Women Empowerment in India

Women empowerment refers to providing women with equal opportunities in all fields. It also means giving women absolute autonomy to manage their lives independently. Empowerment of women is a vital concept for the overall growth of the society. Empowerment means to inspire women to break the chains of suppression, traditional beliefs and attitudes. It could lead to an incredible change in the position and status of women and is helpful in transforming the face of the world. It involves giving them their due recognition and place in the society.

In the past women were restricted to domestic chores. They were considered as a sign of disgrace and were forced to play a second fiddle in their life. They were regarded merely a puppet in the hands of their in-laws to cook food and wash clothes. They became helpless victims of male chauvinism in almost all walks of life. Many social evils which were prevalent in our society like Sati, Purdah system, dowry system, child marriage, female infanticides further made women’s life deplorable. But today the scenario is completely different; women form an integral part of the society and have made their presence felt everywhere.

Women empowerment has always been a contentious issue for a long time. With the rise of democracy, women have gained more rights all around the world and a lot of women have been able to contribute towards the development of the society. Many notable personalities of the world have emphasized on the increasing importance of women in the society. Napolean Bonaparte once said “Give me good mothers and I will give you a good nation”. Abraham Lincoln the 16^th President of US advocated the importance of women by saying, “All that I am or hope to be I owe to my mother”. Women are not only good mothers but also emerging as good leaders in nurturing the society in many ways.

The role of women is unimaginable in the present era. Women are equally contributing to pull on their families. They now are walking shoulder-to-shoulder with men and have become an important asset in augmenting the growth of a nation. It is impossible to achieve the goals of being a developed nation without the active participation of women. They are marching ahead in life with an unbeatable speed. More number of girls is getting enrolled in school, colleges and even in the professional institutes. Women are scaling unprecedented heights and have reached the pinnacle positions in business, administration, banking, politics, acting, music, sports and many more professions. Women have proved their mettle in every sphere. The late Indira Gandhi, Kalpana Chawla, Sarojini Naidu, Mother Teresa, Kiran Bedi, Indira Nooyi, Chanda Kocchhar, Kiran Majumdar Shaw, Naina Lal Kidwai, Sunita Williams, Tessy Thomas, Meira Kumar, Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, Aishwarya Rai Bacchan are few names who have set an example and have made their names immortal in the history of India. Many women have been an exemplary and have consolidated the position of women at the world’s panorama. Angela Merkel, Dilma Rouseff, Hillary Clinton, Aung San Suu Kyi, Oprah Winfrey, Christine Lagarde are few names who have carved a niche for themselves as the most powerful women of the world according to the Forbes Magazine 2013 survey.

In India Government has been constantly emphasizing on empowering the women in true spirit. Article 15 of the constitution prohibits gender discrimination. It has launched various schemes and programs like Support to Training and employment Programme for Women, RGSEAG – ‘SABLA, Central Social Welfare Board, the Nirbhaya Fund etc. It is interested to know that twenty six laws have been enacted so far in India to protect women from crimes. It is a grave concern that despite having effective laws like Indian Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 etc, an empowered women still feel insecure and have to encounter many challenges. They are still subjected to atrocities at the hands of male counterparts. Sexual harassment, eve-teasing, rapes, dowry deaths are still pervasive in our society. Every year March 8^th is celebrated as the International Women’s Day but the lamenting irony is that on March 8^th 2011, a 22 year old college girl was shot dead in Delhi in broad daylight. In another most shocking incident in Delhi, a 23 year old girl was brutally raped in a moving bus.  This incident generated widespread national and international coverage and has raised many questions on women’s safety. In the most recent incident in Mumbai , the 22 year-old photojournalist was brutally raped while she was on an assignment taking photos in an abandoned mill compound.Hindu Preacher Asaram Babu who is worshiped like God in our country, was accused of sexually assaulting a 16 year old girl at his ashram  on the pretext of exorcising her from evil spirits.

Empowerment is the need of the hour and can viewed as an important too to consolidate the position of women in our society.The importance of women can not be overlooked as they are the soul of a nation. T The importance of women can not be overlooked as they are the soul of a nation.

