Reviewing a recently completed course

I graduated a month ago. Currently going to persue my Postgraduation somewhere I'm not sure now. I'll update when I take admission. Meanwhile I completed a 3 months online certificate course. I completed it day before yesterday and got my certificate today and felt the necessity to pen down something about the course. It's not one of those usual monotonous courses that people do. My places of interest have always been gender studies, sexuality and human rights. Well, not always; but since the time I got mature enough to realise the issues. Anyway, it's a course on International Women's Health and Human Rights offered by Stanford University, California. 

To begin with, the instructor, Anne Firth Murray, is a wonderful lady. She's the founding president of the Global Fund for Women. We read one of her books called 'From Outrage to Courage' in every weeks' modules. It's one of the most informative  and fascinating books on women I ever read. The course covered 14 modules. It included almost all topics of women's  lives like women's rights,  education, FGM, reproductive health, violence, poverty, trafficking and sex work, aging etc. This course has enlightened me in all possible ways. It made me think. Feminism was something I came across after my high school and I believe it's the best thing that happened to me. I had, however, very limited knowledge about the discourse. This course has opened my eyes and a new dimension of thought in me. And as René Descartes said, "Cogito, ergo sum" which is translated as, "I think, therefore I am", it's truly and completely my thoughts that have changed me. Or I could just say the credit goes to my college. It taught me to think. I'm thankful.  I won't talk about women's  issues here  because everyone is partially or fully aware of that; or I might just discuss it some other day, because, why not?

Living at an urban area and looking at girls around me in privileged families made me think whether feminism was even that important or not. I mean, girls are getting education, doing jobs, getting married to the person of their choice; women empowerment looks very successful, right? This was my opinion until I came across this course that literally made me shocked to find how benevolent  patriarchy works; how there is exploitation even in scenes of freedom. Discrimination  is basically rooted in our society in such a way that its presence is felt in every facets of life; every small elements. The sufferings of women in rural and remote areas, as refugees during wars, as a victim of domestic violence at all ages, as being trafficked etc. are uncountable. Anyone could avail this course and I would persuade you to do so, but only if you are concerned about such issues. You won't regret.

Disclaimer- The photo used is not my own work and I don't take credit for it.

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