Skewed sex ratio, societal mindset, and apathy are all contributory factors to gender violence in society. This formed the theme of a day-long legal workshop as part of extended Women’s Day celebrations organised by Nagapattinam Meenava Pengal Peravai jointly with SNEHA, an NGO working with coastal communities, in Nagapattinam on Tuesday. The stark realities on gender violence and its relation to skewed sex ratio were outlined by Pavizham, State committee member of Campaign against Sex Selective Abortion (CASSA). The rise in sexual crimes has had a direct relation to the increase in child marriages in districts like Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri.
An array of legal safeguards starting with the functioning of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, the Verma Committee recommendations on violence against women, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act were discussed.
The fisherwomen’s collectives also passed an action plan calling for establishing standing committees at panchayats to check violence against women. Similarly, establishment of CASH (committees against sexual harassment) for women in lines with the committees to prevent sexual harassment at workplace in order to ensure harassment-free environment was passed as part of the action plan.
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The fisherwomen’s collectives were issued education scholarships to the tune of Rs.7.60 lakh for 1,200 children under the aegis of LIC. The collectives have been insured with the government insurer since 2006. In recognition of their collective self-sustenance enabling economic and social security, LIC as part of its social responsibility has disbursed the scholarships. Earlier, Collector T.Munusamy lauded the women’s initiatives in sustaining such a community collective action.