There is an urgent need to bring a change in our outlook towards women to rebuild a strong society. Women education should be made compulsory through stringent laws. Parents should be severely penalized for not sending their daughters to schools and colleges. The introduction of new policies and the formulation of new priorities should encompass the overall development of women in the society. Development should percolate to all sections of women in India. Change needs to be incorporated at the administrative and justice level to revive the system and to ensure women's safety. Fast Track Courts must be established all across the country to ensure speedy justice to women. Women Reservation bill which proposes 33% for women in parliament is still pending. Its approval will women at par with men and give them political empowerment. From influencing they are outwitting men in jobs and from outwitting they are dominating in many spheres. Thus, presence of women is imperative in rejuvenating the society.

Developing Strong Inter-personal Skills At Workplace

Raghav is an excellent employee and was expecting a promotion to the managerial position this year. However the result of the interview proved to be disastrous for him. The role was offered to the other candidate. The reason was his poor interpersonal skills to impress the interviewer.If he had the desired inter-personal skills he would have got the promotion as a Manager.Each person has different levels of interpersonal skills. Many may not be even aware of the flaws in their interpersonal skills and consider themselves to be good.The most important question here is why interpersonal skills are so important.????Interpersonal skills are essential skills required for interacting and connecting with people.It refers to a person's ability to interact effectively with other members of the organisation like peers, subordinates and superiors. Interpersonal skills plays a pivotal role for professional success and help one to excel at the workplace. The growing importance of good interpersonal skills cannot be denied in the present age of information and technology. People who constantly work on developing strong interpersonal skills are usually more successful in every sphere. In various job situations, the manager would require better interpersonal skills.Following are some of the important interpersonal skills needed at the workplace:

• Strong communication skills
• Good negotiation skills
• Ability to resolve conflicts in time
• Motivational skills
• Willingness to learn
• Personal integrity
• Team skills
• Ability to manage behavior in personal interactions
• Ability to influence the behavior of others positively
• Ability to listen attentively to others
• Willingness to be accountable
• Readiness to accept feedback
• Ability to learn from mistakes
• Readiness to share knowledge with others
• Ability to respect everyone in the organisation

IMPROVING INTER-PERSONAL SKILLS

 Robert Half International, Executice Director Paul McDonald also admitted the importance of interpersonal skills. He said "while strong interpersonal skills are essential at all levels, they are particularly critical for managers". Interpersonal skills are extremely important for managers as they have to interact with employees as a mentor and as a boss, peers,superiors.Interpersonal skills can be improved by repeated practice.Without good interpersonal skills it is difficult to perform one's duties efficiently. But how can we attain these skills????. Following are few important points which are helpful in developing strong interpersonal skills

1. Willingness to Learn: As a baby, we began learning our mother tongue by listening and observing. Similarly listening attentively to what the other person says guarantees the effectiveness of interpersonal talks.Be alert and watchful when you are talking to others.When we listen, we should be aware of our own prejudices and biases so that wrong conclusions can be avoided.A clear distinction should be made between listening and hearing.Try to listen with a broader outlook and understanding.
2. Assertiveness: Assertiveness is fundamental to successful negotiation. It is the ability to express your point clearly without getting aggressive.Assertive people are able to express themselves others can respect and understand without losing their own point of view. Assertive people are able to work well with uneasy people and restless situations.Assertiveness is imperative for manager to work effectively in an organisation.
3. Accepting Responsibility is Win Win!!: Accepting responsibilities can help people to scale the unprecedented heights in their careers. Managers often have to encounter situations where they have to accept additional responsibilities from their Seniors. Saying "NO" or running away from such situations is not the solution.Greater progress in your life is possible to the extent you are shouldering the given responsibility. In-fact people who take up additional responsibilities are able to learn new set of skills which could be beneficial in advancement of their career.
4. Be a Team Player: A team player is someone who seeks excellence beyond their capacities.Team players always believe in teamwork which produces synergy.Employees who are effective team players are committed, flexible,cooperative and supportive in achieving the organisational goals.Try to be an effective team player which requires a little sacrifice and helping other team members.Try to actively participate and stay engaged to support others in the time of need.
5. Strong Communication:Effective verbal and non-verbal skills are always needed at the workplace.Strong communication skills is a prerequisite condition for excelling at the workplace.Effective communication empowers employees, provides clear direction for achieving planned goals and increases productivity. Effective communication reduces unnecessary competition and helps employees work harmoniously.Communication builds confidence level and helpful in exhibiting self esteem.Constantly improving your communication skills can help you to carve a niche for yourself at the workplace. 
6. Managing Conflicts: Conflicts generally arise when there is opposition to ideas or when there is mis-communication. Conflicts needs to be managed judiciously and their effective management is inevitable to the working of any organization.Sometimes personal conflicts occur at the workplace which are detrimental to the efficient functioning of the organisation.There are various approaches which can be resorted to in conflict management.It includes: avoiding the conflict when confronted by it, by collaborating or compromising to reach the desired agreement.
7. Positive Approach can do wonders!!:No one likes to work with a person who keeps long-drawn and downcast face.Employees who are optimists can cope stressful situations effectively than those who are pessimists. Positive people are more likely to be successful than the negative ones.In one study it is found that when optimists encounter disappointment instead of giving up they are more likely to focus on the area which will resolve such situation. Try to look on the bright side and remain cheerful. Maintaining a positive approach will keep you focused and helpful in combating stressful situation.

