A GIRL’S statue! Why is America celebrating a Fearless Girl’s statue outside the world’s largest stock exchange?

-Dheerusha Tiwari

Fist on her hips, a pony tail on her head, her eyes stare upward, her chest leaning forward, her expression represents her seriousness in business and her 4 foot height tells no dream is big- THE FEARLESS GIRL.

Source: Hyperallergic

She stares at the giant building of New York Stock Exchange. The stock exchange where big companies come together to celebrate. But alas! There is not one woman in the seats of board of directors in these companies. She tells these businessmen how passionate she is about her career. She shows them her zeal to work- THE FEARLESS GIRL.

Source: ADWEEK

Initially, she herself was a debate. Her location was a debate. Previously, she was placed in front of Manhattan’s Financial District facing Wall Street’s iconic Charging Bull. However, the artist of the Charging Bull sculpture she faced claimed “The Fearless Girl’s statue undermined the positive message i.e. a better America and a better world” given by the charging bull. Then, she became an issue of traffic congestion. Tourists and New Yorkers grouped around to get the perfect Instagram picture with her. However, the large number of tourists she attracted indicated the power of THE FEARLESS GIRL.

Source: CNBC

Source: NBC News

She now stands in the intersection of Wall Street and New York Stock Exchange facing the NYSE building. In one of the news posted by NBC, Carmelyn Malalis, commissioner of the New York City Commission on Human Rights said "She represents progress, potential and hope. But she also represents all of the women who fought for equity and equality before us." Moreover, the same news posted one of the Congresswoman mentioned “What started out as a statement has become a movement, today”. Indeed, she has brought in a massive awareness on why women should be involved in corporate positions worldwide. She conveys message on workplace gender diversity and motivates companies to recruit women in all positions. She delivers recruitment should be done regardless of gender and comply with criteria of academics and experience.  The gender equality in business is fought throughout the world. The perfect example for this is THE FEARLESS GIRL.

The Western culture has realized the significance of placing women in board rooms, executive and management positions. However, how far have Nepalese companies travelled? Is there even a valid research whether gender remains as a moderating factor in cases of allowance payment, promotion, recruitment, trainings and other corporate opportunities?

Irony, in the international arena, the word “FEARLESS” in “Fearless girl” represents as an adjective whereas in Nepalese culture, “Fear less, girl” has just initiated to evolve as an advice given to the career oriented youth women. However, the initiation is itself in its own downfall. Irony, how America has established a bronze sculpture girl with pony tail as the fearless girl and how our unfair legal system has made fun of the poster of girl with a pony tail, hanging on the poles in the nearby roads of the capital city.

The gender equity in workplace seems like a long journey for Nepal…