The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Women should be made aware of laws of land, says Purandeswari

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Monday, Mar 23, 2009
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Women should be made aware of laws of land, says Purandeswari

Staff Reporter

Education has to be redefined to make them aware of their rights

— Photo: K. PICHUMANI

Union Minister of State for Human Resources D. Purandeswari presenting the “World Wellness Champion” award to D.R. Kaarthikeyan, former Director, Central Bureau of Investigation, at the valedictory session of the World Wellness Women’s Congress here on Sunday. B.M. Hegde, former vice-chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, is in the picture.

CHENNAI: Infanticide, foeticide, discrimination against the girl child and dowry issues continued to exist despite laws against them, said D. Purandeswari, Union Minister of State for Human Resources. Women had to be made aware of the laws of the land for which education was necessary.

Speaking at a valedictory session of the World Wellness Women’s Congress here on Sunday, she said to empower women, education had to be redefined to make them aware of their rights.

She said politicians could educate women on their rights too and various forums and organisations could help them in their endeavour.

“Today, empowerment is only associated with economic independence and this needs to be changed,” said Ms. Purandeswari. Striking the right balance between the family and professional life would be empowerment rather than one assuming more importance than the other. Wellness of women had to be redefined to include both physical and mental health, she said.

On Lok Sabha elections, Ms. Purandeswari believed that Congress would emerge as the single largest party, but there would be a coalition at the Centre. She said she was contesting from Visakhapatnam. In the last elections, Ms. Purandeswari contested from Bapatla constituency, which is reserved for SCs.

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