Karnataka   

‘Women’s empowerment begins at home’

Chitradurga: The ability of non-governmental organisations to help empower women is limited, advocate D.K. Shila has said. The actual process of developing independence should begin at home, she said, adding that women should not be discriminated against.

Speaking at a programme organised to celebrate International Women’s Day here on Saturday, she said that discrimination at home would amount to a violation of human rights.

She observed that the advancement of women was possible only when they were financially independent.

Ms. Shila stressed the need for organising such programmes regularly, as it helped boost the morale of women.

Lecturer at Boys’ Pre-University College Rohini Basavaraj said that according to a Supreme Court order, grievance redressal committees had been constituted in districts with the aim of helping women who were subjected to atrocities or harassment at their workplaces. She expressed regret over women refusing to lodge complaints against those violating their rights. This only encouraged the people who victimised them, she said.

“Not only physical harassment, but even making obscene gestures is considered an offence,” she said.

With regard to the increase in female foeticide, she said such inhuman practices had led to a drastic decline in the number of females in the county. The gender ratio was increasing mainly in developing and underdeveloped countries, she added.

She said laws had been framed to curb exploitative practices, but would not do much unless people refrained from considering the girl child as unwanted.

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