Centre for Women’s Studies, University of Jammu celebrate International Women’s Day

 To celebrate the International Women’s Day, the Centre for Women’s Studies, University of Jammu in collaboration with Government College of Education, Jammu organized a workshop  on the theme: “Breaking the Silence: Promoting Gender Sensitization and Legal Awareness for Equality and Justice at GCOE, Canal Road Jammu. The workshop focused on empowering women, addressing gender equality, and to enhance the understanding of legal rights and protections available to ensure dignity, safety, and equal opportunities for all. The program was held under the guidance of Prof. Savita Nayyar, Director, Centre for Women’s Studies and Dr.Jyoti Parihar, Principal, GCOE, Jammu whose leadership and vision played a pivotal role in shaping the event.

 The Resource person of the program was Prof. Savita Nayyar, Director, Centre for Women’s Studies. In her lecture she spoke that Gender sensitization is very essential as it helps us to develop empathy, respect differences, and build an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued. She said that sensitization is not about blaming any gender, rather it is about understanding, fairness, and mutual respect. This type of workshops will promote gender sensitization by creating awareness about stereotypical roles, fostering respect for equality, and encouraging critical reflection on biases that exist in society.

Further, she also gave detailed inputs on Constitutional and various statutory provisions available for the safeguard of the women and stressed on the need to have awareness regarding the legal rights. While expressing her concerns she said that laws exist to protect dignity, ensure safety, and guarantee equal opportunities, however, these rights are meaningful only when individuals are aware of them. Knowledge of legal protections empowers individuals to stand up against discrimination, harassment, and injustice and encourages one to question biases and adopt attitudes that promote equality in our homes, workplaces, and society.

Dr. Jyoti Parihar, Principal, GCOE,  in her remarks said that true empowerment does not come only from policies, laws, or external support systems rather it begins from within. It is rooted in self-belief, self-respect, and self-awareness and education plays a transformative role in this process. She also said that when individuals recognize their own worth and capabilities, they become confident enough to claim their rights and fulfill their responsibilities. She expressed gratitude to the Centre for Women’s Studies for collaborating with the college. 

Large number of Students and faculty members very enthusiastically participated in the workshop. Many questions were raised by the participants which were answered by the resource person to their satisfaction. The event served as a vital platform for discussions on number of barriers and challenges which are required to be removed for women's empowerment, leadership, and gender equity. Dr. Saranjit Kaur, Facuty, Centre for Women’s Studies coordinated the program and Dr. Shubhra Jamwal, Faculty GCOE conducted the proceedings and also presented formal vote of thanks.