Awareness programme on crime against women kicks off
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 05 2013:
An extensive awareness campaign on crimes against women which would be held in different parts of the State was kick-started today under the aegis of the All Manipur Women Voluntary Association (AMAWOVA) Manipur at MDU Hall, Yaiskul.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Dr Sheelaramani said that stringent laws are not enough to fight crimes against women.
Until and unless the general concept of viewing women as subordinates to men and treating women as ornamental objects which are endorsed by culture, religion and politics is not changed, there would be no let up in violence and crimes against women.
Patriarchal system of the society where women cannot be men's equals need to be altered.
To bring the desired change, school syllabus should include a chapter on gender sensitivity and equality, Sheelaramani asserted.
The ingrained thoughts and concepts about women being inferior to men can be abolished only through education.
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It is the social system which makes many men rapists.
Girls should be taught clearly about what is sex and gender by incorporating a subject on such matters in school syllabus.
But those who are preparing school syllabus seem to be lacking clarity in their understanding of the topic, she remarked.
All women have their own capabilities but they are not allowed to nurture and exercise these capabilities.
That is why, women consider themselves weaker and inferior.
Women need to shed this attitude.
Women should be real masters of their own bodies and they must be able to decide whether they should go for child birth or not.
Father-in-law, mother-in-law, husband or boy friend has no right to take any decision on behalf of any woman on such matters.
If any woman gets pregnant before marriage, and if the man refuses to marry her, she should not keep her pregnancy secret for fear of social stigma or discrimination.
Instead she should declare the particular man as the father of her foetus and go to law court.
If the woman does not have the courage to declare her pregnancy, she should go for abortion before it is too late, Sheelaramani said.
Moral Science is being taught in schools in such a way that the children get maximum marks without learning anything about the practical ways of life.
Social scientist Dr Dhanabir Laishram too spoke at the inaugural session of the campaign.