SMVDU organizes awareness campaign on Women’s Rights & Domestic Violence

Guest speakers lighting ceremonial lamp during awareness programme at SMVDU.
Guest speakers lighting ceremonial lamp during awareness programme at SMVDU.

Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Oct 13: The Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) and National Service Scheme (NSS), SMVDU jointly organized a one day Awareness Campaign on Women’s Rights and Domestic Violence (Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act), here today.
Chief guest for the event was Prof Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor, SMVDU and guest of honor were Nagendra Singh Jamwal, Registrar, SMVDU. Neeraj Gupta, Finance Officer SMVDU, presented welcome address. They illuminated on the subject and asked the students to appeal if they face sexual violence so that the perpetrators don’t get emboldened.
In this context, two expert lectures were delivered. Kiran Thakur, Advocate, Jammu High Court, spoke about ‘Rights, Responsibilities, and Remedies: Domestic Violence Awareness Workshop’ and briefed the students about the basics of Domestic Violence, its types and examples of abuse one might be inflicted upon.
This was followed by an interactive illustration demonstrating the guidelines of the Domestic Violence Act. A video documentary on ‘Why Indian households normalize domestic violence’ was consequently played.
The next guest Lecture on ‘Sexual Harassment and Police FIR’ was delivered by Neeta Verma, a Criminal Lawyer, and a member of the International Council of Jurists and practicing Advocate at the Supreme Court of India. She elucidated the details of the Sexual Harassment Act and the POSH Act, and the different sections under ICC that fend off sexual violence.
The audience was made aware about the Universal Helpline Numbers (WHL) and One Stop Centers (OSC) available in case they need to lodge a complaint. The event was organized by the team comprising of Dr Sharada Potukuchi, Dr Sunanda, Vinod Kumar, B K Bhatia, Anu Suri, Members of the ICC; Minerva, Manya Verma, Samiksha, Student Members of ICC; Dr Rajiv Kumar, Dr Kamaldeep, the Coordinators of NSS Unit of SMVDU and Jaipal Jamwal, staff associated with ICC and the student volunteers from various Schools of the University. The vote of thanks was proposed by B K Bhatia, Placement Officer, SMVDU.