SEVAI observes Internationals Woman's Day Centenary

TRICHY the 8, March: SEVAI a Trichy based NGO observed the centenary of International Women's Day at SEVAI Community college, Trichy.The Principal of SEVAI community college Mrs.P.Chitra presided over the function.Mrs.P.Vanitha the Executive of Women program of SEVAI welcomed the gathering and enlightened the goals of observing the women’s day on the 8^th March every year and said ‘International Women’s Day, also known as the IWD and it is celebrated almost all over the world with celebrations ranging from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements. International Women’s day is celebrated on the 8th of March every year and this year the celebrations are going to be more exciting and memorable than the previous years. ‘ In her presidential address, Mrs.P.Chitra mentioned’ it is not enough the women only should know the rights and needs of the women and it is important the men and also the entire community should be aware of the women needs and give adequate space for women in the economic, political and social achievements of women. This year, March 8, celebrated as International Women’s Day (IWD) marks 100 years of the declaration and observation of the first International Women’s day. The first official celebration of Women’s Day happened on March 19 in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. This year the Women’s day is commemorating its 100 years. The United Nations designated 1975 as International Women's Year and the same year it gave official sanction to the IWD and began sponsoring International Women's Day events. All its member countries too started observing the IWD and women's group working for change in the status of women in these countries use the IWD to focus attention on issues about women's rights and to help push their agenda. In several countries, it is customary for men to give the women in their lives, mothers, wives, girlfriends or sisters, flowers and small gifts on the occasion. On 2 July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously voted to create a single UN body tasked with accelerating progress in achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment. She quoted UN resolution “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” and that “everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, birth or other status.”

Mrs. Percy Lal, Trichy District Resource Person of APAC of Link Workers Scheme delivered the key note address, Percy said ‘ As we celebrate International Women’s day centenary, we should also understand the current real status of rural women, significant number of women  become vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and associated infections due to ignorance and domination of the male members. Percy further said ‘the fundamental transformation that took place in Beijing was the recognition of the need to shift the focus from women to the concept of gender, recognizing that the entire structure of society, and all relations between men and women within it, had to be re-evaluated. Only by such a fundamental restructuring of society and its institutions could women be fully empowered to take their rightful place as equal partners with men in all aspects of life. This change represented a strong reaffirmation that women's rights were human rights and that gender equality was an issue of universal concern, benefiting all."Mrs. Percy added that Education is the foundation for all round development of women and Women and men united to end violence against women and girls. The international women’s day centenary should be promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion, she concluded “Earlier the functionaries SEVAI (www,sevai.in) performed awareness street play. Project Director of SEVAI Chitra released a book on women empowerment project successfully implemented by SEVAI.Mrs.Suda Byas proposed vote of Thanks.-Etram News