A number of women have achieved dizzy heights, competing shoulder to shoulder with men. Yet, women face discrimination and atrocities are committed against them. “There is a need to change the mindset of everyone in society to achieve parity for women,” speakers said at the International Women’s Day celebrations.
Addressing a gathering of women employees, officers, and members of civil society at the official celebrations organised by the Women and Child Welfare Department on Sunday, Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao said that there was a need for a change in the mindset to help women achieve their full potential.
Underscoring the importance of education for empowerment of women, he asked everyone to work toward to achieve 100 per cent literacy among women.
Gender inequality was not real but only a fiction created to perpetuate control over women, Minister for Social Welfare Ravela Kishore Babu said.
“Gender discrimination is a violation of basic human right and uncivilised behaviour,” he said, calling upon everyone to fight it.
Mothers should not show any discrimination between sons and daughters and should inculcate respect in them for all women.
“This is the starting point for the change in outlook of men,” Anakapalle MP M. Srinivasa Rao said. Women should also not show any discrimination between daughters and daughters-in-law, he added. The nation’s development hinged on development of women and the NDA Government was committed to ensuring their welfare. A number of schemes had been launched for the benefit of women, said Visakhapatnam MP K. Haribabu.
“Let us not demean ourselves in front of men. If we have attained some position in society, it is due to our hard work,” ZP Chairperson Lalam Bhavani said.
MLAs — Palla Srinivasa Rao and P. Vishnu Kumar Raju — District Collector N. Yuvaraj, officials, and employees of the Women and Child Welfare Department were present.
