Women in the world making special news

History created: India's first batch of women fighter pilots commissioned’, this was a big and welcoming news published in 2016. Two years later, in 2018, the women made it to the newspapers again and managed to pull out yet another ‘first’ from their bags by flying MiG-21 ‘Bison’, which has virtually the highest landing and takeoff speed in the world. As the country marked 71 years of Independence this year, a first all-female SWAT team was deployed in streets of Delhi. These women have been trained in Krav Maga, which is a form of martial arts.

Feats like this conjure up from a number of external and internal factors, external in the form of help and support, both from family and society and internal in the form of courage, confidence and skills. Even more everlasting and deeply touching is the fact that the difference is made not only in the lives of the few women who were mentioned in the papers but the impact is manifold and macro, in terms of the countless women whose lives rekindle with hope and desires.

There are a number of women in the world who are making special news in their daily lives by winning their own ‘fights with firsts’ and at the same time there are many women who need help and support to make their fights a success and their achievements a news.

‘Mission 1000’ is one such initiative which wants to empower underprivileged girls and support them to move ahead so that they can turn their chances into opportunities. It prepares them to not only take the first step but also to sustain the confidence and to enhance and grow further. This is made possible through integrated workshops, which teach Self-Defense, and also focus on core development through meditation, life-skill sessions and value-based lectures.

A girl who can stand up against bullying, another who can go out and confidently perform her chores, a girl who can now travel in public transport and continue to educate herself are all special. These are a few impacts made possible through the mission. Though their fights have just started and their firsts may sound naive but these are the turning points which create histories. Every story starts with a single word. ‘Mission 1000’ aims to impact at least a 1000 lives every year, it aims to reach out to 1000 girls, who gain confidence to teach their mothers, and thus, help spread the message of empowerment like fire.

Join the ‘Mission1000’, and help achieve a common goal – thousand lives, thousand transformations.

Ashpreet Dhillon

Self-Defense : psychological changes to human behaviour

In simple terms, defense is a countermeasure. If some damage or threat is perceived, natural response to protect oneself is triggered. The keyword here is ‘natural’. It implies everyone is born with the natural instinct to protect oneself from harm. Even harmless looking plants have self defense mechanisms, which range from visible defenses like thorns to invisible ones like release of chemical compounds.

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So, when faced with threat, natural response to protect oneself automatically takes precedence. But, is the involuntary engagement triggered by instinctive reaction enough to save us? The outcome does depend on one thing – practicing Self-Defense. Generally speaking, Self-Defense is thought of as a skill to enable oneself to stand against any harm to oneself. This is because of the benefits it has in terms of increasing physical strength. But, Self-Defense is not only about being able to protect oneself; it is also about being capable to protect oneself. This is especially true in case of women or children, who might be considered as being less able to protect themselves, based on comparative measures of physical strength. Self-Defense deserves due attention as it has the power to improve capabilities and compensate for any lack in abilities, hence changing lives forever. 

Just like reading a book on cars cannot make one a car driver, it requires practice, similarly Self-Defense needs to be practiced. Again, driving on an empty road might be impressive but it is not as challenging as driving in real traffic. Self-Defense, just like any other learning activity has its phases, too. As one goes deeper into the phases, it is easy to understand and feel the invisible benefits of Self-Defense. The observable visible benefits include increase in physical strength just like the visible plant defense mechanism, thorns. In addition, Self-Defense makes psychological changes to human behaviour too, which transcend the benefits to the internal mechanisms like release of chemical compounds on facing a threat situation. It helps to co-ordinate mind and body. ‘Battles have to be won in the mind first, and then with the body’, and Self-Defense helps to train both the mind and the body.

Colorss Foundation: Quick-Self Defense application for Android Phone

Practising Self-Defense broadens self-perception on one’s own physical capabilities, it increases confidence and self-esteem. These benefits are visible in the body posture and response reactions. It also has positive effects on the behaviour. It narrows the mental confusion and fear driven responses, helps to make quick judgements in threat situations and hence transforms a natural instinct into a more responsible means of protection for self and others.

~ Ashpreet Dhillon

A woman’s safety under a fingertip : Quick Self-defense Application

“The best protection any woman can have is courage” - Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Women make half the population of the world and yet life has never been equal for them. Looking down the history, a woman’s life only surrounded in pleasing her counterpart, the man. In a patriarchal society, a woman has been looked down upon, not given the opportunity to shine and was never enough. We came a long way from the extremist views of women, at least, in many cities of the world but the image is very different if you walk down the streets of the rural areas.

Being a woman myself, I recently had the opportunity to go to rural areas for a survey project. The idea of women working in the rural areas was still a taboo in Bangladeshi rural areas and we had just been at the closest Dhaka outskirts. Their whole lives revolved around the thought that women were better off at home, taking care of children and taking care of the household. Definitely it’s the duty of any family man or woman, but not just women and any women who want to be free spirit face extreme consequences, known as domestic violence. A study of 2002 (Raj and Silverman Study) reported that 42 percent participant out of 160 participants admitted to have been physically or sexually abused by their current male partners. We have passed sixteen years since the study but the numbers were staggering even back then. The abuses still happen, behind the doors, the taboo is still there.

In 2013, a UN study (UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific) found out that in six countries at nine sites, 23 percent of men admitted to at least one rape. Another staggering figure. In the South Asian region, rape is increasing and all this calls for an action that starts from home. NCRB data shows that in India 93 women are raped everyday. We hope to dedicate a few words to all the women on self defense and how to be safe.

Self defense is a newer idea in the South Asian region and is one of the most important things to learn now. That is why, Colorss Foundation brought about a program that encourages women to learn new techniques of self defense. Their aim is to conduct workshop six days a week and/or ten days self-defense workshop. They hope to increase the intensity and rigor of these workshops gradually.  The benefit of self defense is just not learning how to fight rather it’s to improve body flexibility, shape, control and discipline. 

Now, this opportunity is easier to access to everyone around the world now because Colorss Foundation created an app for Android users [Quick Self-Defense] with an access to all the quick self defense techniques at your finger tips. The app consists of 9 different and useful techniques. These techniques have two separate options - first, learn and second, practice. Each technique is guided through by pictures and instructions down below. This gives every girl out there to have a good look on how it’s supposed to be done at any place, at any time. This handy app is like everyone’s go to book for protecting themselves. The availability of this app is what makes this very preferred. You can download this app from Google Play.

This app is an initiative that takes women one step closer to safety and also one step closer to achieve Gender Equality under SDG. The motive isn’t to just help women from India or from South Asia, rather the app tries to connect with all the women around the world. These techniques can be used against anyone who violates a woman’s rights and abuses them. Do not be afraid to raise your voice and to raise your hand on your aggressor. 

Therefore, being a woman strong enough to handle any situation is infused within us, all we have to do is take the lead. We came a long way and we have a longer way to go. We have to remember to teach our sons from home because the action comes from both ways. If we talk about equality, both the genders need to understand the retrospective. Taking a small step forward could make a huge difference in empowering women and helping them get their rights. It always starts from here.

By Raisa Rahman

Source of GIF:hapkido-defense-system.com/standing_assaualts_frontal.htm