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SWAR (THE WOMEN’S CELL)

Yaggyaseni Mittra (Secretary)

In the recent years,the word “GENDER” has assumed a very significant position in different societies worldwide. Human population has grown to the consciousness of women not being confined to the domestic spheres. SWAR is one such core committee of St.Xaviers College which emancipates and champions the cause of women. Headed by Dr.Panchali Sen (HOD-Political Science Department) and a group of core committee members SWAR has been achieving success by organizing seminars and workshops regularly.

A Gender Sensitizing Programme was organized in collaboration with IAWRT (International Association of Women in Radio and Television) on the 3rd and 4th of September,2010 inaugurated by Rev.Fr.Felix Raj S.J.(Principal-St.Xaviers College,Kolkata) followed by a speech by Debosree Chatterjee (OC-Lal Bazar Thana-Women and Child Trafficking Department) on molestation and steps on combating prostituition. She mentioned that except brothels, trafficking is carried out in parlours, rented flats and pathological clinics where college students are active participants. Sohini Chakraborty-the founder of SANGBED performed a dance drama and explained how trafficked victims can be rejuvenated back again to their normal mode of living by dedicating themselves to dance. A film was showed by Prof.Ananya Chatterjee in association with Cinemawoman. Rajashri Dasgupta spoke on “Ethical Reporting in Media” and Anindya, a member of an association called SANHITA gave a vivid account of what Sexual Harassment means and showed a documentary relating to the same topic.

On the 4th of September,2010 the seminar started by a speech by Gerd Inger Polden from Norway (member of IAWRT) on Mid-Wives followed by a documentary on the same shot in Israel. Elizabeth Miller from Canada (member of IAWRT and a professor of Concordia University) gave an elaborate account of how women are intetegrally related to Water Privatization and Refugee Problems. Jai Chandiram (India Chapterhead of IAWRT) spoke on the issue of Condom Normalisation with a few video clips and divided groups to come up with suggestions for awareness amongst the masses of society.

The 2 days seminar was a great success attended by students from different departments as well as teachers. SWAR looks forward for organizing more seminars and workshops and achieve all the more success in the near future to come for championing the causes of women and making the students who are to become responsible citizens, gender sensitized.