Mumbai University to sensitise students on sexuality

The women’s development cell of the Mumbai University will now sensitise students under 18 years of age on their sexuality. 

Even as the Centre is still mulling over the child rights’ bill, the cell in the university has started awareness workshops for students under 18. With the help of teachers working in the cell, they also plan to reach out to students from Stds VIII, IX and X.

The prime objective of the awareness programmes is to avoid instances of sexually violent behaviour among young children and also to avoid their sexual abuse.

A manual for students explaining the different aspects of sexuality has been printed and circulated by the cell in the workshops they conduct at college level. Kranti Jejurkar, the cell’s chairperson, states that the Centre is mulling over the bill on child rights.

“While the bill will take time to come in to existence, our cell has started sensitising students on several aspects concerning them at their age. We have printed a manual too. The campaign has just begun. We will start from affiliated colleges in the initial months and will move to students at school level from the forthcoming academic year. Our target will be students in secondary and higher secondary schools, where they experience most changes — sexually and anatomically,” said Jejurkar.

Jejurkar added that gender sensitisation is most important among students who are under 18, where chances of instances of sexual abuse are most common.

“Sexually violent cases arise as young children are unaware of their sexuality. We are working with a group of psychologists as well. We plan to extend it to schools. The teachers who work with us are from schools in Thane, so we will start our awareness programmes from schools,” she said. 

The bill the Centre is mulling over covers child abuse, child trafficking, child prostitution, along with other child rights including education.