World Jain Conference 1995 6th Conference

Author(s): Satish Jain
Publisher: Ahimsa International

Page 53

Nirmala Madan (Delhi) expressed their frank views on the duty of the women towards their family, society and nation and expected that the women should be more and more educated and should participate in all fields of development of the country. They said that the role of the women in the uplift of the society, bringing up their children and arrange them proper education and to provide active co-operation in the activities of the husband was important. The oppression and torturing of women, even by women themselves, particularly of the in-laws side, evil of dowry, lack of education among the women, destruction of female foetus and the influence of vulgarity of T.V. and films, modernism and consumerism on the women were freely discussed.
Following resolutions were adopted at the session. The women should respect their inherent qualities and virtues and power of toleration to live a responsible and dignified life and devote themselves dedicatedly to the well being of the family, society and nation. The gender (female) distinction should be condemned. A daughter is as important and useful for the family as the son. The women share the major responsibilities of the house-bold work and proper care of the family members in all respects. There should be social awakening among the family members to stop destruction of female foetus. In the family and society the role of mother and women should be much respectable and there should be positive steps to provide more and better education to the women. Workshops and seminars will be useful for creating such awareness. Religious education should be given to the girls from their tender age in order that they grow up with the Jain traditions. There should be adequate facilities of scholarships for education for needy and intelligent women. Preference be given to providing them various vocational trainings in order that, if needed, they may supplement the family income or stand independently on their own feet financially. Establishment of a network of religious Pathsbalas, which existed in the earlier times, was stressed for
promoting Jaina traditions from the early age of the girls. 4. The women should discard use of such cosmetics and fashion materials which are made from animal
products and instead they should use herbal and non-animal products. 5. To curtail heavy expenditure, marriages should be performed in simple manner without much
decoration and pomp and show, preferably in the day time. Arrangement of marriages in nonvegetarian and costly hotels and banquet halls should be avoided. Use of liquors and variety of food items should be discarded at the marriages. Women should be given appropriate representation in social, religious, educational and other institutions in order that they share the responsibilities on equal footing with men and get higher social status by their work and achievements.
Shri Satish Kumar Jain, Secretary General of the Conference, expressed thanks to all the speakers and participants of the Session saying that the women should be more conscious both for their rights and duties to make the family life happy. He further said that with more facilities being provided to the girls they were coming up as bright scientists, doctors, engineers and lecturers in the colleges and universities which trend should be accelerated by the society as a whole.