The Centre for Women’s Studies has organized an online session in collaboration with Centre for Women Development Studies, New Delhi on this year’s UN theme: “Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed #NoExcuse. Unite to End Violence against Women” on 29th November, 2024 to commemorate the 16 days of Activism by 16 Universities across India on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Prof. Abha Chauhan, Director, Centre for Kashmir Studies,

Central University of Himachal Pradesh, & Former Head, Department of Sociology, University of Jammu and Prof. Savita Nayyar, Director, Centre for Women’s Studies were the resource persons.

Prof. Savita Nayyar, Director, Centre for Women’s Studies began the session by acknowledging the importance of such activism and elaborating on the gender biasness and gender-based violence that exist in the society. She spoke on the theme: “Breaking the Cycle: Responses of Violence and Strategies for Prevention”. Further, she elaborated on various issues related to women like Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment, Dowry deaths and Female feoticide etc. Moreover, she also suggested the various remedial measures to deal with these problems and gave insights regarding Legal provisions exclusively available for the women. She also gave details on the legal safeguards available for women and girls like: Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, Protection of Girl Child, Sexual Harassment of women at Work Place (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act), and various Section of Bharativa Nyaya Sanhita safeguards.  

Prof. Abha Chauhan, the second speaker spoke on the theme: “Violence against women in J&K: A Systematic and Structural Discrimination” wherein she shared the data related to increasing rate of various forms of violence against women in J&K. She also talked about the international conventions related to women’s development and elimination of violence against women. While discussing she also narrated few case studies related to women’s issues and stressed that theses voices of women across India and local region should be documented for the visibility of the invisible section of the society. Moreover, she said that our aim should be to bring a change in the society by de-constructing the traditional notions of supremacy/patriarchy to get a structural change in the society.

Earlier the program began with the welcome address by Dr. Saranjit Kaur, faculty, Centre for Women’s Studies. She welcomed all the participants and thanked the Centre for Women’s Development Studies, New Delhi and Prof. Manimekalai for taking the initiative and providing the opportunity to the Centre to be the part of this program. The programme was planned under the able guidance of Prof. Savita Nayyar and her team.

Large number of participants across India, as well as from University of Jammu has very enthusiastically participated in the program. Many queries were raised by participants which were answered to their satisfaction by the experts. The workshop was conducted by Dr. Saranjit Kaur, and the formal vote of thanks was presented by Ms. Kunzang Angmo both Faculty members, Centre for Women’s Studies.