NCW held a seminar on how to improve the social status of women from minority communities
National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with National Foundation of Communal Harmony, Ministry of Home Affairs, organised a seminar on “promoting peace and harmony, social exclusion of women of minority communities and challenges and remedies” at India Habitat Centre.
The seminar was organised to explore in-depth status of women of different communities particularly the minorities in term of their social exclusion and deprivation.The address was delivered by ambassador Ashok Sajjanhar, secretary, National Foundation for Communal Harmony. He said that the social inclusion of women of minority communities will be possible only when we change the mindset of society and implement the laws made for women.
DR Kaartihikeyen, president, Foundation for Peace and Harmony & Good Governance was the chief guest. In his inaugural address he called for equal status for women.
He added that there are controversies over the women rights specially on the Muslim women rights as most of them are deprived of educational, legal, cultural and social rights which led to their social exclusion. He emphasised on the need for more media coverage to such programmes as media persons should give more space to it instead of politics.
Shamina Shafiq, member, NCW said that women of minority communities in India are more vulnerable to social exclusion and discrimination. These women often experience multiple level of violence due to their poverty, low literacy and social marginalisation.She said that effort would be made to address the issue of social exclusion and vulnerability of women belonging to minority communities through this seminar.
Mohini Giri, the former chairperson, NCW while moderating the panel discussions emphasised on the need for implementing the outcome of the seminars by the government. The other panelist of the discussion were Zakia Sonam, managing trustee, Centre for Peace Studies, prof Mondira Dutta, chairperson, Centre for Inner Asian Studies, JNU and AK Merchant lotus Temple.
The panel discussion on the status of women of minority communities was chaired by Hemlata Kheria, member, NCW while prof Farida Khan, member, National Commission for Minorities was the moderator of the discussion.laldignnliani Sailo, member, NCW chaired the panel discussion on govt and civil society initiatives to prevent and curb marginalisation of women and improve status of women for inclusive society.