A Seminar on International Women’s Day

11 March 2023, Amrit Nagar (Hazaribagh): Under joint auspices of NBJK & Action Village India, a seminar held on the occasion of International Women’s Day and it was presided by Mr. Swarupchand Jain (Senior Advocate). The seminar started with the lighting of the lamp by AVI representatives Mrs. Jenny, Mr. Ivan Nutbrown, NBJK president Mr. Girija Satish, Mr. Swarupchand Jain and the participating rural women.

While introducing the theme, Mr. Girija Satish welcomed AVI guests, introduced them and said that in our society there was more discrimination between men and women and a tendency to underestimate women couldn’t consider their views properly but now change is coming. Opposing child marriage, he appealed to value the opinions of girls in marriage related decisions and to extend the scope of women’s reservation implemented in Panchayati Raj to Parliament and Legislative Assemblies also. Mr. Girija Satish, referring to NBJK-run girl education, women’s livelihood development programs, said that economic self-reliance has an important role in women’s empowerment.

AVI’s Mrs. Jenny said that 100 years struggle of English women has brought one-third of the women in the Parliament there today. Describing domestic violence against women as a global issue, she emphasized on stopping it and said that big changes are possible with the collective initiative of women. Prof. Lalita Rana, highlighting the condition of Indian women in various periods like pre-Vedic, post-Vedic, medieval, British rule, mentioned the existing laws and said that we need to stay away from illiteracy, superstition, dowry system, conservatism etc.  As discussing the changes, Mr. Ivan considered women’s cricket team, women’s participation in various fields and improvement in their economic status as important.

Former MLA Mr. Gautam Sagar Rana supported inter-caste/inter-religious marriages, urged women to maintain equality between sons-daughters, to oppose the practice of purdah and said that even today women’s labor force does not get the right worth. Expressing happiness over the increasing number of women office bearers in the administrative-judicial circles of Hazaribagh, Dr. P. Mishra welcomed the future change.

Mrs. Meena Devi, who came from village-Rola on this occasion, said that we do not just want respect but also employment. Mrs. Anju Devi from Sakhia village recited a self-composed poem about moving forward on the path of life, mentioning many famous women including late Indira Gandhi. Reminiscing her old days, Mrs. Razia Khatoon, a handicapped woman of Bonga village has talked about her association with tailoring training and livelihood with the help of NBJK. Mrs. Pramila Devi and Ms. Devanti Kumari also placed their views on this occasion.

In the presidential address, Mr. Swarupchand Jain said that now the illusion that daughters are a burden is breaking.

A total of 68 people including most of the women participated in the seminar and Mr. Shankar Rana was conducting the stage. Mr. Rajeev Singh proposed the vote of thanks.