Society has tried to keep women under the thumbs of men for ages now. And that’s exactly the kind of mindset that retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi wants to change. In the 10th episode of AfterHours with All About Eve, with host Bani G Anand, Dr Kiran Bedi spoke about why it is crucial for a woman to be financially independent and take charge of her own life.

“Never hurry in the partnership of life”

Your choice of partner is very crucial in how your life shapes up, be it your professional life or your personal life. As Dr Bedi emphasises, your life grows, prospers, and is happy if you have the right partner. At the same time, if you get stuck with the wrong partner, your life can be just as easily destroyed.

“You should not rush in the partnership of life. It’s better if you stay single, but you shouldn’t hurry. And if you make a mistake, and realise it later, the sooner you right this wrong, the better it is,” says Dr Kiran Bedi. “Even if you become a mother, there’s no problem. If you are a working mother, there is no problem at all. And if you have your parents’ support, there is no problem again. And if you realise the mistake before you become a mother, then you’re free. That means your whole life is in front of you. But don’t make the same mistake again. Freedom and space are very important.”

“Motherhood should be a choice, not an accident”

When it comes to having a child, it is very important to choose firstly, whether you want a child, and secondly, have a support system in place. Raising a child is not a one-person job, it takes a village. So, before you plan for a family, plan out the support system.

As Dr Bedi says, “A child is a life-long project…Motherhood should not be an accident, it should be a planned decision. Because it affects the woman the most. It affects fathers also, but not biologically…So, you must have a plan. Will my family support me? Will my office support me? All this has to be part of the motherhood planning.”

Watch the full episode here.

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