Development is positive change - inclusive growth, contextual modernization, and it's like. In all of these, and at the pivot of all, are women. Women in Bihar are 52% of the population. The state ranks very low in development indicators. When it is about women, we are further low. For example, our women have low level of literacy and high level of maternal mortality ratio. So, both health and education are important. The focus should start from the girl child itself. If we educate a girl then in the end, we educate a family. Likewise, if we ensure good health of girls, we guarantee a healthy society.
Many national as well as international governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are collecting data to highlight the plight of women in Bihar. Especially NGOs. More than development, it seems to be creating a discourse of lack of development here, which is why the situation has not improved much. If everyone is concerned and yet rate of development in Bihar is slow, we must ask: why is that so? The answer is not quite simple and is part of a bigger complicated question. However, the mantra to change the situation is not to neglect women. Gender lens is crucial. Gender and development are an interdisciplinary field and call for policy and practice to support social justice and gender equality, if not equity.
