Women’s Day is one day when the spirit of womanhood is saluted across the world.
On Sunday, in the city, women from across barriers of age and social spectrum came together as one, running along for a cause, taking part in awareness programmes on women’s empowerment, rights and health.
Run for herSeek Foundation and St. Britto’s College commemorated Women’s Day by organising ‘Womanathon – Run with Her or Run for Her’.
The marathon began at 6 a.m. from Gandhi Statue on Anna Salai and went along Marina beach. Flagged off by film director A.L. Vijay, as many as 4,500 people took part. Money raised through the event is to be used by Seek Foundation to support and educate girl children.
Awareness on sexual abuseNakshatra, Snegithi and Sahodaran NGOs chose to celebrate the day by conducting an awareness programme on sexual abuse of women and children at the Tsunami Quarters in Puduvannai.
An art and storytelling workshop on safety was facilitated by members of Snegithi in addition to an awareness-building session organised for writers, activists and scholars. The event also had many city policemen participating in the sessions.
Women’s healthWomen and Children Foundation Ltd. used the day as an opportunity to reflect on the medical needs of women across the country.
It launched a women’s night casualty service with free transport facility to enable women to avail of healthcare services during late hours. The Indian Medical Association and TRIMED too highlighted issues of women’s health.
Rema Raghu, clinical director, TRIMED, pointed to rising incidence of hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease and kidney ailments among young women and elaborated on the range of integrative medical therapies that could be employed to tackle it.
Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy, founder and managing director of TRIMED, launched SHAKTI — the institute’s new paradigm for preventive women’s health.
EmpowermentAnother NGO, Hand in Hand, also marked Women’s Day earlier last week. Activities revolved around the theme, ‘Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity: Picture It!”
Women from self-help groups painted rangolis on themes of equal opportunities for women and access to higher education, health and sanitation.
The NGO also felicitated 10 women entrepreneurs from across the State for having emerged successful against all odds, and breaking stereotypical social and economic barriers.
(Compiled by Nitya Menon. Additional reporting by V. Venkatasubramanian)
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INFOBOX
UNSAFE CITYSCAPES
strap: Though the no. of rape cases reported in Chennai is over 10 times lower than in Delhi, unreported or under-reported incidents like street harassment remain serious problems that the city needs to tackle
No. of rapes reported
City |
| ||
2013 | 2012 | 2011 | |
Delhi | 1,441 | 585 | 453 |
Mumbai | 391 | 232 | 221 |
Chennai | 83 | 94 | 76 |
Kolkata | 75 | 68 | 46 |
Source: National Crime Records Bureau
Compiled by Ajai Sreevatsan