Incredible App for Women!!!!

 Women security has been a contentious issue for a very long time all across the world. It has been a concern for many communities and people around the world. The recent incident of Delhi Gang rape has further aggravated the subject matter of women's security in our country. The statistics available are terrifying enough to compel a person to think "what kind of society I am living in".But it is important to understand that the legislation enacted by the Government alone is not sufficient to guarantee the safety of women.It is the need of the hour to realize that everyone should make his/her contribution to make our world a safer place to live. 

In the present age which is circumscribed by gadgets and gizmos, tablets, mobilephones,smartphones, there are still a lot many weapons available to a girl to protect herself sensing the dangerous situation. I was updating the applications in my phone the other day and guess what I came across with an amazing App and instantly I downloaded it in my phone.I thought to share the USP of this amazing App with you considering the growing insecurity of women across the nation. The Channel V and the Gumrah Team did a splendid job in this regards. They have come up with an incredible application for the smart phones i.e Vith U app. Vith U app is an amazing App to ensure women's safety in a suspicious situation. This App is not just restricted to girls. In-fact it can be used by any individual to safeguard himself from an unseen situation.

HOW DOES IT WORKS:

All you need is to go to Google Play and install the Vith U App in your phone. It is an emergency App, just click on the activate button of this App twice. It automatically starts sending out alert messages to all the contacts saved into the app as the designated guardians.

The automated message states " I am in danger. I need help. Please follow my location'

Respected guardians will keep on getting alert messages along with the link of your current location.These messages will be delivered every 2 minutes to all your designated guardians.

On the extreme top right hand corner, this App also has a Menu bar with different options to keep you abreast with all happenings around you. Tips feed option gives you exclusive tips and prepares you for an emergency situation.Its a thumbs up App for me..!!!!!

Girls what are you waiting for.......it is the need of your smart phone..start downloading it..!! stay safe..!!

Stress Management at Workplace

Stress is defined as anything that disturbs the physical or mental state of an individual. Stress is a physiological and psychological imbalance. Stress is the body's way of reacting to any given situation and it can have a serious repercussions on an individual's life if left unchecked. Statistics have revealed that more than 100,000 persons commit suicide in India every year due to stress and this figure is increasing at alarming rate. Stress has become an intrinsic part of our life. It is found everywhere and influences everyone. A person caught in a traffic jam while rushing to office is under the influence of stress. Similarly a student preparing for the competitive examination is under stress. A person applying for a Visa to Canada also shows some signs of stress. 

