The United Nations General Assembly defines ‘violence against women’ as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”
The Post Graduate Department of Social Work and Women Empowerment Cell of P.G. Centre, St. Philomena College, Puttur had jointly organized ‘Women’s Day -Orientation Programme’ at P.G. Centre in view of organizing a massive rally in opposing the ever-increasing violence against women on 8th March, 2013 in Mangalore .
On this occasion Coordinator of P.G. Dept of Social Work, Mr. Prasanna Kumar addressed that today’s youth, especially budding professionals should develop positive attitude towards women folk who constitute half of the population and raise their voice against mounting offensive acts on them.
Guests of the programme, Mr. B.R. Karkera, Mr. Mohan Das, Mr. Mohan Sheni – members of Breakthrough organization expressed their impatience against women violence through group songs.
The Resource Person of the programme, Mrs. Manjula – member of Breakthrough organization, Mangalore oriented students about various kinds of violence targeted upon women. This session explored challenges at the forefront of the process of women empowerment and various connotations of the issue. As various organizations united together to oppose growing violence against women through a public meeting on 8th March, 2013 in Mangalore, students were encouraged and invited to participate in this massive rally.
Mrs. Anila Kumari B, convener of Women Empowerment Cell at P.G. Centre, opinioned that living free from violence is human right, yet millions of women and girls suffer disproportionately from brutality, therefore we need to understand the severity of this social problem & come together to enlighten our policy designers and make them to be functional in protecting and promoting the life of women in our society.
Sr. Shamala, Lecturer, PG Dept of Social Work, expressed thanks to everyone at the end of the session. Mrs. Anila Kumari B, convener of Women Empowerment Cell at P.G. Centre compeered the programme.