? wiggle wiggle ok(I wonder: Are u sure or gessing??). Hahaa ;P all the swedish participants have started doing this too now, including me, becouse its just crazy weird and.. adorable.

Hardest thing in India: The culture is totally different.

Best thing: The culture is totally different.

That was all for now! Take care!