Stress can either be good or bad. Good stress creates a conducive environment to perform an activity whereas bad stress has detrimental effects on the body of an individual over a period of time like- sleeplessness, eating disorder, suicidal tendencies. Stress is unavoidable and has become an inherent part of human life. It can also have a disastrous impact on relationships. Many people fail to understand the importance of stress management in their lives. It is imperative to become an expert in handling stressful situations. Effective managers handle stress by proper planning of work, relaxing and rejuvenating themselves. Here are few tips to cope up with stressful situations:

STRATEGIES TO HANDLE STRESS:

Prioritize work: Human beings have a tendency to procrastinate their work and then to panic later about such actions, resulting in stressful situations. An ideal way to minimize stress is multitasking through planning and prioritization. In-fact multi-tasking has become the buzzword these days. Prioritizing work depending upon the urgency is a best way to deal with stress. Make a list of all the important tasks you have to do. After prioritizing, allocate time to each task depending upon such priority. For eg- A manager may have to attend a monthly meeting as well an official party. It is clear that he will choose to attend a meeting first.

Delegation of work: Some managers prefer to accomplish all the tasks themselves. This leads to real sense of pressure and work overload. There is no shame in asking for assistance from subordinates. Delegation of work is an important skill and allows a manager to make the optimum use of time and skills. Delegation is a win-win if done appropriately. It is important to learn how to delegate your work to others to reduce work related stress. For instance a Manager can delegate routine work to other people. This will also be helpful in accomplishing the work within the required time frame.

Laugh away your stress!! "A day without laughter is day wasted for life". Laughter is a great stress buster. Laughter is the best medicine and costs nothing. It can actually improve health. It fights stress and helpful in developing an optimistic approach towards life. Laughter is a great way to relieve stress at workplace. It is evident that a person with a good sense of humor is less likely to under stress. A sense of humor helps an individual to appreciate his life and provides moments of delight

Relaxation techniques: "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". This is quite true in our day-to day life. Taking out time for relaxation is really helpful in reducing stress to a great extent. Relaxation is doing something what a person enjoys the most. Relaxation recharges your lost energy and prepare you for other activities. Relaxation techniques varies from person to person and personal preferences. Some people relaxes by connecting with a strong system of support like peers, colleagues and friends. While other may unwind by listening to music, watching a humorous movie, reading books etc. These relaxation techniques helps in regaining the lost strength and to get back to the work with a rejuvenated spirit.

Exercise: A healthy person is better at handling stressful situations than an unhealthy person. Regular exercise keeps an individual physically and mentally strong to take on the new challenges. Inculcating a habit of regular exercise keep a check of lower blood pressure and enhances blood circulation. A person may follow a healthy regime even at work for instance- using a staircase instead of elevator, going  by walk for a short distance can be helpful to keep one's fit

Balanced Diet:  A balanced diet is plays a significant role in minimizing stress. It builds a strong immune system, physical and mental health. It helps us to achieve a long and healthy life. However a stressed person tends to neglect his diet which disrupts physical and mental balance. It is important that a well-balanced meal rich in nutrients should be taken on time to overcome stress. The intake of coffee and tea must be reduced. Drinking a lots of water and fresh juices is also beneficial.

Sound Sleep: Sleep is a weapon to fight stress. Excessive stress makes a person feel dull and sleepless. It causes one to think irrationally. Sound sleep helps the brain to remain vigilant throughout the day. Many studies have shown that ideally a person needs 7-8 of sleep per day. Sound sleep makes a person feel fresh and prepares him to face another day. One may resort to following a regular bedtime routine. One must go to bed at the routine time every day.

Pen is mightier than sword

"Pen"- this three letter word plays a predominant role to target a wide audience. The maxim highlighting the power of a pen was first penned by an English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1839 for his play Richelieu. It is considered as the omnipotent ruler of the world. It expresses a personnel or public opinion. It implies press, literature, newspaper books and other writing. It may also imply opinions, ideas, thoughts, beliefs, positive and constructive views. It represents diverse persons such as scholars, thinkers and  philosophers  publishers, writers and authors. On the contrary, sword connotes force coercion, violence, weapons, negative postures and destruction. The days are gone where deadly battles were fought to bring a change since the sword suffers from serious inherent drawback. We are living in an era where ideas have   a considerable impact than violence. An idea can cause a revolution, a change and a difference.

