The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Educate daughters and teach sons gender parity, say Ministers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Educate daughters and teach sons gender parity, say Ministers

City Bureau

Chennai marks Women's Day with events designed to raise awareness

— PHOTO: S.R. Raghunathan

FULFILLING A NEED: Social Welfare Minister Poongothai (centre), presents audio equipment to a visually-impaired student at the International Women's Day celebrations in Chennai on Thursday. Animal Husbandry Minister Geetha Jeevan (right), is in the picture.

CHENNAI : International Women's Day was marked in the city on Thursday with a slew of events that sought to benefit women or raise awareness about their rights.

Tamil Nadu's women ministers recalled the contribution of rationalist reformer Periyar to the cause of women's liberation. Social Welfare Minister Poongothai and Animal Husbandry Minister Geetha Jeevan urged women to educate daughters and ensure that sons learnt about gender parity.

Letika Saran, Commissioner of Police, Chennai, pointed out that Tamil Nadu had the rare distinction of having women form 10 per cent of the police force.

K.M. Ramathal, chairperson, Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women, said that the commission would work with the police to ensure that complaints are dealt with promptly.

Tamil Nadu State Aids Control Society (TANSACS) project director Supriya Sahu said 385 outreach workers had been placed through NGOs at blocks and medical colleges to assist the nearly 3,000 HIV positive mothers who come to government hospitals. She was speaking at an event organised by the Positive Women's Network.

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited and the Chennai Region General Insurance Employees' Association organised special meetings for women. Asha Nivas organised a day out for underprivileged women at the YMCA grounds in Royapettah. K.K.P. Raja, Minister for Handlooms, and Susan Matthew, Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Corporation for the Development of Women, participated.

GSS Jain College for Women organised a variety of competitive events and Jayanthi Natarajan, spokesperson, AICC, New Delhi, participated in the programme on Thursday.

Women self-help groups with the Social Unity for Youth Awareness Movement Trust planted around 50 tree saplings in the Government Higher Secondary School premises at Kovilampakkam.

Awareness programme

Southern Railways organised an awareness programme on breast cancer for its employees. The Frontier Lifeline and Dr. K.M. Cherian Heart Foundation organised a free cardiac screening camp, in association with the Sea Food Exporters Association, Tamil Nadu, and Kasimedu Sea Food Merchants Welfare Association, at Royapuram. K.P.P. Samy, Minister of Fisheries, and Varshnie Jagdeo, First Lady of Guyana, participated.

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