JOIN THE UNITED
STRUGGLE FOR A BETTER
AND
THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE
FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Dear Friend
The AIDWA, along with sixteen
other women's organisation invites you to a programme to celebrate the
International Women's Day on
Assembly at Mandi House:
March From Mandi House to Jantar Mantar:
Public Meeting at Jantar Mantar:
We request you to participate in large numbers and also
forward this invitation to all your friends who may be interested in the
programme.
Hoping to see you soon,
With Regards
Sehba Farooqui
General Secretary,
|
CWDS LIBRARY BLOG
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Invitation
Thursday, 7 February 2013
SAVE THE DATE
SAVE THE DATE!!
Thursday 14th February 2013
WALK OUT-RISE UP-TAKE IT TO THE STREETS
Enough!! No More Violence against Women and Girls
According to the United Nation's 1 in 3 women in the world experience violence. That is more than one billion women living on the planet are beaten or raped during their lifetime.
We REFUSE now to stand by as more than a billion women experience violence.
One Billion women violated is an atrocity, but One Billion rising against such violence is a REVOLUTION!
What does one Billion Look Like??
On 14th February it will look like a revolution with 190 countries rising across the globe
We invite you all to join us and show the world our collective strength and solidarity in support of one billion women and girls across the world.
Where: Parliament Street, New Delhi
Time: 5pm- 8pm
Special guests and Artists joining us in solidarity will be announced shortly.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/vday
In South Asia : http://www.facebook.com/sangat.southasia
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OneBillionRisingSouthAsia
For more information on this global call to action write to sangat@sangatsouthasia.org
For more information call: Sangat: 011- 26692166
Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Most girls feel unsafe on MSU campus: Survey
VADODARA: Going by a recent
survey conducted by nine students of M S University (MSU)'s faculty of law, it
seems sexual harassment and gender sensitization is issues which the varsity
would have to address sooner than later.
The survey conducted on 966
students (766 females and 200 males) is an eye-opener, according to Sahiyar, a
women's NGO, which has shot off a letter to the VC, forwarding some of the
survey findings wherein 63% girls and 69% boys had a perception that girls were
"not secure on the campus". Worse, 24% girls and 19% boys "witnessed"
sexual harassment within the campus, but none complained about it to any of the
authorities.
Further, only 8% girls and barely
5% boys were aware of the existence of 'women grievance redressal and
counseling cell' within MSU, but none of them was aware of its location.
The survey also recorded that 95%
of girls and 92% boys felt that women needed some space or avenue where women's
grievances could be addressed.
"It is unfortunate that
instead of taking positive steps to make the university free from sexual
harassment and implement the judgment by the Supreme Court of India (Vishaka
committee guidelines)...the authorities have taken regressive steps to put
further restrictions on girl students by reducing the time for hostel girls,"
the NGO wrote to the MSU VC, while seeking appointment to discuss the survey
findings.
The complete survey report would
be released after discussions with MSU authorities, they said.
When contacted, MSU registrar,
Amit Dholakia said, he would not say much on the findings of the survey since
he was yet to see the report.
"I am not saying the
findings are baseless or incorrect, but surveys have their limitations or
different methodologies. Also, I am not denying any reservations about
perception of safety on the campus."
He, however, admitted that the
grievance cell had to be replaced by a committee to address complaints of
sexual harassment. "We realize that a tighter mechanism for addressing
women grievances is required, and that the counseling cell's role is different
from the committee which needs to be set up," the registrar said, adding
they would be setting up a committee "this week" to create a
mechanism for setting up the committee, at both the varsity and at faculties'
level.
Source: The Times of India , 29 January 2013
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Rape: the stereotyping of Indian culture and moving from ‘protection’ to ‘freedom’
Apologies for cross
posting.
Sharing CREA's views on the recent gang rape and
murder of a 23-year-old girl in Delhi , India ; sexual
violence; and the responses to it on the blog of Reproductive Health Matters
(RHM).
A guest blog from Pooja Badarinath, CREA
The recent brutal gang-rape of a 23-year-old girl
in a moving bus in Delhi , India , resulted in
expressions of outrage and anger everywhere in the country. The weeks after the
rape saw an unprecedented focus on sexual assault—in formal and informal
conversations, protests, television debates, drawing rooms, social media, and
official statements. These protests were unique because they brought everyone
to the streets. It is heart warming that many of the conversations spurred by
this response are affirmative—they discuss women’s right to wear what they
want, to walk the streets after dark, and other such issues. And, they take on
political and spiritual leaders who blame women for rape in direct and indirect
ways.
The feminist movement has been struggling to
change the rhetoric from “protection” to “freedom” for a long time. This time,
many of these feminist demands, ideas, and positions are of people/groups that
do not identify as ‘feminists’. However, there are some demands that are
extremely problematic. For instance, the demands for enhanced punishment, death
penalty, and chemical castration—fuelled by the media—are decidedly unfeminist.
