Intertiol Women's Day: A day of assertion of equal rights

Special Correspondent

SILCHAR, March 8: Though there was no observance of intertiol women’s day officially or by any NGO or club in the district of Cachar due to the 12 hour bandh in protest against the brutal and inhuman lynching of a youth of Bhanga in Dimapur, the district administration issued a statement of facts for the knowledge and information of general public about the significance of the day.

 Intertiol Women's Day (IWD), also called Intertiol Working Women's Day, is celebrated on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political, and social achievements. Started as a socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily in Europe, especially those in the Soviet Block. In some regions, the day lost its political flavor, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.

 In other regions, however, the political and human rights theme desigted by the United tions runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner. This is a day which some people celebrate by wearing purple ribbons. In our country, the emphasis is to highlight the empowerment of women and various legal and constitutiol provisions for the protection of their rights, dignity and status in society.

 The statement based on the theme of treating women equally with men has been issued by Madhumita Choudhury, ADC and Chairperson, District Women Cell in the office of the Deputy Commissioner and Dr. Mahmood Husain Barbhuiya, Secretary, District Legal Aid Service. Clauses 14 and 15 of the Indian Constitution makes it clear that legally men and women enjoy equal rights and any discrimition on the basis of gender is regarded as a punishable offence. IPC 498 (K) gives the right to any woman for legal protection against her physical and mental torture by her husband or any member of her in-law house.

 Besides, under Prevention of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 can seek legal redressal in the event of her torture in her in-law home or parental home. IPC 125 provides for legal protection to women, parents and daughters for denial of maintence by their husbands, sons and daughters as well as by parents to their woman child respectively. Victims of sexual harassment at work place can lodge their complaints before the interl committee of the departments.

 The statement also refers to IPC 46 which grants protection to women from being detained and arrested before sunrise and after sunset without sufficient ground and the victims of physical exploitation can only be tried in the private chamber of the judge. There is also mention of protection of children from sexual offences under the 24 clause of Act of 2012. Women can file their grievances and problems before the district women cell.

Top Headlines

No stories found.
Sentinel Assam
www.sentinelassam.com