'I see humans beyond genders', says Women and Convention founder Shubhra Mohanty

Shubhra Mohanty

Breaking down some of the most hyped concepts of women and human rights while taking a strong stand on pregnancy and how women can equip themselves with the much-needed apparatus to carve a 'status quo' for themselves rather than falling apart of the corporate pipeline, thought leader and inceptor of the revolutionary organization 'Women and Convention', Shubhra Mohanty, gets into an in-depth conversation with Mid-day spilling out all her life mantras that has enabled her purpose to spread across boundaries and inspire not only women but individuals spanning genders.

1: What motivated you to return to the corporate world post-pregnancy?

Shubhra Mohanty:To work in the corporate sector had beenmydream since childhood. Having idolized leading female entrepreneurs since a very young age, I always aspired to get up the corporate ladder with my hard work and strong work ethic. It eventually did materialize into me moving up the hierarchy when I joined the corporate. Being someone who loves 'getting work done' and moving a bit further from what the role asks me to do, the fact that my career transition was happening at a breakthrough rate never let me think that anything could stop me from landing leading positions in the corporate unless I wanted to retire. So this question never occurred to me in the first place that I would have to actually 'think' about returning to work post-pregnancy, having scaled big corporate positions in a very small span. I knew there wasn't any looking back for me, therefore my ambition naturally drove me to rejoin work post-pregnancy.

2: Being an egalitarian what made you feel the need to work against women's rights?

Shubhra Mohanty: Before pregnancy, I never thought that I'd have to fight for human rights. I call it 'human rights' and not women's rights because I think 'gender is amisnomer.' The way we have been defining gender putting by humans into silos is faulty. We have to elevate ourselves beyond gender and see people as humans first. There should be parity across humans in general.Therefore,despite knowing the fact that women have been traditionally suppressed in our society. I advocate 'human rights' and point towards the need for bringing workplace reforms that work towards bringing all the genders on the same pedestal and letting them exercise the right to equal opportunities seamlessly.

3: What is your inspiration behind running ‘Women and Convention'?

Shubhra Mohanty:Women and Convention is essentially an organization that aspires to ignite the spirit of self-reliance and confidence in women and equip them with the defenses to move up the corporate hierarchy and fight against any anomalies that happen to them in their workplaces. We conduct workshops, training, and one-on-one conversations to help women get the right confidence to sail through their corporate careers smoothly. We seek to empower women to address workplace issues with courage, for instance, most women in the corporate feel a sense of 'shame' and‘insecurity' for talking about any harassment that's happened with them. The purpose of our organization is to give them the exact course of action and options of recourse when they face any such anomalies so that they can walk by keeping their chin up and not settle for a compromised position or work environment. We are driven to help women to climb up the ladder of hierarchy and not fall against it. Addressing the ‘broken rung' problem is our primary concern.

4: Being a mother,is it difficult to manage your work and personal life?

Shubhra Mohanty: I began working when my daughter was in my lap. Like every other mother, even I had my share of days when I would feel gloomy and distressed because of the constant changes and new responsibilities emerging on my shoulders. But throughout this time, my girl and my drive to continue working were giving me the much-needed push to work against all odds. But I think what has made a difference is how I faced all the roadblocks heads on and fight them with double the courage.Once you find your purpose, it just gets easier. As a mother and a working professional today, I have come a long way by being more disciplined and charting out strict time stamps for each of my responsibilities so that at the end of the day, I don't feel a sense of guilt that I haven't done justice to any of my roles. I am building my legacy and a world with equal opportunities would be my gift to the upcoming generations.

5: What do you think creates the foundation of an equal society?

Shubhra Mohanty: In my belief, the society we live in is unequal towards all genders because people are unconsciously biased in their perspectives. People do not consider men as primary caregivers, it is always a woman's duty. Similarly, women are never considered the primary earner, those responsibilities ‘should' fall on the man's shoulder. Hence, it is a gap created so wide, that it needs a lot of work. We have to look at our entire socialization process and the perceptions we nurture.The road to an equal society doesn't go through women alone, but is through all the genders seen as humans beyond genders.

With Shubhra Mohanty's insights on the working of this society, one thing that could be mandated is the fact that the society needs a lot of work, constructive thinking, and basic steps to make it a better and more breathable space for each and every individual.Watch out for this woman who is determined to challenge the age old notions and bring positive change to the world we live today.