Consultation at SBN Girls College, Jaipur To review #Beijing+20 strategies

#YOUBeijing20 caravan reached Jaipur on 19^th November at Bhawani Niketan Girls College to take the discussion with the youth forward. The event was organized with the support of Dr. Ritu Meh, ra Professor, SBN PG Girls College. Two team members, Mehak Jhingon and Arnika Singh represented Centre for Social Research at the event.

About 67 participants from different streams participated in the discussion and the energy that the participants showed during the discussion was incredible. Even the number of entries that were received for the competitions was extremely overwhelming.

The event began with a welcoming song presented by three very young students of the college followed by an introduction by the University Coordinator. Post this session, an introduction by the CSR team members was done, where they also talked about the work that CSR has been doing since past three decades. Next, a presentation was made on the relevance of Beijing Platform for Action to take the discussion further. With 3 street plays, 18 posters and 4 presentations this event was a great success in terms of student engagement, discussions and debates.

CSR team members facilitated the group activity to pen down the recommendations from the youth based on the 12 critical areas of concern identified by the Beijing platform.

Recommendations from the youth in Jaipur

Violence against Women

1. Self Defense Trainings should be mandatory in school curriculum
2. Help lines and One Stop Crisis Centers for Women should be set up immediately

For Girl Child

1. Implementation of Laws and Policies which punishes the accused charged for sex selective abortions
2. Timely and Surprise checkups in all clinics and hospitals to keep a check on sex selective abortions

Sexual Crimes against Women and Girls

1. The working of Fast Track Courts should be monitored timely to check on their effectiveness.
2. Emotional and Medical Counseling should be provided to the victims of sexual crimes to empower them to deal with the trauma.

Women & Environment

1. Awareness programmes in Villages about agricultural and dairy practices for women folk in the villages
2. Contribution of women in movements like Chipko movement should be highlighted and talked about so that more women are encouraged to work for the environment
3. Awareness should be spread on the importance of hygiene and sanitation
4. The harmful effects of using items like polythene bags should be talked about among the rural women. Along with this, they should be educated to use alternates like paper/cloth bags etc.

Women’s Participation in Politics:

1. Concept of separate women political parties should be encouraged at all levels
2. Participation of women in decision making process should be ensured at all levels
3. 50% Reservation should be made mandatory for women in politics / Women from all backgrounds (Tribal, Elderly, Youth etc.)
4. Voting age should be reduced to 16 years to encourage more participation
5. Special focus should be given to the elected women representatives from villages. The women sarpanch’s should be encouraged to take the decisions independently and not get influenced by the interference of the male members of the family.

Women in Media

1. The stories of ideal local personalities should be highlighted by the media so that more women are encouraged to lead any positive change.
2. Media should behave responsibly and avoid presenting a stereotypical image of women
3. Media should take the responsibility of spreading information about the rights of women

Human Rights of Women

1. Emphasis on gender equality should be laid on since the birth of child.
2. Awareness on sex selective abortions should be spread at major level and women should be empowered enough that they can raise their voices against sex selective abortions.

Women & Poverty

1. Schemes that empower women through micro credit and loan schemes should be implemented.

Women & Economy

1. Contribution of women in economy should be identified and recognized
2. The national budget should consider major allocations towards women’s health, education and safety
3. There should be schemes specifically for unemployed women.

Education and Training of Women

1. The government should tackle the issue of higher dropout rate of girls due to the lack of sanitation facilities in schools on immediate basis
2. The authorities should recognize and provide a solution to the issue of lack of transportation to reach the schools in rural areas.
3. Self Defense training should be made mandatory in school curriculum

The Girl Child

1. Issues like sex selective abortions, sex determination and lack of education should be addressed on immediate basis
2. Elimination of dowry practice

#Recommendation: Societies should boycott the families which discriminate between a girl and a boy child.

Women and Health

1. Adolescence – (Menstruation Issue) – More awareness should be spread on hygiene and cleanliness during the menstrual cycle through angadwadi workers
2. During Pregnancy – The facilities provided at the government hospitals should be checked upon on regular basis and up-gradation should happen for better health facilities.