Thus, we need to extend the conversations beyond these ‘populist demands’ and
broaden the popular middle-class understanding of gender-based violence and its
consequences for all—Dalit women, women from religious minorities, sex-working
women, mentally and physically disabled women, women in police custody, women
living in ‘disturbed’ areas and conflict zones, women who are sexually abused
within the home, lesbian women, transpersons, and gender non-conforming people.
However, the current legal framework for rape is
fraught with patriarchal baggage—only when a man has “sexual intercourse” with
a woman, without her consent, is it considered as rape (this does not hold
within marriage of course, because the wife is seen as the ‘property’ of her
husband)[1] . The importance is given to “intercourse” and, hence, there is no
acknowledgment of the violence of invasion that always accompanies any case of
sexual assault, whether or not it is accompanied by bruises and broken bones.
Due to this emphasis on “intercourse”, rape is considered most severe when a
“woman loses her chastity/virtue”[2]. The most common perspective is that for a
woman, being raped is a “fate worse than death”. This notion has been the most difficult
to change over the years, not just in popular culture but also in the judiciary
and other institutions. As long as sex is seen as the vehicle to the most
ultimate form of purity or pollution, this perspective will not change.
Gender-based violence is a manifestation of
patriarchal power structures and inherent inequality in society. It is not
about, as some sections of the Indian media are reporting, “illiterate” young
men who migrate to big cities and “cannot handle educated young women asserting
themselves”. Such privileging of violence and ‘victimhood’ is a result of
patriarchal and unequal power structures. Even the reportage in the media
abroad has not been without its own bias[3] . Many articles published in
prominent dailies in countries such as the US and UK portray rape as a problem that happens only in
countries such as India , implying that the
so-called North has overcome this completely. The stereotyping of “Indian
culture” and of “Indian men” as having “…murderous, hyena-like male contempt”[4]
towards women is even more troublesome. The question has been turned into a
clash of “cultures”. Such reporting and attitude towards Southern cultures yet
again touch upon the North-South divide and the northern gaze, where issues
like patriarchy and gender inequality seem to be a problem of only the South.
We need to realise that the issues of gender justice is not cultural
phenomenon. We must remember that no matter where they live, women and men hold
different identities and positions of privilege and powerlessness.
Women’s groups in India have always tried to bring this perspective to
the work on violence against women through their advocacy, trainings,
publications, messages, campaigns, research, protests, discussions, and events.
CREA, for instance, works to address the issue of violence against all women
through its work, such as through its Institutes on sexuality, gender, and
rights; trainings aimed at creating an understanding of bodily autonomy,
choice, and freedom to enable women and girls to be more aware and in control
of their bodies and lives; grassroots-level feminist leadership building
programmes; and publications on various issues related to violence against
women. Violence is also discussed by documenting cases of violence on marginalised
women who fall through the cracks in the mainstream, homogenous, violence
against women rhetoric (for instance, lesbian, sex–working, and disabled
women). We work directly with adolescent and young girls using the medium of
sports. Sport, which has traditionally always been associated with boys and
men, also challenges stereotypes around gender, and allows the girls to come
out of their homes and exert more control over their lives. We also sent
recommendations, collectively with other activists and groups as part of the
Citizens’ Collective Against Sexual Assault, to one of the committees formed by
the Indian government to inform law reform on sexual assault. The submissions
were those that we have been making for a while now; we made them again because
this time, the authorities were listening.
It is inevitable that this case will fade from
public memory, if not now then later. While we hope that the mobilisation
around this case will change rape laws for the better, we are aware that a
legal response alone is deeply inadequate in tackling what is a systemic
devaluation of women. Women’s groups, along with seizing the opportunities that
this moment brings, will continue to confront violence against women, like they
always have. In addition, we need to revisit our strategies, and perhaps
consolidate some, and rethink others. We need to continue the conversations
around women’s freedom and build a culture where a woman has autonomy over her
body and sexuality.
[1] Rape in the Indian Penal Code has been defined
under section 375 and 376 and we have concentrated on a specific aspect of the
same. The law also describes what can be called aggravated cases of rape, such
as custodial rape, rape on a pregnant woman and gang rape.
[2] An example of the same can be understood
through the experience of Sohalia Abdulali
[3] An example of this is this piece by Liz Jones
in the Daily Mail, UK
[4] Opinion piece by Libby Purves in the Times, London ; Indian women need a cultural
earthquake, 31st
December 2012
CREA is a feminist human rights organisation
based in New Delhi , India . CREA works to
advance the rights of women and girls, and the sexual and reproductive freedoms
of all people.
CREA works in partnership with RHM journal to
publish the Hindi language edition of Reproductive Health Matters
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Memorandum to Home Minister from AIDWA
ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC
WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION
NO. 2253- E , SHADI KHAMPUR, NEW RANJIT
NAGAR,
NEW DELHI-110008
PH: 011-25700476, 25709565
Date: 15th Jan.2013
To,
The Union Minister for Home Affairs,
Government of India
New Delhi-110001
Thank you for meeting our
delegation on the issues concerning the rape victims from Haryana. We brought
to your notice 11 specific cases with the details given in the memorandum
submitted by the Akhil Bharatiya Janwadi Mahila Samily (AIDWA) who have been
following the cases. Among the 11 cases, two cases are of children aged between
four and six, one is a disabled girl who is blind and can neither hear nor
speak, aged around 13, two are adolescents aged 15 and 16. Of them seven belong
to the scheduled caste community. All of them without exception are from poor
families many of whom eke out a living as daily workers. You saw for yourself
their terrible situation.
