Smriti Irani on Women Issues - Congress Must Watch before Commenting on Her !

Summary

The speaker reflects on women's voices, leadership, and global conflict, emphasizing the need for women to be heard and empowered. She shares anecdotes about women's struggles, including a mother in India fighting for her daughter's survival, and highlights India's cultural values of unity and righteousness. The speech calls for global connections based on mutual respect and empowerment, particularly through women's education and leadership. Ultimately, it advocates for a world where both men and women have equal opportunities, driven by a collective commitment to humanity's well-being and peace.

Takeaways

• 💬 Women don't have a problem speaking out, they have a problem being heard.
• 🌍 The platform provided by the Art of Living offers women worldwide an opportunity to speak and be heard constructively.
• 📜 Historical and cultural references, like Lord Rama's decision in the Ramayana, emphasize India's value of the feminine virtue in nation-building.
• 🇮🇳 India champions the idea of 'Vasudev Kutumbakam'—the world as one family—promoting global unity and connection.
• 🎓 Investing in women's education and leadership reduces conflict and fosters stronger nations.
• 👩‍💼 Female leadership is distinct because it guides people toward where they ought to be, not just where they want to be.
• ⚖️ Legislation alone may not be enough to solve issues like women’s safety and gender-based violence; a change in societal attitudes is essential.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Women globally share common struggles and aspirations for dignity and equality, creating a cultural connection beyond politics and language.
• 💔 Gender-based issues like female infanticide and violence against women remain prevalent, deeply affecting society.
• ✨ True global connection and harmony will come from empowering women and ensuring equality, helping overcome both national and global conflicts.

Q & A

What platform is mentioned in the transcript as providing a space for women to speak and be heard?

The Art of Living is mentioned as providing a harmonious platform for women from across the world to speak up and be constructively heard.

How does the speaker relate India’s culture to the empowerment of women and nation-building?

The speaker highlights that India, as a culture, has infused feminine virtues into the pursuit of a strong nation. Through epics like the Ramayana and teachings of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, India promotes the idea that a strong nation is built on righteousness and service to humanity.

What does the speaker suggest is a significant factor in reducing conflict on a global scale?

The speaker suggests that empowering women and placing them in leadership roles is a significant factor in reducing conflict globally. Women leaders tend to focus on resolving issues related to poverty, illiteracy, and resource ownership.

What does the 1996 study mentioned in the transcript conclude about investing in women's higher education?

The 1996 study, involving 72 countries, concluded that nations that had invested in women's higher education in 1975 saw a 68% decline in infant deaths by 1985. The same study found that increasing per capita income had no significant impact on reducing infant deaths.

What story does the speaker share to highlight the cultural challenges faced by women in India?

The speaker shares a story about a woman from Punjab who was forced by her husband and brother to leave her third daughter to die in the cold. However, the daughter survived, and the mother decided to fight for her child's life, symbolizing the strength and resilience of women.

What does the speaker believe is necessary for true empowerment beyond legislation?

The speaker believes that while legislation is important, it is not enough to truly empower women. Society must embrace change at a cultural level, and individuals must embody the change they wish to see, as advocated by Mahatma Gandhi.

How does the speaker define the difference between a leader and a female leader?

The speaker defines a leader as someone who takes you where you want to be, but a female leader as someone who takes you where you ought to be.

What is the significance of the concept 'Vasudev Kooten' mentioned in the transcript?

'Vasudev Kooten' is a Sanskrit phrase meaning 'the world is one family.' The speaker uses this concept to emphasize India's philosophy of global unity and serving not just national interests but the welfare of humanity as a whole.

What emotional challenges does the speaker express about raising women's issues in the Indian Parliament?

The speaker expresses deep emotional pain when raising issues like rape and female infanticide in Parliament. She is heartbroken by the fact that over 1 crore (10 million) girls die in India every year due to sex-selective abortions, and these issues are often ignored because children are not seen as vote banks.

What is the main message the speaker hopes to convey regarding global leadership and conflict resolution?

The speaker hopes to convey that true global leadership and conflict resolution come from empowering women and fostering connections that go beyond political or national interests. By treating everyone as equals and focusing on the welfare of humanity, the world can overcome conflicts and work towards shared goals.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Women and the Struggle to be Heard

The speaker, Eugenia Guru GK Chernova Vanden, begins by discussing how women often face challenges not in speaking, but in being heard. She praises the platform provided by the Art of Living, which allows women from across the world to express themselves and be constructively listened to. She shares insights from senior women leaders on global connectivity and conflict, reflecting on the influence of national identities and India’s cultural values, as inspired by the Ramayana and other epics. These values emphasize the pursuit of a strong nation through the integration of feminine virtues.

