Call to end violence against women

A German social activist Dr Sigrid Maurer exhorts parents to recognise and honour rights of girl children

It was the parents in a family who should first recognise and honour the rights of a girl child, pointed out a German social activist Dr Sigrid Maurer.
She said the protection of girls and women’s rights should begin at family level so that it could reflect on the society as a whole. Parents should treat their girl children on par with male children and ensure equitable opportunities to them.

Maurer is the coordinator, development cooperation for Karl Kübel Stiftung für Kind und Familie (Karl Kübel Foundation for Child and Family) based in Germany. She was here on Tuesday to attend an interaction programme with victims of domestic violence. The programme was organised by Hanamkonda-based Sarvodaya Youth Organisation (SYO), the local player for the foundation. Speaking on the occasion, the German activist stressed on the role of parents in upholding the rights of girl children and to boost their confidence for a bright future.

“Everyone in the society should pledge to end violence against women. Gender equality, protecting rights of women, advocating a life of dignity and justice for female world are essential for the growth of the nation,” she said. Women should try to fight against violence inflicted on them by approaching the judiciary, police and non-governmental organisations like the SYO working in the field of women’s rights protection, she suggested.
A large number of women shared their woes caused by family disputes, mental and physical tortures they faced and how they came out of such plight with the intervention of the SYO’s Women Support Centres. Maurer expressed pleasure that women were able to lead a happy life with the support centre’s intervention.

The ICDS Protect Officer S Nirmala, addressing the gathering, said illiteracy had been the main cause of violence against women. Women should learn to read and write so that they could stand against the acts of violence and prejudice. She stressed on the need to stop child marriages. The SYO secretary P Damodar said that the Women Support Centres set up by their organisation had been offering all possible help to women
affected by domestic violence and injustice meted out to them outside their homes.

The Sarvodaya project manager Vijay Moses, project coordinator Hepshiba, gender expert V Indira, counsellors K Vijayalakshmi, B Jyothi, K Premalatha, A Sudhakar and others were present. Sigrid Maurer along with the SYO secretary P Damodar and the programme monitoring officer Suhar Nair has visited Pothurajupalli of Geesukonda mandal in Warangal Rural district on Wednesday. She interacted with victims of domestic violence and asked the women to

raise their voice against injustice being meted out to them. She pointed out that women subjected to violence often feel left alone and they could approach the Women Support Centres to address their issues. Suhas Nair asked the women to be united in to fight against injustice they were subjected to. Members of Gram Rakshaka Dalams from 10 villages have taken part in the interaction