International Women’s Day: women group calls for protection of rights

By TCN News,

Hyderabad: On 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (8th March), Hyderabad based organization Nisa Research and Resource Centre for Women organized a program in Hyderabad calling for protection of women’s rights both by civil society and governments.

Stressing the struggle for the protection and achievement of women’s rights, the speakers expressed that women’s rights are in fact Human rights. So, government should be made accountable for the violence on women. They demanded equal rights, equal opportunities and progress in all walks of life for women.

In her welcome speech, Ms. Kaneez Fathima of Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee of India highlighted the significance and history of International Women’s Day.

“In 1910, an international conference was held in Copenhagen which was participated by hundreds of working women from almost 17 countries wherein Clara Jetkin proposed to have an International Women’s Day every year which was approved by all the other participants. The first International Women’s Day was celebrated in the year 1911 on 19th February. But later after discussion it was shifted to 8th March. Since then this day has been celebrated all over the world to press the demands of women. A few countries also declared this day as official holiday. United Nations declared the year 1975 as International Women’s Year” informed Ms. Kaneez Fathima.

The chief guest of the program Dr Ameena Tahseen, Assistant Professor of Department of Women Education, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad spoke on the topic ‘Condition of Women in Hyderabad: Their past, present and future’.

“It is the efforts of common women who have brought out the changes in society; it may be of right to vote, right to education, equality etc. lot of change has come in women in these hundred years. Even though their awareness has increased whereas even today educated Muslim women are unaware of their religious and constitutional rights” she said.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice president of Nisa Dr. Suneetha urged Muslim women to come out to solve their problems to expose their difficulties.

“There is a need of Muslim women to write about themselves, about their problems. Why should someone else write about you, you yourselves should address your own problems and solutions for it” she said.

Dr. Fareen Pervez, visiting professor, USA said that women should strive against the practice of dowry and domestic violence and there is lot of need for Hyderabadi women to get into activism and fight against all the bad practices.

Dr. Rafat Sema, Gen Secretary of Nisa, expressed deep concern for Irom Sharmila a women activist of Manipur who is on hunger strike since ten years, demanding removal of the Armed Forces Special PowersAct, 1958 which is applicable in all the northeast states.

“Sharmila is forcefully given liquid food through her nose with the help of pipe. She has been arrested on the charges of attempt to suicide and forcefully imprisoned in the hospital. It is a matter of shame to the whole civil society and the government of India that no action has been taken to remove the draconian act and the police forces are not accountable for any of their acts.” She expressed.

While appreciating the government’s move for Women’s Reservation Bill, Advocate Mandakini urged government to sanction seats for the Backward Classes and Minorities.

“There should be clearly mentioned reservation for BC and Minorities. Otherwise there is no meaning to pass the bill because again the beneficiaries would be the upper caste women and the common women will not at all be benefited, they will be as backward as they are today” she argued.