Yesterday was World Women's Day and there were the usual people with usual laments about the condition of women in India. On the one hand there were interviews with powerful and successful women who were asked how they had become successful in a man's world on the other we were reminded about the pathetic condition of women married off at an early age, tortured for dowry by the in laws and made to bear children in poor health. There were constant discussions about the millions of girl children being aborted and how men are responsible for all the ills that befall women. Strangely no one talks about the responsibility of women themselves in improving their lot. A woman may be illiterate and helpless but she can talk. Very few men in India involve themselves in raising their children. This gives the mother total and uninterrupted control over how she raises her children. Surely she has unlimited opportunity to teach her children about the value of women and how women should be respected. She should be able to show them educated women around where she lives and on television as examples. Educated women should teach their unfortunate sisters what to whisper in their children's ears as they are growing up. Every time I read about dowry deaths in the newspaper I invariably find women in the torture and killing of an innocent young woman in the most gruesome way imaginable. These mothers and sisters in law are not mere helpless bystanders. They make no attempt to help the unfortunate victim. Instead they actively torture and very often are the ones to pour kerosene on the woman and light the final match. Until women admit their role in the condition of their sex there is no hope.