Doha: A panel discussion on women empowerment and their evolving role in society was held in which Shabana Azmi, Javed Akhtar & Elisabeth Reis were the panel members. This women empowerment event was hosted by an expatriate Indian family.
The mission of the discussion was to highlight key areas of women’s role around the world. The transition from suppressed woman to an independent woman has been a long walk.
Addressing the event Shabana Azmi, leading Indian film actress and human rights activist, said:“I think it is very important that women get empowered. It’s important to get a critical number of women empowered whether in politics or in corporate world. When a woman gets empowered she transfers the notion of the power and when she gets empowered she also shares the power.”
There was an almost consensus among panelists and audience that women empowerment also leads to more economic benefits not to the individuals but to the society as well.
Shabana Azmi observed that role reversal between men and women was not the solution. She said:“Having a shared ecosystem is what will bring equality between the battle of the genders.”
To a question from audience, Javed Akhtar said: “Technology is progressing so far that a woman who earlier would take a career break for 3 or 4 years upon having a child, no longer needs it. A modern woman can get back to her career within 3 to 4 months and work from home if needed.”
Azmi expressed her thoughts by saying: “I think women are different, this difference needs to be celebrated, the way they think, the way they perform. The different solutions to problems are endorsed by men. Whereas I think we make a different view and this difference makes change. This change should be celebrated.”
Taking part in the discussion, Reis said: “I started it by home, I want everyone to start empowering girls at home. I don’t differentiate in between my daughter and son I always encourage them in the same way,” she said.
Saima Bukhari, co-host of the event and Chief Commercial Officer of Crunch said: “Today I am independent and empowered, there are several challenges I face every day, this discussion helped me finding solutions to the problems. Society should understand that it is not the woman who should always be the one making sacrifices, these sacrifices should be shared.”
