BEING WOMEN | Desire to work among women keeps increasing by the day: Sorento's Susan Josi

March 8, is celebrated as International Women's Day ' a celebration of the social, economic and political empowerment of women and how they have made their mark in a small place called Planet Earth.

For those who don't know, the first International Women's Day was held in 1911 in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Switzerland. Though women have been seeking gender equality for a long time now, but the reality is the success of it remain as elusive as Sachin Tendulkar' 100th hundred.

Although we can't rule out the fact that there has been a significant improvement in the status of the women in the male chauvinistic society, but we still have a long way to go.

That's where leaders such as Susan Josi prove to be inspirational with the way they have created a niche for themselves in the society.

Susan is the managing partner of the Sorento Healthcare Communications -- Asia's first healthcare agency to be a part of Indigenus.

For Susan, International Women's day is one of those days to cherish the spirit of womanhood. "It's one of those days that would make you special ' something which makes you feel that God has made you special with a purpose to take care of the people in your life," she says.

In this day and age, where the so-called "D-days' have become more of a gimmick, it's perhaps one of such days where we celebrate the role of women in the society.

For Susan, the heroes have been her mother and mother-in-law, who have been her strength throughout.

"At a personal level my mother and mother-in-law in every way have been a source of inspiration for me ' they have been my rock stars from whom I draw my source of strength.

Such was her upbringing that she treats the maid on an equal pedestal and is inspired by their commitment level and the ability to dabble between with their work and personal life.

"I'm inspired by the maids who work in our house and the kind of challenges they face and yet carry that smile on their face," she explains.

However according to Susan it's the actions that speak louder than words. Although it's all very sweet to have a day for women celebration, but how fair it is matters them most.

"If you ask me the day becomes special when your children write a nice poem for you. It becomes special when your husband gifts you a rose or a book commemorating the day. It becomes special when other men and women in your life specially take the trouble to wish you. It's their thoughts and words that matter then," Susan explains.

But Susan would agree with fellow female colleagues that there is still a lot left to be desired for. Women are still fighting their own battle despite making their mark in the society.

Though the age old trouble of managing home and work remains on the surface of it, but issues like safety, gender equality, equal wages do have its set of challenges, which need to be dealt with.

"The support system is really under developed in our country while the need and desire to work among women only keeps increasing by the day.

"We will have to think much more about providing a much enabling environment for women to work in our country," says Susan.

"The issue of late hours is a perennial problem and some times it becomes difficult to handle situations when there is a compelling need to stay the whole night at work to meet a deadline," she further adds.

Recipient of the coveted UNIDO scholarship at University of Ghent, Susan says one of the reasons why she is drawn towards the job is the passion and the opportunity to do something unconventional.

"Passion and the opportunity to do something unconventional as ours was the pioneering agency set up 15 years ago as a full fledged communication agency focused on Health and Wellness domain, which means you had to lead the way in this business," she adds.