I am a Punjabi woman and grew up in Punjab, India until the age of seventeen. Then, I came to Canada for study. I have heard that the equality of women rights is higher in Canada than U.S.A and India. However, I have actually felt and saw it after I came to Canada. I am really impressed by the freedoms that Canadian women have about their future and large number of choices they have at present. However, I was sad that many Punjabi women are not allowed the same freedom as Canadian Women. However, I would like to talk about three main reasons: Society, Parents, and Dowry System.

First, I would like to talk about society's involvement in abstracting in girls freedom. Social people are the main button which controls most of the freedom of girls. Society prefers guys over girls because they provide financial support to parents and family. They think that the man job is to work and woman job is to cook, clean and take care of the children’s. Whereas, In Canada both men and women work together. Society thinks that girls are born to sacrifice to keep their parents and in-laws reputation. Society points out things very fast if girl did or something wrong happen by her. They are going to say bad things to their parents that they did not teach Punjabi culture lesson properly.

For example, in our society women have been taught that there original home is their in-laws not their parents; after marriage she cannot divorce unless it is a very bad situation. Even though it is men fault she has to take it because she is a woman. Man does not need to sacrifice for her woman has to. Let say if a girl came home late it matters, if guy does it does not matter. Although I am in Canada I still follow these rules because I live with my aunt family. Compare to Canada, Society do not care what is going their other people life. They do not care because they that is there problem and they and handle it. I Canada most of the women are working. In addition, Canadian people do not care what is going on in anybody else's life.

Second reason is parents. Parents do love their children but they also care about the society. In contrast to Canada only few families allowed their daughters to work outside in Punjab. Therefore daughters have to depend on their parents to fulfill their needs. As a result, Punjab's women are scared to make decisions about their lives like study, husband. Sometime, I also scared to make decision because I do not what it led to me. Where as Canadian women get complete support from the society and parents to work outside. Infect, Canadian women start looking for the job from the age of 16. As a result they have the capacity to make decision about their lives.

At last I will take about the Dowry System, unlike Punjab, there is no Dowry system in Canada. Dowry system is illegal but it still exist I do not know how? Dowry means girl has to take very wealthy and expensive things for their in- laws family when she marries e.g. car, bedroom suite. The problem is father has to fill the demand of brooms family if he wants that her daughter marry to him. Brooms family do not care they need it, it does not matter father gets those things by selling his property or himself.

Daughters do not want to see their parents worry about like that; consequently, they feel burden and stress on their lives and parents. Most of the women have been killed and divorced because they did not bring enough for her in-laws family. Only few girls are lucky to have good in-laws.

Now you will have better idea why Punjab’s women are not allowed as much freedom as Canadian. I am really happy being in Canada and hope some day it will change in Punjab too.

August 2002