Like men, however, women are human and not perfect; they have their weaknesses. If they are to join politics for the same reasons as men, then there is not much chance of them being any different from their male counterparts. And here, I am referring to opportunism, favouritism, exploitation, ambition and so on.

Also, just as men have a feminine side, so do women have a masculine side. And like men who have lost their manliness, many women too have lost their femininity.

To a certain extent, we can understand why. In their revolt against the injustices imposed by men and their fight for emancipation, women have developed a culture of 'manliness'. Unfortunately, the flip side is that there is a real risk of their becoming increasingly more like their male counterparts. However, if we have intelligent women who are successful at maintaining a balance by developing their masculine characteristics without losing their feminine qualities, then much can be achieved. Women are more sensitive, receptive and intuitive. They have the natural ability to listen, feel and foresee - these qualities are all extremely important for good governance.

In both men and women, the natural has been suppressed and abused, which has led to a 'loss in gender'. We need individuals who not only embrace their natural traits but are also willing to go beyond them. Otherwise, they will stay at the animal level. Let me give an example: men are aggressive by nature, and without intelligence or higher awareness, their aggressiveness makes them violent and animalistic. But if this trait is transformed, it then becomes a subtle force. The aggressiveness will continue to exist as it forms part of their manliness, but as a refined form of energy that can be used to fuel perseverance.

Similarly, women are more emotional than men and most of them get carried away by the emotions that cloud their mind, leading to attachment to children, spouse, relatives, parents and so on. That energy has the potential to be transformed into empathy, compassion and love, all of which can help women to better understand and thus help others. They will not be insensitive or selfish.

Aragon said, "The woman is the future of man." I agree with this statement, but probably not in the sense that many might think. Women symbolise the flourished femininity, not the perverted one. As we are at the dawn of a new consciousness or a new human being, an increasing number of women will participate in decision-making and at higher levels, and this will undoubtedly contribute to something new in society.

Aragon's statement also implies that men's femininity too will flourish. Of course, that does not mean that they will become women. It simply means that they will become more fulfilled through transformation by developing both their masculine and feminine natures within. Only then will men and women be able to work together towards a better society.

We marry to be united with our better half, and yet we remain unfulfilled. The reason is that we do not understand what it is to be fulfilled, or even why we call our partner our better half. In fact, we are not educated about human life at all. That is why marriages fail. Similarly, even with more women joining politics, the situation will be the same if they are not fulfilled as human beings.

Social scientists say that social pressure is very powerful. If that is true, then regardless of whether it is men or women who join politics, the situation will not improve. This is why I say we need women who are not politicians in today's sense. We need women who really wish to contribute towards a better world. And that is possible only if women are educated in the spiritual sense.