“Awaz Uthao”: Public Awareness Campaign on Women’s Safety

[Following is a Jamia press release dated Feb. 13, 2013]

A Public Awareness Campaign by the Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia was held on 13 February, 2013, from 2.30 – 4.30 P.M, at the Amphitheatre behind the Ansari auditorium, JMI.

As a precursor to the global ONE BILLION RISING, a movement started by Eve Ensler, which has more than 200 countries across the world participating in it, Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies & Centre for Equity and Inclusion (CEQUIN) organized a huge public awareness programme on women’s safety.

The other partners of the event were Samajik Suvidha Sangam of the Delhi Government and the NGO Srijanatmak Manushi Sanstha who performed the play – “Humein Na Bachayega Rupaiya Shadi ki bazaar mein” as part of the awareness campaign. This is a part of the Safe City Campaign of the UN Trust Fund and Delhi Government.

In the context of increasing crimes against women it is critical to bring together various stakeholders and build a collective and holistic response to the issue. There was an interactive session, with the Students, faculty from JMI, community members from the Jamia Nagar area, with Mr. Sudhir Yadav, Special Commissioner of Police. This programme had a central focus on raising our voices to stop violence against women.

With over 1500 people from the community and Jamia students, in the planned sequence of events there were several things on the agenda.

Smt Kiran Walia, Minister for Women and Child Department and Education, was the Chief Guest of the programme.

Prof S M Rashid, Pro Vice Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia inaugurated the event, amid much fanfare.

The evocative & inspiring inaugural speech by Prof. S.M. Rashid, Pro-Vice-Chancellor was followed by a speech by Ms. Sara Pilot, Chairperson of the partrners to the event CEQUIN. Feedback Session & Experience sharing by the people from the community & some students followed this.

The Finale to the Campaign was a vibrant address by  Kamla Bhasin, a seasoned feminist, activist, writer, who had the audience eating out of her hands, as they chanted slogans animatedly after her. She is also heading the OBR in S. Asia.

A ‘PEACE WALK’ led by the Jamia University and the larger Jamia community was held at 4 PM. A great start to the OBR, this is an event that has got the issue of violence against women on the forefront.

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