CYSD and the RD Women’s University to start a long-term action-research project to eradicate atrocity against women
November 02
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data of 2020 puts Odisha as the second highest in the rate of crimes against women and girls in the country.
Campaign against gender-based violence
The gender-based violence reached an alarming high during the COVID-19 pandemic. In such situation, it is high time we took measures to empower and involve men to achieve gender equality, said Prof. Aparajita Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor, Rama Devi (RD) Women’s University.
“As basically, the perpetrators are male, efforts need to be made to understand their psychology and behavior and involve them in the process of eradicating sexual gender-based violence (SGBV),” Chowdhury added.
She was addressing the audience at the learning-cum-experience sharing programme on ‘Quick Impact Project’ to mitigate Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) through community awareness and support system organised by the Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD) and the Centre for Gender Studies, RD University here on Tuesday.
The Quick Impact Project is an initiative by the CYSD to eradicate the SGBV through community participation. It is being implemented in three tribal-dominated
districts – Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Koraput.
She announced that the CYSD and the RD University will have a long-term coordinated action-research project on gender-based violence in the state.
Crimes against women have increased despite the fact that legal provisions are in place and there have been a lot of efforts at community, state, national and international levels, said Jagadananda, Mentor and Co-founder, CYSD. In such situation the CYSD has been emphacising on the importance of preparing community cadres including both men and women to address the gender-based violence at
local levels.
Jagadananda emphasized on the need to reach out to the victims and measures to ensure that they can have easy access to facilities – like one-stop centres (OSCs); Swadhar Grehs; Mahila O Shishu Desk at district headquarters police stations and Ujjawala Homes – which are meant to prevent and address gender-based violence. He also underlined the need for sensitive counseling of sexually-assaulted women and girls.
CYSD’s gender coordinator Uppali Mohanty raised concern over under-reporting of cases of violence due to lack of awareness and psychological pressure.
Many women have applied for divorce during the pandemic period and most are from well-to-do families, said Dr Minati Behera, Chairperson, Odisha State Commission for Women. So, gender-based violence is prevalent among all strata of society. She urged upon the women to raise their voice to end violence.
Bishaka Bhanja, member of National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO), Odisha Chapter, shed light on the need to transform the gendered terminologies. “There should be equal distribution of power and responsibility between boys and girls and it needs to start from family,” she added.
Mousumi Kundu, Deputy Director, Program BreakThrough, New Delhi analysed atrocities against women from a psychological perspective and said gender-based discrimination and violence is deeply ingrained in our psyche.
A number of mechanisms are in place for promotion of economic empowerment of women. However, the perspective of gender equality needs to be integrated into these mechanisms, said Ms Alka Narang, Gender Specialist, UNDP, New Delhi.
Among others, Prof. (Dr.) Jyotirmayee Acharya, Dept. of Gender Studies, RD University spoke on the occasion. Community leaders from Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Koraput districts shared their experience and challenges on how they are working to prevent gender-based violence in their respective areas.
Aliva Mohanty of RD University proposed the vote of thanks.