The pen commands an authoritative power of changing the face of the world. With the advent of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Guttenberg, the printed words became the most effective means of propagating one's ideas and beliefs. The written words are immortal and can inculcate a permanent impact on several generations. Many religious books like Gita and Mahabharata, Bible have inspired millions of people to tread the path of righteousness. Ideas are easily expressed through the power of the pen. The sword can only engender subjugation and violence but cannot propagate ideas. Albeit pen is a small instrument, yet it has the power of cultivating an awakening spirit among the masses.

India witnessed its glorious independence on the 15th Aug 1947 against the British rule by the supremacy of the words. The freedom fighters and social activists contributed their cumulative efforts for the attainment of one goal i.e. freedom. They were able to instill a spirit of nationalism and unity among people through the printed words. The triumph of our freedom movement can be attributed to the impact of the pen. Our constitution also espouses the power of the pen. Therefore, declares freedom of speech and expression as one of the fundamental rights under article 19(1)(a).Major social evils like sati, purdah system, female infanticides, untouchability, child marriage prevalent before independence were eradicated using this effective tool. Enforcement of the new economic policy1991 in India was a product of the pen. It has consolidated the position of our country at the world's panorama and has succeeded in achieving unprecedented growth since then.

Who can forget the notorious men like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Napolean Bonaparte in the history?? They tried to conquer the world using the power of sword but their desire remained unfulfilled and fell to dust .It is realized that the pen acts as a device to raise one's voice against tyranny and oppression. Pen exercises an effective control over the mind's of multitude. Many great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther, Nelson Mandela have manifested the power of Pen to the world.

Pen can resolve many intricate issues. Strained relationships between different nations can be improved by the peaceful and amicable agreements. Establishment of United Nation Organization marked as a historic event in the world's history to overcome the poignant disaster caused by the world wars. It was made possible with the persuasive ability of the pen.

Today we are living in an era where the entire world is moved by the influential thoughts. India is a democratic country and confers certain fundamental rights on its citizens. People are empowered to express their thoughts freely. People have a greater unflinching conviction in the power of the pen than that of a sword. Newspapers, periodicals, social media inform people about significant event on a daily basis.

With the advancement of information technology the almighty power of the pen can be viewed as an effective tool of a common man. Various movements and campaigns took place over the internet with the presence of social networking sites, blogs and web forums. They triggered various social- economic problems existing in the country and had spread awareness among the masses. Recent example was the Anti corruption movement started by the social activist Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejrival who brought into light various scams related to corruption and money laundering. Many eminent personalities came forward and associated themselves to support this noble cause via twitter and facebook.

The pen has a stronger influence than the sword. The written word can bring about a change in a person; however this weapon should be use judiciously and carefully. One must be careful in expressing and propagating one's thought.

Save our Mother Earth

The earth is an unique creation of god as it is the only planet in the solar system which support life. Environment is an integral part of the earth. Environment simply means nature which support and affects various forms of life. It is defined as the sum of total physical surrounding biological factors around us that directly influence the survival growth, development and reproduction. In the word of Abraham Lincoln "The past is the cause and present will the cause of the future. All these are links in the endless chain stretching from the finite to infinite." Environment has a self-purifying and self-cleaning capacity which has been deteriorated by man's continuous thoughtless actions which he did in the past and present actions might be cause of tomorrow.

Environmental Pollution is a serious problem and has grown very acute in the recent years. The word "pollution" is derived from a latin word "pollutionem", which literally means "to make dirty". It is the addition of certain unwanted contaminated wastes to air, water, land, largely resulting from human activities to such level of concentration which leads to undesirable affects on the quality of surroundings . It adversely affects human beings, animals, plants and material.

The problem of pollution assumes different forms such as atmospheric, water, land, noise, radiation pollution. Over exploitation of natural resources with an unplanned mechanism have brought about serious changes in the different components of environment. Urbanization, deforestation, unplanned industrialization, human population explosion, scientific and technological development are the root causes of environmental pollution. Man always has a greed for better lifestyle since the emergence of primitive man on this earth and in his thirst of cakes and adle he ignores nature.