1. Following Supreme Court orders
for State Governments to institute measures for rehabilitation of victims of
sexual assault, the Haryana Government issued a notification dated December 11, 2011 for rehabilitation
and support services for rape victims. However no action has been taken to
implement the notification. In the above mentioned eleven cases no
rehabilitation measures have been taken. Even in the case of a child, where the
family has had to spend over one lakh rupees to get the required reconstructive
surgeries done since the child had been violently violated, no help has been
given. This you will agree is a most terrible situation. We therefore urge you
to ensure that the notification is implemented. In the specific eleven cases we
request you to intervene so that the victims can be rehabilitated. Without
support, it is difficult for the families to survive.
2. In five of the eleven cases,
the police officials are directly culpable for further victimisation of the
victims. These include the case of the four year old in Jind, where the police
refused to file a case under Sec. 376 in spite of the medical report. In the
list given to you, the police in Karnal, Jind, Rohtak,Gurgaon,Panipat (details
in the case papers) are responsible for violating the law. However, no action
has been taken in a single case. We request you to intervene so that a strong
message can be send to the police that such criminal callousness and
non-implementation of the law will be severely punished. In some of the cases
the main culprits have not been arrested and the families are under tremendous
pressure to withdraw the cases. Unless strict action is taken the processes of
justice will be even further subverted.
3. In the matter of court cases,
no fast track courts have been set up. In five of the cases which are in court,
there is negligible legal support from the State and the families simply cannot
afford to hire lawyers. It is essential to ensure legal help and fast track the
cases.
We have come to you because the
Haryana Government has not taken any action in spite of our earlier requests.
We hope that with your intervention, the Government of Haryana will be
persuaded to take the required action and the rape victims and their families
can rebuild their lives in a secure environment. Further, we request you to take whatever action for
rehabilitation for the victims, from the Home Ministry which you consider
appropriate.
With regards,
Sd/- Sd/-
Brinda Karat Jagmati
Sangwan
(Ex. Rajya Sabha (MP) (National Vice-President AIDWA)
Press Statement from AIDWA
ALL INDIA DEMOCRATIC
WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION
NO. 2253- E , SHADI KHAMPUR, NEW RANJIT
NAGAR,
NEW DELHI-110008
PH: 011-25700476, 25709565
Press
Statement
One month after the horrific Delhi
gangrape, the Central and State Governments are yet to learn any lessons. This
is shown by the refusal to pinpoint accountability and responsibility for those
responsible. Top police officials including the Police Commissioner and those
heading the Transport Ministry in Delhi
should have been acted against. Why has the Central Government and the Sheila
Dikshit Government not acted?
While expressing its solidarity with the family and the
friend of the young woman who was also a victim, the AIDWA reiterates its
demand for action against the Police Commissioner and those responsible for the
Transport department in Delhi . It
demands that the Government provide assistance and support for the family now
and in the future and for the friend. The case must be completed speedily and
the criminals brought to justice
Yesterday a delegation of the AIDWA with Brinda Karat and
Jagmati Sangwan met the Home Minister Shri Shinde to press for action from the
Central Government on issues concerning sexual assault. However in spite of all
the high sounding statements from the Central Government the attitude of the
Home Minister did not inspire any confidence of a change in attitude to
understand the urgency of issues involved. The delegation gave a memorandum
(copy enclosed) on rape cases in neighbouring Haryana which cited 11 cases to
illustrate Government attitude. The State Government has utterly failed to take
action against police officials who violated the law, for rehabilitation of the
rape survivors and for fast track courts. Many of the victims themselves were
present.
The Home Minister had no answer as to why there was no
monitoring of the Centre’s rehabilitation proposals to the States or why there
was no funding for such schemes. It is shocking that there is still no urgency
on the part of the Central Government to ensure action to make India
safe for women and children which was exemplified by the attitude of the Home
Minister.
The AIDWA demands that the
Central Government ensure standard operating procedures in cases of sexual
assault which must be followed throughout the country. This must include
inquiry and action against police officials on basis of complaints of victims
that they were further victimized by the police; rehabilitation for survivors;
speedy justice procedures.
Sd/- Sd/-
Sudha Sundar raman Jagmati Sangwan
(General Secretary) (Vice President) Wednesday, 9 January 2013
Seminar on " Exclusions from the Archive: histories of daughters devaluation and female infanticide in colonial India" 10th January 2013 at 3.00 PM
Jawaharlal Nehru University, Women's Studies Programme SSS-II, organised a Seminar on Exclusions from the archive: histories of daughters devaluation and female infanticide in colonial India" 10th January 2013 at 3.00 PM by Rashmi Bhatnagar(Pittsburg University; currently visiting Scholar, Delhi University)
Venue: Room No. 002, SSS-II, Jawaharlal Nehru University At 3.00 PM
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