On 12th May 2018, Gender Champion Unit of Satyawati College Evening held an enlightening and Interactive talk on Women Empowerment and Gender Issues. The event was graced by the two chief guests Ms Sinta Chaudhary and Ms Manisha. Stories were shared and ideas were exchanged, all in the spirit of the theme of the event.
The event started with the inaugural speech by Ms Sunita Chaudhary, India’s first woman autorickshaw driver, who spoke about her struggles of being born into an orthodox Jat family, where she was married off at a very young age. She also shared the atrocities that she had to face from her in-laws and she was tormented and assaulted multiple times by them. But she ran away and told the audience that from that moment onwards she never looked back and fought with the evils of society, without any social and financial aid but with all of her courage and vigour. Also, she shared her experience of running for Vice-President’s election where she faced the flak of police, male auto drivers and people from her village. But none of it could stop her or hold her back. Concluding her speech she told the students that if she can reach places without any education or support, you all are fortunate enough to achieve any endeavour of your choice.
After which, Ms Manisha who is a legal expert on gender issues told about the legal aspects of the gender issues prevailing in the nation, be it sexual harassment at workplace, child marriage, rape cases, and whatnot. She discussed the social conditioning behind such mishaps which lead to such evils visible to the society. She further told the students that we cannot rely on government or laws for everything until and unless there is a structural change in the patriarchal mentality of the masses.
Following which there was an interactive session with the speakers where students put forth their doubts and suggestions in form of wide-ranging questions from how to handle societal pressure, how to tackle orthodoxy within society, how to let go of one’s fears and inhibitions to take a firm stand on things…. and so on. To which the speakers with their vast experience satiated all of their doubts.
All in all, the event was a huge success as the message which had to be conveyed was clearly conveyed to everyone present to witness the event. We thank the unit heads Dr Niharika Sharma and Dr Sangya Ranjan to organise such a great event. As, it is because of events like these, that our focus moves towards such problems that are always deeply buried under the voices of strong propaganda and political turmoil in the nation.
