Women and the society need to play an active role in order to protect the rights of women, said Prof Amita Dhanda, Professor of Law from Nalsar University, in her talk on the occasion of the conclusion of Gender and Law Fest at University of Hyderabad. She stated that when there is a collaborative effort between the society and law, both can mutually protect their rights.
The office of the Dean Students’ Welfare and Centre for Women’s Studies jointly organized a Gender and Law Fest at University of Hyderabad, where they organized a series of competitions on the directive of National and Debate Commission for Women, such as Online quiz on the awareness of legal rights of women and a debate. The programme was coordinated by Prof Rekha Pande, Head., Centre for Women’s studies and Dr G.Padmaja, Deputy Dean, Student Welfare.
As a conclusion of this programme on Gender and Law fest, a session was organized at CV Raman auditorium at University of Hyderabad where Prof Amita Dhanda participated as a chief guest and delivered a talk on ‘Failures of Legal Protection: Me too and More’. In this talk she analyzed the reasons for failure of both laws and society to protect the rights of women.Owing to the issues pertaining to topics like ‘me too’ and others the harassment faced by women is openly discussed in the society .Yet, in order that enough justice is done to women from legal perspective too, she said that a woman has to enhance her her legal awareness and improve her active participation.
Prof Appa Rao Podile, Vice Chancellor of the University who inaugurated the session, emphasized that several such programmes systematically organized will be helpful to women in protecting their rights. He appreciated the efforts of the organizers in conducting such programmes and encouraged them to continue organizing such programmes which benefit the students in multiple perspectives to expand their awareness.
On this occasion, prizes were distributed to the students who were winners of online quiz on legal awareness of women’s rights as well as winners in the debate on the topic ‘The Supreme court verdict on the entry of women into the Sabarimala temple’. Winners of the first prize were given Rs 2000/-, Second prize – Rs 1500/- and third prize Rs 1000/- cash prizes respectively along with certificates.
A number of students as well as Faculty participated in the programme with enthusiasm and posed questions after the talk which were aptly answered and clarified by Prof Amita Dhanda. Prof Debashis Acharya, Dean, Student Welfare and Prof Darla Venkateswara Rao, Deputy Dean Student Welfare and others participated in the programme.