Unlike the high hopes - 2020, a new decade - did not start merrily. The news was - from west to east, north to south - plain depressing. Australian fires killed more than 500 million animals. The Indian authoritarian regime attacked innocent students in universities protesting an unsecular law - the aftermath of which killed more than 25 civilians and injured 100s. South America to Hong Kong faced protests, injuring many. In spite of how geographically distant these problems were, they had a strong common resistance - young women fighting the home regimes, for their homes.
Greta Thunberg from Sweden became the symbol of action for tackling climate change. In December 2019, at Madrid at COP25, in front of more than 150 country leaders, she bluntly stated the extreme frustrations of the youth with the world leaders. And she has done this for many years now, from the mere age of 8 years. But she took the first bold steps of this resistance - at home, by resisting every Friday in front of her home parliament - emphasizing the cost of inaction towards climate change.
Flavia Kleiner from Switzerland co-founded the liberal group, Operation Libero. This group has fought many conservative initiatives by the Swiss People’s Party, SVP (the majority ruling, right-wing party in Switzerland). For example, they fought against the enforcement initiative which was diplomatically aimed against foreigners in the country, which would enforce the removal of criminal foreigners from the country, even for petty crimes like speeding. The group has also headed the work against major initiatives like ‘No Billag’ which threatened the media transparency and direct democracy of the country. And their work is ongoing since 2014, fighting many conservative policies of the majority.
Beyond the ongoing stories of resistance in the west - where things are usually more ‘peaceful’ - there are major uprisings in other parts of the world, and women leaders are not any less brave.
Aishe Gosh (president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union) from India, even after being attacked brutally by the violent state forces on 5th January 2020, (and even after significant injuries to her head) stood in the nation-wide protests on 8th January 2020. These young women are showing that no force can stop their bravery, because they enter the grounds with facts, and they know they are on the side of change - on the side of truth. And these stories are already changing the narratives of entire industries e.g.Deepika Padukone, Swara Bhasker are called the Bollywood ‘heroes’ for supporting the nationwide protests. Multiple protesst were also done outside India, by NRI students (mostly led by women) to support these protests back home. But the stories are also emphasizing the importance of steps by normal women who are participating - from housewives to hijab-clad students, who are taking center stage in Indian protests. Many protests against these authoritative regimes have women on majority: Women-led protest in India’s capital, ‘fight like a girl’: student protests in India or Assam’s Women at the Frontline of Protests Against India’s New Citizenship Law are just a few examples showcasing the magnitude of these turnouts in the protests, changing common narratives around women.
Agnes Chow from Hong Kong, an activist for political reform and youth policy, and a prominent figure in movements from 2012 till 2019 fought for repressive education, electoral reforms and the protests against the anti-extradition bill - till her arrest in August 2019. With the example of the Hong Kong female protesters challenging the “pampered" stereotype of young ‘Kong girls, these movements led by women who are facing imprisonment to brutal regime attacks - have changed the entire narrative around the image of women - who are generally not expected to face the forces head-on. Even if women are not always the majority in these movements, they are taking brave actions, in spite of risks like sexual violence. 'So Many Women Are Standing on The Front Line' as quoted by anti-extradition activist Xiu Lam, who herself fought against her family, like many others for the love of the city and for democracy.
All of these stories resonate one thing in common: not just few women leaders, but ‘everyday women’ are ready to fight today against the regimes - for protecting their city, for protecting everyone’s rights in their country, for protecting their homes - even if it comes at a cost of losing their own families or lives. These are the new women - who are ready to give away everything - for a better future, for a better home. Are we ready to live up to them?
Images are from unsplash.com