05:02

🌍 The Global Impact of Women’s Education

The speaker shifts to discussing research that shows how investing in women's education can drastically reduce infant mortality rates, emphasizing that empowering women is essential for global progress. She reflects on a conversation with Guruji about women leaders, highlighting that true female leadership is about taking people where they ought to be, rather than where they want to go. The speaker addresses women's security challenges in India, the heartbreaking statistics of female infanticide, and the need for not just legislation, but societal change to truly empower women.

10:03

👩‍👧 A Mother's Struggle Against Tradition

In this paragraph, the speaker recounts a powerful story of a woman in Punjab who was pressured by her husband and brother to abandon her third daughter, as female children were not valued. The woman initially complied, leaving her infant daughter to die in the cold, but after the baby survived the night, she decided to fight for her child's life. This story underscores the strength women must show in standing up to oppressive traditions and societal expectations, symbolizing the resilience required to ensure that every woman has the right to live with dignity.

💪 The Role of Women in Global Leadership

The speaker concludes by quoting ancient Indian texts, highlighting how true leadership begins with overcoming personal flaws before addressing external challenges. She stresses that for nations to progress and connect globally, it is crucial to educate, employ, and treat women as equal human beings. The speaker reflects on the shared goals between herself and other women leaders from around the world—women who seek to build a world where every woman can live in dignity, peace, and equality. She ends with a call for a global community, inspired by the Indian ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,' meaning the world is one family, rising above conflicts for the greater good of humanity.

Keywords

💡Women Empowerment

Women empowerment refers to the process of enabling women to have control over their own lives, make choices, and access equal opportunities. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the need to provide platforms where women can speak up and be heard. Empowering women is portrayed as essential for reducing conflict and fostering global connection.

💡Global Connect

Global connect highlights the importance of bringing together nations, cultures, and individuals to address common issues and challenges. The speaker references this concept in relation to reducing conflict and building stronger societies. Through forums like the one mentioned in the video, people from different parts of the world are encouraged to collaborate for the greater good of humanity.

💡Conflict

Conflict refers to disagreements, tensions, or struggles that arise between individuals, groups, or nations. The video touches on conflicts arising from poverty, illiteracy, and resource competition. The speaker also mentions how the inclusion of women in leadership roles can lead to a natural decrease in conflicts, especially in the political and social arenas.

💡National Identity

National identity represents a nation's unique culture, values, and characteristics that define its people. The speaker reflects on the pursuit of preserving national identities, and how India’s cultural traditions, like those seen in the Ramayana, emphasize the importance of national pride and duty, especially through the lens of feminine virtues.

💡Vasudev Kutumbakam

Vasudev Kutumbakam is a Sanskrit phrase meaning 'The world is one family.' It symbolizes India's belief in global unity and harmony. The speaker invokes this phrase to emphasize that India's cultural ethos is centered on inclusivity and global responsibility, urging the world to rise above individual national interests for the welfare of humanity.

💡Infant Mortality

Infant mortality refers to the death of young children under the age of one. The speaker discusses how investing in women's higher education leads to significant declines in infant mortality rates. For example, a study from 1996 showed that increased investment in women’s education would have decreased infant deaths by 68% in certain nations by 1985.

💡Legislation

Legislation refers to the laws and legal frameworks created to govern a society. The speaker mentions how, as a parliamentarian, she deals with issues like women’s security, infant girl killings, and the challenges of enacting laws that protect women’s rights. However, she questions whether legislation alone is enough to bring real change.

💡Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian leader and advocate of non-violence who inspired global movements for civil rights. In the video, his famous quote 'Be the change you wish to see in the world' is used to stress the importance of individual action in driving societal change, particularly in empowering women and reducing conflict.

💡Ramayana

The Ramayana is an ancient Indian epic that narrates the story of Lord Rama, who embodies the ideals of virtue and duty. The speaker references a moment from the Ramayana where Lord Rama chooses his homeland over the golden city of Lanka, symbolizing the importance of love for one’s country. This example is used to reflect India’s deep cultural respect for feminine virtues and national pride.

💡Female Leadership

Female leadership refers to women holding positions of influence and guiding others towards achieving goals. The speaker contrasts male and female leadership by stating that a female leader takes people where they 'ought to be,' highlighting the nurturing, empathetic, and transformative qualities that women bring to leadership roles, especially in reducing conflicts and improving societal welfare.

Highlights

The speaker acknowledges the importance of giving women a platform to speak and be heard, attributing this to the Art of Living organization.

Reflections on how India's cultural epics like the Ramayana shape the nation's values, particularly emphasizing Lord Rama's decision to value his homeland over material riches.