Air and water are very essential for the survival of life and they are considered as a "panacea" for living beings. These revered things are highly polluted by automobile exhaust, combustion of coal and petroleum, tobacco smoking, effluent from factories and big industries, urban and rural sewage let into rivers etc. In addition to these hydrocarbons, nickel, dust, chlorofluorocarbons, pesticides, fertilizers etc are also driven out into the atmosphere from industries and their processes. We have the live example of the white monument 'Taj Mahal' located in the Agra city where the concentration of acidic gases in the atmosphere is so high that it reacts with the white marble causing blemishing of this historic monument with the passage of time. This shows the toxic impact of growing pollution even on lifeless things.

The problem of pollution poses a great terrorization for the mankind. Green House Effect, Acidic rain and Depletion of Ozone layer are some of the extreme effects of pollution. If the mushrooming problems of pollution are not controlled efficiently, the very existence of life on the earth will be in danger. To check pollution, we should stand united so as to exterminate this .Undoubtedly, Government is there to implement its policies regarding balanced growth of industrialization and urbanization but we should also understand our responsibilities as an individual. Every individual should resort to the program of tree plantation, taking up the habit of recycling the waste, to the usage of LPG or CNG in the vehicles instead of oil, rejection to smoking and adopting the measures of population control. Environment is an invaluable treasure which needs to be preserved for the existence of living beings. In order to accomplish this difficult task people should always believe in the core fact that. "Together we can make this world a beautiful place to live".

Fear of Public Speaking

Public speaking is imperative for successful careers. Everyone of us must have faced this phobia in one or the other way. Indeed it is the biggest hurdle in our life which is preventing us in achieving our dreams. People with high fear of failure tend to have low achievement. It may so happen that a person is going for an interview well prepared but at the time of exhibiting his skills in-front of the interviewer, he is unable to do so. This happens because of several factors such as nervousness, introvert behavior and anxiety. Some people resort to a complete avoidance of public speaking which further add fuel to the fire and doesn't solve the purpose. This fear is overpowering many people and due to hesitation one may even take up a profile which doesn't call for public speaking. It is interesting to know that it is quite normal to experience some degree of public speaking anxiety when engaging in presentations. Fear is not a permanent in nature and can be easily overcome.No one is a gifted Orator like Adolf Hitler. I am sharing few tips and tactics to prepare an individual for the qualities required in an effective public speaker.

1. Regular Practice: Practice makes a man perfect, this saying is equally important in our day-to-day life. You must know yourself and practice it thoroughly. Plan and rehearse mock practice sessions with your friends, family or with someone whom you are most comfortable with, it will be helpful in weeding out any left over fear and will boost up your morale. Once you  have had plenty of practice sessions, you will feel a sense of achievement.

2. Eye Contact: Fear is incredibly a strong feeling that can have an adverse impact on your presentation. It is imperative to maintain an eye contact with the person with whom you are interacting with. This shows your self-confidence and honesty. Don't panic and don't get aggressive if someone from the audience ask any question or makes any derogatory comment. Try to handle the situation confidently and with a beaming smile. Tell the audience what they want to listen from you.

3. Mirror therapy: Rehearse your speech and presentation beforehand. Public speaking is also about your mannerism. Try to practice giving your speech in front of a mirror this will be helpful in analyzing your areas of improvement, expressions and gestures. In-fact you can also ask someone who can capture your performance for reviewing it at a later stage.This will also be helpful in managing your unnecessary stress.

4. Identify your strengths: Identify your strengths and change the way you look at things. You can also do a SWOT Analysis (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat) to remove all the pitfalls in you. Unleash your Charismatic personality to captivate your audience. You must have a conviction in yourself, even when obstacles stand in your way preserving a positive attitude will help you keep going. Visualize yourself succeeding through every step of the speech from the beginning till the end.

5. Study and read articles on motivation: Reading articles and books on motivation is must to keep yourself focused. Many successful people have shared their testimonials that whenever they wanted to give up or to throw in the towel, a paragraph in the book or a motivational speaker helped them in putting back on the right track and to achieve their goals.Maintaining an optimistic approach is very essential.