Rural Literacy and Health Programme conducts jatha on women’s rights

Rural Literacy and Health Programme raises awareness on women's rights and empowerment through city jatha on International Women's Day.

Rural Literacy and Health Programme (RLHP), an organisation engaged in promoting development issues, took out an awareness jatha in the city on Thursday to draw attention to the rights of women, and the growing atrocities against them in society.

This was part of the International Women’s Day programme, and the organisers said atrocities assume various forms, including child marriages or molestation of minors, the prevalence of teenage pregnancy, etc. The need of the hour was equality for which empowerment of women was imperative, and the government should take measures to encourage women’s participation in public service.

Deputy Commissioner of Police S. Jahnavi, who flagged off the jatha, said women’s empowerment and society’s progress were interlinked. Wherever women are empowered, such a society tends to be progressive, paving the way for all-round development.

She highlighted a few initiatives taken by the government to encourage greater participation in various activities by the women staff in the department.

Ms. Jahnavi said there was the concept of “Pink Garuda” in Mysuru which was like any other mobile police squad but entirely manned by women.

The vehicle frequently visits places where girl students tend to be in large numbers like in front of colleges or women workers near factories etc. The women staff create awareness to the audience on their legal rights and protection, said Ms. Jahnavi.

The jatha was followed by a programme where resource persons spoke on various issues pertaining to women’s rights and challenges confronting them.