I believe and promise to uphold the ideals of equality and justice at my home, at my workplace and also in the wider society that I am part of. I urge that efforts put in by women who stay at home must be counted as productive work and recognized so, in India’s statistical exercises like Census and NSSO. Schemes that encourage women staying at home to form collectives and start small business enterprise must be initiated and promoted across the country.

75% of India’s farmhands are women. Hence she should be equally recognized as a farmer, irrespective of her gender or caste and must be given equal access to land ownership and credit schemes. Workplaces must encourage equal treatment of women by providing her support systems in the form of a creche, particularly women in unorganized sectors like domestic work, tea garden work, construction work etc.

In the formal sector, I support the idea of equal paternity leave and maternity leave that divides the responsibility of child care equally amongst parents. I pledge to campaign for equality and social justice in my home, at my housing society, at my workplace and in all public sphere. This is my New Year resolution. 2016 may well be the year that makes women’s equality a lived reality.