The day women become safe in this society, we can stop observing Women’s Day, said ADGP Sreelekha while speaking at the inaugural session of a seminar on ‘Sthree Suraksha’, organised by the Prajapita Brahmakumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya.
“I am waiting for a reply to my question on the legal standing of a complaint given by a man who has been accused of assaulting women. The present legal system is not equipped to protect women from atrocities against them,” Sreelekha said.
Journalist Parvathydevi, who spoke at the function, demanded strong laws against those who assault women.
“It is not with silence but with a deafening roar that women should protest. We should understand the torture the Delhi rape victim and the Suryanelli girl had to endure,” she said. Cheshire Home secretary Vimala Menon, said that women don’t attack men at night without reason.
Women’s Day was celebrated in the city in a never-before fashion with programmes being organised at every nook and corner.
The International Women’s Day celebrations of the Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) was inaugurated by V Sivankutty MLA at the Neeramankara NSS College. KSACS additional project director K Shylaja presided over the function.
At the seminar organised by the Kerala Pulayar Mahila Federation, NFIW national secretary Annie Raja said that women had not been able to move along with the progress achieved by the country.
“Not just sexual assaults, but a circumstance that denies any woman to live with self-respect needs to be treated as harassment,” she said.
Annie Raja also demanded that a separate Parliamentary session be convened to discuss the safety and security of women.
T N Seema MP, Lali Vincent, R Parvathidevy, James Vadakkumcheri, Sagar T Thevalappuram and Sunanda Rajan, among others, participated in the discussion.