Rise of women – Women are often portrayed as a weak creature with bundles of emotion, overflowing affection and the idol of poetic beauty.
Very few could have imagined, that she can be a warrior and the breadwinner of the family. But, the world wars have upheld a different image of the women; who can care like a mother and fight like a soldier.
They were happy in taking care of children like an affectionate mother and the father used to bring the bread. This scenario existed for long, until the 1914 First World War brought in a massive shift in the roles of women not only in a family, but also in a nation.
Rise of women –
All the male citizens were expected to participate in the war, leaving their families behind under the supervision of the old parents and wives. Some used to come back safe and sound, some were disabled forever and many more made their way to the graveyards. It was time for the females to come out from the family confines to keep their hearth burning, in absence of her male counterpart. Though many women were working before the wars, but the numbers increased during the wars and after that.
It was the Rise of women – They started working in the munitions, factories, offices and in large hangers to build aircrafts. They were also involved in knitting socks for the soldiers, fighting in the front and engaged themselves in other voluntary works to take care of the family members.
The voluntary services in which the women were involved were more of exploitation than of some support, as the wages were very low; the income was not sufficient to support the members of the households. As a matter of survival, paid employment was encouraged and was crafted to decrease the income gap between the genders and the wages were also increased. Women took various jobs, which opened numerous scopes for them to prove themselves capable of different work fields.
Women were no longer confined to the domestic chores or light jobs for supporting their families, they even participated in the wars directly and indirectly. Some even sacrificed their lives to the enemies in the war. Because, of the female participation in the world war, various countries like Great Britain, United States and other European countries extended suffrage to the women after the First World War.
Once the First World War was over, men returned from the war to wear their own shoes which they left behind. This created injustice amongst the women workers, who were not willing to leave their jobs. After much struggle and movements, they were successful in holding their grounds tightly and fought for women empowerment and equal wage for equal work. Owing to their sincerity and responsible nature, the government and other institutes were eager to hire women employees in larger numbers during the interwar years.
Government began to trust women with complex public service works.
As the scenario was changing around the world, World War two knocked the continents again, this time with more power and violence. Whole world was involved in this war directly or indirectly. More and more women came forward and joined the military like the men, in order to fight for the nation. Compared to First World War, more women were enrolled in the armed services. They joined navy, army, and various public offices to prove their worth.
Nursing was the most common field, where women directly faced the consequences of war. They were there like pillars and angel to provide support to the wounded soldiers and take care of them for their recovery. These wars ended the marriage bars, which restricted married women from being employed in various services.
Rise of women – So, girls cheer up yourselves, you belong to the clan of warriors both in the front and inside it. Thus, rose the women warriors, the wonder-women from the ashes of the hearth. She is no longer a docile creature to be pampered and kept within safe confines. With her determination and dedication, she can bring a child, and can curve her own future as well.
