*Masculine mentality should be wiped up right from childhood*
*Shabana Azmi speaks at the Gravitas Foundation-UNICEF Round Table Conference on Early Childhood Care*
Pune: “In Indian society, male-dominated mindset and inequality to women is a predominant scenario. Considering this, there is an urgent need to revert the male-dominated mindset for creating a generation of children for future generations,” said veteran actress and social activist Shabana Azmi. The initiative of Gravitas Foundation, UNICEF to create a safe environment for children is commendable, she added.
Shabana Azmi commented at the ‘Early Childhood Development’ Round Table Conference organised by Gravitt’s Foundation and UNICEF Maharashtra. At the conference held at JW Marriott on Senapati Bapat Road, Rajya Sabha MP – Prof. Dr. Medha Kulkarni, State Education Commissioner – Suraj Mandhare, Founder of Gravit’s Foundation – Usha Kakade, UNICEF – Maharashtra Chief – Sanjay Singh, Dr. Pramod Jog, Dr. Amita Phadnis, Child Care Specialist and Actress Dr. Tanishaa Mukerji, life coach Preeti Bani, UNICEF Maharashtra correspondent – Swati Mahapatra, Senior Journalist Arun Khore and other dignitaries shared their thoughts in this conference.
Shabana Azmi said, “The impact of the patriarchal mindset is largely visible in various aspects like social traditions, misconceptions, extreme inequality between men and women, lack of freedom, lack of liberty and the constant imposition of motherhood. Our films and serials also nurture this male-dominated mindset. As a result, the child is born with gender differences, malnutrition, morbidity, and a tendency to differentiate between the upbringing of a boy and a girl. Not being able to balance the child’s natural growth and proper upbringing also affects the child’s future. Children are deprived of education. We need to create an atmosphere of equality in society.”
Suraj Mandhare shared his experience of working with children and women, particularly in rural areas, as a government official. Children are also differentiated as boys and girls by small actions, dialogues, and sentences. Children learn through observation. From an early age, the equation of male being strong, and female being fragile is instilled in the minds of children through the conversations and behaviour of people around them. Therefore, the responsibility of parents and family members increases.
Prof. Dr. Medha Kulkarni explained the need for government-level schemes for child health and pregnant mothers across the country through Anganwadi workers. Schemes like Nutritious Meal, Mid Day Meal for children are being implemented on a large scale. It is of great benefit to the rural and economically backward children. However, there is still a need to spread awareness about children’s health,” Kulkarni said.
In her welcome address, Usha Kakade explained the concept behind organizing the Round Table Conference. Experiencing various activities in the social sector, I was able to work on joint projects related to women and child health with a reputed organization like UNICEF. Initially, we did not get the response we expected from schools in rural areas, but with perseverance, we managed to reach out to more schools, students, teachers and parents. We have been able to reach out to about five lakh students with the Foundation’s ‘Good Touch Bad Touch’ project in 1095 schools in the state. Raising awareness about child safety, giving children the strength to identify and report unsafe touch is important for this initiative,” Kakade said.
Sanjay Singh emphasized UNICEF’s core principles in his talk. He said, “UNICEF’s core principle is that every child should have fundamental rights as an independent individual. UNICEF focuses on five key issues as a society. Children’s health, proper upbringing, responsible and responsive parenting, equal status and safety are the five points. These five principles are the rights of every child. UNICEF is committed to achieving this. For every child, regardless of their background, UNICEF ensures that they have an equal opportunity to not only survive but thrive. The first one thousand days are extremely important for lifelong health and development, but in case of losing it, one must invest in the development of adolescents for the safety of their future.”
Dr. Siman Irani showcased the period from the pre-natal stage of the child to the age of 6 years with the help of interpreters. ‘Prenatal care, support to the family, father’s duties, health care and constant medical guidance are the key issues,’ she said.
Dr. Pramod Jog presented the analysis of the pre-corona and post-corona situation in the context of Paediatric health. He observed that the Corona period had a major impact on the development process of children. He said that vaccination has had various effects on children, like increasing rates of fidgeting and autism.
Dr. Amita Phadnis, Preeti Bani and Swati Mohapatra also spoke on the occasion. It was hosted by Leena Saldhana Joshi. Arun Khore offered a vote of thanks.
*Is Helicopter Parenting Good? : Azmi*
Shabana Azmi said, “I think today’s parents are much more aware of their roles, which is probably not always good. In earlier generations, this was not much of a concern, yet there was a deep, natural loving relationship with children. It is important to treat your child with love and respect. Is the modern ‘helicopter parenting’ style good for the child? It should be considered. My mother lost her husband at a young age. There were no toys, but he was free to explore and develop his imagination, which he attributes to his success as a writer today.”
