Karnataka - Belgaum   

Unite to fight against atrocities, women told

Belgaum: Women should unite to fight against social evils such as foeticide, poverty, exploitation and atrocities, said Deputy Commissioner M.E. Shivalingamurthy at a function organised to mark International Women’s Day here on Saturday.

He said the Government had launched several programmes for the welfare of women and girls leading to their empowerment in various fields, including education and governance. Women should come forward to take advantage of these programmes, he said.

Drawing attention towards the falling sex ratio owing to female foeticide and gender discrimination in the country, he called upon women to intensify their campaign against the problem and assured help from the administration.

Addressing the function organised by Sakthi Mahila Sangha, a collective of women in sex work, and BIRDS, a voluntary organisation, activist Usha Rani complimented the organisers for taking up HIV prevention programmes and their fight to ensure that the marginalised women got their rights.

District Health Officer D.C. Mannoli asked the women to take care of their health by utilising the services available at government hospitals.

Brian Gilligan, project director of Corridors, a voluntary organisation, appreciated the initiative of sex workers in spreading awareness and healthy habits among women.

“Peer educators are more effective than outsiders and these women have shown the way in spreading safer sex practices to prevent HIV,” he said. Social worker R.M. Patil, who is instrumental in launching various programmes for the welfare of marginalised women and a movement for the eradication of Devadasi system, called upon the women to fight for their rights.

Several organisations and institutions also observed the day.

Members of the district unit of the National Federation of Indian Women took out a procession in the city and submitted a memorandum to the Government demanding more committed measures to stop atrocities against women. Women associated with the KLE Society, including the staff of the KLE Prabhakar Kore Hospital, also participated.

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