Students, particularly women, must have the confidence and dedication to achieve their goal, said V. Deepa, Member Secretary, District Legal Services Authority.
Addressing the valedictory function of a month-long internship programme for a group of 15 students from different colleges in the State, hosted by People’s Watch, a non-governmental organisation focussing on human rights, here on Tuesday, she recounted her years of battle with societal and familial pressures surrounding her career choice. “I am from an orthodox family which used to get women married off when they were young. Every stage – Class 10, Class 12 and college – was a battle for me. I could succeed only with the support I received from the women in my family,” she said.
Ms. Deepa said women must take efforts to disprove the menial expectations that people had of their gender. “The confidence that good things will happen to us one day is the only thing that takes us forward,” she said.
She congratulated People’s Watch for organising such a comprehensive training camp. The camp involved field visits to places like Melavalavu and Bodinayakanur. The students also visited the Government Tuberculosis Hospital in Thoppur, District Child Protection Unit office, Child Welfare Committee and several other government wings. They received training in theory from facilitators at People’s Watch.
Henri Tiphagne, Executive Director, People’s Watch, wanted filing of more public interest litigations by the DLSA that could benefit the people.
Students, who completed the internship programme, said they would be forming an organisation called ‘Next Friends Collective’ to ensure that legal education was given to students and legal services be provided to all.
