Seminar on respecting women draws a big crowd

In order to imbibe moral values in youngsters, an intercollegiate seminar on the 'Fundamental duty of a citizen — to protect and respect the dignity of a woman' was held at National College on Saturday.

The Mumbai District Legal Services Authority, in association with the college, organised the event to mark International Women's Day. Several dignitaries, including National Commission for Women (NCW) members and Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) chairperson attended the seminar, which saw a lot of students in attendance, with the majority being girls.

Advocate Susiben Shah, MSCW chairperson, said, "The main reason why society is not following its duty toward protecting the respect and dignity of a woman is because failure to carry out this duty is not prosecuted in the court of law. Hence, I think that more and more young women should make an entry in politics, so that when the government drafts policies concerning women, it will be the women themselves who will be present and decide on them."

Shah added that the problem lies in women's upbringing. "When a girl is born, she is taught to give up her dreams. Right from the time she starts her schooling, she is taught to sacrifice in life. However, my question is, when boys are not expected to sacrifice, why should only girls do it?" Shah asked.

Echoing Shah, NCW member Chitra Wagh said, "If it was not for Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, the status of women would have been the same as it was some 50 years back. In today's world too, our society believes that Savitribais or Jyotibas are reborn, but no one wants their daughters or sons to be them."