India's culture is highlighted for infusing feminine virtues in its pursuit of national strength, aligning individual service with both national and global causes.

The concept of Vasudev Kutumbakam is explained, emphasizing the philosophy that 'the world is one family' and India's role in promoting global unity.

The speaker references a study from 1996, highlighting the significant impact that investing in women's education had on reducing infant deaths across 72 countries.

A personal conflict between the speaker and Rita Bahuguna Joshi is mentioned, underscoring how women from different political ideologies can still connect through shared experiences.

A heart-wrenching story about a mother from Punjab who almost let her third daughter die due to societal pressures, but ultimately decided to fight for her daughter's life.

The speaker reflects on how conflict decreases when women are in leadership positions, suggesting that empowering women is essential for global peace.

Legislation alone is not enough to empower women; the speaker stresses that societal change requires action beyond just laws.

The speaker expresses emotional turmoil over having to raise issues like rape and female infanticide in Parliament, acknowledging the deep-rooted societal challenges.

The impact of women's education and per capita income on social progress is discussed, with statistics from 72 nations highlighting the link between women's empowerment and national health outcomes.

The speaker emphasizes that for true global connection and conflict reduction, empowering women worldwide is a critical first step.

The speaker recounts a conversation with Guruji, where they discussed how female leaders guide society toward what it ought to be, not just where it wants to be.

The need to overcome internal challenges, as described in Kautilya's Arthashastra, is framed as essential for effective leadership and global unity.

The conclusion calls for global unity inspired by India's philosophy of Vasudev Kutumbakam, encouraging the world to rise above individual national interests and focus on collective humanity.

Transcripts

[Music]

da-da-da-dah

Eugenia guru GK Chernova Vanden and a

very warm Graf's known to all you ladies

and selected gentlemen this afternoon

during the lunch break her lady remarked

at the table the women should speak out

more and very instinctively I turned

around and said well women don't have a

problem in speaking they have a problem

in being heard and today I would like to

thank the art of living for giving a

harmonious platform to women from across

the world so that they can come here

speak up and also be very constructively

heard

[Music]

I had two very senior experienced ladies

give the world view with regards to

global connect and conflict while I was

listening to one of the pioneers in the

women's movement in Europe I heard her

talk about nations in pursuit of

protecting national identities I heard

miss Anderson quote Mahatma Gandhi and

while I was reflecting on this pursuit

for preserving national identity my

thoughts went to the lady from Sri Lanka

who is sitting here we all in our

country that is India absorb and follow

a lot of values from so-called epics

like Ramayana and in Ramayana

when Prabhu Ram had been victorious over

Ravan and he was leaving back for home

he was told by a vision that Lord Rama

now that you are victorious you can

stake a claim to the golden city of

Lanka and at that time Lord Rama turned

around and said Janani Janmabhoomi sure

Sargodha piggery I see that my

motherland my mother is so beautiful

that she is greater than all the heavens

that human beings seek to achieve it is

because India as a culture has infused

the feminine virtue in pursuit of a

strong nation that we serve as

individuals not only a national cause

but also the cause of humanity India as

a nation as a culture has defined for

the world

Vasudev Kooten become which means the

world is one family India has been

blessed by Geeta wherein lord krishna

said that if you walk on the path of

Dharma if you absorb if you follow the

path of righteousness then you not only

emerge as a true leader you

also serve and drink about a stronger

nation and a stronger universe a

stronger world and it's interesting that

today in this very nation through this

very platform we talked about globally

connecting we talked about leadership

that helps us connect miss Anderson

spoke about conflict which is one of the

varying factors when people converge on

a global platform and talk about nation

building national interests and interest

of humanity well to downsize it a bit

miss Anderson I have been forever being

in conflict with a lady called Rita

Bahuguna Joshi who belongs to a

political ideology not similar to mine

but when I walked in she embraced me

warmly and with a wink and a smile she

said I embrace you not because you're

BJP I embrace you because you're a woman

[Music]

