Sat, Jan 18, 2014 at 5:19 PM
Convention was attended by over 200 persons
Ludhiana: 18 Jan 2014: (Rector Kathuria//Punjab screen):
Women must come forward to know their rights and to get them implemented in various spheres of life whether they are working in education, health, law, banking, agriculture, domestic or any other sector. They must involve more and more in socio political activities and assert to be in the decision making bodies. This is essential to check rise in the crime against women. This was said by Ms Amarjeet Kaur national convener AIWWF and national secretary AITUC while giving Keynote address at the convention on ROLE OF WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT AND DECISION MAKING-CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES organised jointly by the Pragatisheel Lekhak Sangh, Punjab Istri Sabha and All India Working Women Forum –AITUC Ludhiana at Punjabi Bhawan here today with Dr Chanchal Gupta in chair. Convention was attended by over 200 persons from different sectors viz education, health, law, agriculture, home based workers and domestic workers etc. Ms Amarjeet Kaur, said that women have a glorious history in building the society. They played significant role in freedom movement of the country and thereafter in national building with all their might. But their participation in the decision making bodies has been very little. That is why it is important that we come forward and effectively make use of changing laws and also to have more laws to raise the status of women especially pertaining to the laws at work place.
Speaking on Status of Women during different phases of evolution of Human civilization said that patriarchy has been institutionalized through various stages of development after ancient periods of human history when men and women had no difference. But later in the feudal ages women were subjugated to men. Capitalism has tried to use them as a commodity. Our struggle is not for domination on male gender but a struggle for equality, social and economic justice. Therefore we must strive for a socio economic order based on justice and equality.
Mrs Gurcharan Kochar, President Punjab Istri Sabha Ludhiana said that there are certain forces in the society who still harp on the obsolete obscurantist ideas and do not recognise the changing role of women. There is need to change mindset in the society. Dr Narjit Kaur, convener of the AIWWF Ludhiana said that there is need to work jointly with right thinking men to bring about change in the mindset. Teen aged boys have to be taught in the family to give due respect to the women. Moreover, she said, safe environment is essential at the work place. Barring a few essential sectors, women should not be put on night duties in the present scenario. Mrs Jeet Kumari, Secreraty Punjab Istri Sbha Ludhiana said that implementation of law is very slow and te criminals get benefit of this. A woman who is the victim of the crime is also made accused on several accounts. Large number of participants narrated their experiences at the convention. Prominent among those who participated actively include Mrs Ramandeep Kaur, Mrs Kulwant Kaur, Miss Veena student, Mrs Prem Maur, Veena Kalia Advocate, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhatia, Dr Arun Mitra, Shri M S Bhatia, Shri D P Maur, Shri Gurnam Sidhu. Rajwant Kaur - EGSAI Union of Teachers of Serv Sikhya Abhiyan and Harpreet Kaur. Teachers and Students from GMT college for education, G N Khalsa college for women, Nursing students from GTB hospital, Govt. College for Girls, staff from ESI hospital Ludhiana. In his message Shri Mitter Sen Meet from Pragati Sheel Lekhak Sangh said that the struggle for the rights of women is not just of women alone. Both men and women have to wage this struggle of justice and equality jointly.
