Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, NCW was Chief Guest at seminar on Economic Empowerment in Context with Domestic Violence at Indore on 21.04.2014. The seminar was organized by Shiv Kumar Institute of Technology and Science, Indore established in 2007 by Smt. Chanda Sisodiya, with a mission to provide the best possible education experience through excellence in teaching and research activities.

The programme commenced with lighting of lamp and traditional welcome of guests.

Dr. Madhuri Sathi, Principal, Shiv Kumar Institute of Science and Technology welcomed the chief guest, dignitaries and comprising group heads and secretaries of SHGs, students and others.

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna giving the inaugural address said society considers home as a secure place where individuals think and care about one another and contribute to the development of one another. But the unfortunate reality is that it is in the home where women are victims of violence whether as wives, sisters or daughters.

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna said that it is important to understand domestic violence in the context of social inequalities rather than on the dynamics of individual relationships. The discrimination between male and female is so deep that families normally imbibe and absorb these prejudices in an unconscious manner. The male does not consider acts of violence against a woman as being a crime. On the other hand, a woman also does not realize she is in an abusive relationship as a result she develops an inferiority complex, starts losing her self confidence. She blames herself for the violent behavior of her partner and tells herself she deserves it. When the woman assumes a passive role, the man’s aggressive tendencies get further aggravated and he starts believing that he can indulge in violence and get away with it.

Member further said that with aims of providing more effective protection of the rights of the women, who are victims of domestic violence The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 and The Projection of Women from Domestic Violence Rules, 2006 have been passed. A woman need not go to the police station, now she can file a complaint even by a simple telephone call. She implored the women to take advantage of the laws made for their protection.

Women actively involved in the field of social work at the grassroots level were honoured at the award giving ceremony.

Dr. Charu WaliKhanna ended by saying that it is time to transform description of womanhood from ‘Abla jeevan hai tumharai yahi kahani, aanchal mein hai doodh aur aakhon mein paani’ to “Arise, awake, stop not till the goal is reached” which she quoted from the poster of Swami Vivekananda pasted on a wall at the Venue.