I didn't went and when I was about to

sit I was warmly greeted by dr. Kazan

for from Afghanistan a lady who serves

as the minister of Women's Affairs we

don't know each other's language but we

all knew just one thing that we

culturally connected and specially so

because we are both women in the field

of politics I know that conflict arises

when there is widespread poverty

conflict arises when there is illiteracy

conflict arises when there is a race to

take ownership of resources but I also

know that when women are put at the helm

of affairs conflict has this very

unnatural way of decreasing in 1996 a

study was put out by mr. Subaru and L

Rainey with said there is a nation and

72 countries were a part of this study

that if nations in 1975 had invested in

women's higher education then in 1985

those nations would have seen a decline

in infant deaths by 68 percent if those

same 72 nations had put in all their

resources to increase per capita income

of every citizen in those 72 countries

the impact on infant deaths would have

been zero today when I stand here as a

woman I'm of the opinion that if you

truly want to globally connect on issues

of humanity if you truly want to reduce

conflict then one of the first steps

that we as a nation way as a world need

to make is to empower woman I was

speaking to Guruji who has invited me to

this conference and I told her then when

people asked me to define women leaders

I tell them that

reader is someone who takes you where

you want to be but a female leader

someone who takes you where you ought to

be

miss Andersen spoke about legislation as

a parliamentarian in India we've had

quite a few challenges in the past one

and a half years with regards to women

security does it break my heart every

time I need to raise my voice in

Parliament about a woman getting raped

yes it does does it break my heart when

I discuss statistics with regards to

infant girls being killed just because

they're girls yes it does it breaks my

heart when I recognize and I realize

that over 1 crore girls died in our

country every year in a mother's womb

and nobody speaks out for them because

children are not vote banks at the same

time I wonder his legislation enough if

you truly seek to empower our nation's

our society the world at large will

legislation be enough and that's when I

reminded myself of a quote by Mahatma

Gandhi who said be the change you wish

to see in the world

--kavitha ji has been more than generous

in introduct in my introduction apart

from the role of to see the

quintessential bahu I also had the

privilege of discussing socio-political

issues on various platforms and during

one of my shooting schedules I walked

into a studio and met a lady who was

quietly sitting at a corner of a room

and I was told that this is the lady of

the day and I have to interview her when

I walked up to her I asked how could you

give me a little bit of an introduction

so that I can say that to the camera she

looked at me with a very very subtle

smile and said well introduce me as the

mother who tried to kill her daughter

that should suffice

when I asked her why such an

introduction because that seemed quite

cruel and inhuman she said well that is

the fact that I need to embrace and

people need to recognize me for what I

am I asked her why she defined herself

so and she said well I gave birth to two

daughters and my husband told me that if

thought was a daughter as well then I

need not take the trouble of coming back

home the third child I gave birth to was

a daughter as well my brother came to

the hospital because my husband refused

to see my face for two days and my

brother said let me go back and persuade

your husband so the two men sat down and

brokered a deal the husband said if your

sister can make do and wish away the

third child she will be given the

permission to enter home the brother

without consulting the sister said well

my sister shall do as you please we will

make sure the third child doesn't see

the next month the woman comes back with

her three daughters the youngest being

three days old it is December in the

state of Punjab in a village in Punjab

where it's absolutely chilling in

December one night she lays her daughter

in the courtyard on a bed without a

piece of cloth on the daughter's body

the woman prepares for the daughter to

die and she says that if she died in

that winter all I would do is feign

ignorance for the policeman who would

knock on my door the next morning she

went and she sat at the side of the

courtyard waiting for her daughter to

die she was so tired looking after three

daughters in a household and giving

birth after three days that she happened

to go to sleep when she woke up the next

morning she realized the Sun was up and

before the police got here she wanted to

scream and shout so that they could see

a mother completely immersed in pain for

the child's death but when she walked up

to the bed she saw that her infant

daughter was blue from head to toe but

was alive and that's when the woman

turned around and told me that I decided

if my three-year-old three day old

daughter would fight death all night

don't I have the capacity to fight for

her life and stand up to my husband

[Music]

[Applause]

cotillion arthashastra had said for a

good leader it is not enough to exercise

control of be victorious over external

forces and enemies for a good leader the

first priority is to come over overcome

your own burdens overcome your own flaws

reassert your own humanity fight your

internal enemies and then you can truly

lead the world I feel for the globe to

connect for nations to be empowered it

is extremely essential for the women in

that country to be educated to be

employed to be treated as human beings

as Miss Anderson said and I think that

is when we can truly connect because

what connects me to miss Anderson almost

doctor goes on first from Afghanistan is

not that we have a political cause that

we pursue not that we have a human

rights cause that we pursue but the only

one fact that we are all women who want

to pursue that world where every woman

is given the right to live her life with

dignity the right to live her life in

peace and the right to live her life in

such a fashion that she can encourage

others to treat everyone as equals and

to provide those opportunities to men

and women alike so once again a nation

that defined its own cultural ethos by

saying Biogen tsukai Bahujan heath i

that we as a nation are dedicated to the

happiness and welfare of all i am hoping

that the global connect we seek is a

global connect that is inspired by

India's idea or Vasudev couldn't become

that we are one family who will

solve and rise above every conflict for

me as a world come together and serve

not individual national interests but

also interest of humanity at large thank

you so much